House The Houseless: Next Wave Civil Rights, NOLA

The Greater New Orleans Citizens Relief Team is organizing this fundraiser.

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House The Unhoused, The Citizens Offer Solutions

The Next Wave Civil Rights Movement

If the City of New Orleans is against gentrification, why are they hoarding and withholding land instead of using it to house The Unhoused? If the City of New Orleans is for The Culture why don’t they support The Greater New Orleans Citizens Relief Team's action and solution to the housing crisis; to continue renovating blighted homes with the unhoused persons that will live in them?

It is with deep sadness to report to you all today the current state of our houses on First street. Although we were told that Mimi and three other unhoused men would be allowed to stay in the house we are currently renovating with them. We regret to inform you that they have been kicked out by NORA and both homes have been boarded up.

This is inhumane and unjust to the unhoused people and countless volunteers that have spent their time renovating the spaces to make them more inhabitable for them while also maintaining the land around them through yard cleanup and maintenance.

The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) is currently responsible for this egregious act of turning these unhoused men on the street in the cold DURING THE HOLIDAYS! One of our unhoused partners is physically disabled and they removed him, his wheelchair, and his belongings from that space as well. We are reaching out to you to share our current status and bring attention to what’s currently happening with the housing crisis and the state of our unhoused neighbors.

This is our call to action to ensure our unhoused partners can return to their spaces safely with their property unharmed, while we continue to support them through home renovations. NORA plans to demolish both homes, and tear down (4) trees we planted in partnership with SOUL NOLA in order to auction the bare land to the highest bidder.

Photographer, Michael Alford

The unhoused are not disposable and should be treated with the respect and dignity every human being deserves.

It is cruel and destructive for NORA to remove their belongings with no warning and provide them with no adequate options for shelter. NORA and the city of New Orleans pride themselves on celebrating neighborhoods and honoring traditions. If they truly value the neighborhood and citizens that inhabit it, that should also include helping to create adequate housing for our unhoused neighbors.

Together, we can stop the bullying of the unhoused by the nonprofit industrial complex and stand with our unhoused neighbors who have been given no option for permanent housing during a freeze advisory.

We urge you to call/email NORA, Councilwoman Harris, and Mayor Cantrell, and let them know that we the people find it unacceptable to remove people from their homes that have been nothing short of good and essential to the community. The Greater New Orleans Citizens Relief Team, Mimi, and his roommates stepped up when the city chose to ignore the First street block and not remove the garbage from the streets or help clean up the sidewalks.

The unhoused deserve better help and treatment than this.

We DEMAND 20% of the properties being put up for auction through NORA are set aside to house the unhoused, including the houses we reclaimed in 2020.

SHAME ON NORA FOR THIS!!!

SHAME ON THEM FOR REMOVING AND BLOCKING ACCESS TO OUR NEIGHBORS’ HOMES!

WE MUST STAND UP FOR HUMANITY AND FIGHT BACK AGAINST THESE INJUSTICES!