Cindy Gabriel, a member of the government’s Joint Hurricane Housing Task Force, told KTRK-TV, "If they are successful in recertification, it will buy them four more months, which will give them more time to get their feet on the ground, to go out and look for work if they haven't found a job yet."

City officials, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other agencies organized the events because only about 6,000 of the 24,000 eligible households have submitted the forms, due October 31.

One of those reapplying for benefits was John Beaufort, who worked as a cook in New Orleans. "There's no way I can go back now. I'd have no place to live, no job, nothing," Beaufort told the Militant. "And I'd sure have to make more money than I was working in a restaurant to afford renting a place!"

Rents are skyrocketing in New Orleans—up an average of 39 percent since the hurricane, the New York Times reported. The city has announced that it plans to refurbish only a small percentage of its traditional public housing units. Though some aid has been set aside for landlords, many workers say they are unable to return because they have been priced out by rent-gouging.

And those who owned homes in the flooded areas are now faced with a new predator—the real estate developer.

"The developers have moved into city in force in a land grab operation that targets working people and the poor," said retired merchant seaman Howard Allen. "It started with an August 31 deadline for gutting houses that were damaged in the floods. But that's not so easy. A lot of homeowners in the 9th Ward haven't yet been able to settle with the government and FEMA on how much money they'll get and how they should rebuild their houses.”

"In Louisiana,” Allen said, “the homestead law says if you're living on your property you don't have to pay property tax. Many people in the flooded areas were covered by this. But since the deadline passed, many non-gutted homes have been bulldozed and taxes have to be paid on thousands more. A number have been taken over by developers who paid the taxes owed.

“One millionaire who came to one of our community meetings was bragging about how he bought a whole block of Mandeville Street and was going to put up high-priced condos. These developers have shown how worthless all these laws are that are supposed to help protect the poor from skyrocketing rents."  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home