There is currently a bill in the Senate that will help provide more affordable housing to the people of New Orleans, and make it more difficult for corporations to develop previously inhabited land with expensive condos for the wealthy.  It is called the Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act (senate bill 1668). It passed in the house but despite having some very prominent democratic supporters (just about any senator running for president as a dem), it was referred to a committee. Here are a few paragrpahs describing it (that I did not write):

Saving Affordable Housing in New Orleans

New Orleans public housing residents have been fighting for over two
years to return to apartments that were minimally damaged by the
storm. But the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has
shut them out, because it wants to demolish most of the available
public housing units. It’s plan is replace them with far fewer mixed-income
housing units[1], which would force thousands of mostly
Black low-income residents out of the city.

S.1668 honors the right to return of all New Orleans public housing
residents. It requires the re-opening of at least 3,000 public housing
units and ensures that there is no net loss of units available and
affordable to public housing residents. It also designates $1.7
billion for rental housing assistance and earmarks millions for
community development programs, which will benefit an even larger
segment of the lower income population. But the bill is in danger of
dying — because some senators are opposed to preserving affordable
public housing.

It’s hard to know what motivates each senator, but it’s an open secret
that many folks have a desire to see a richer and Whiter post-Katrina
New Orleans, and many of them have a great deal of political
influence. Senators like David Vitter (La.) and Richard Shelby (Al.)
appear to be playing to those interests by standing in the way of this
legislation, and others are following their lead. If they win, it
will be yet another instance of the federal government abandoning
those most vulnerable during and after Katrina.

The Gulf Coast needs a housing policy that welcomes all citizens home,
especially those who need the most help coming home. Senate bill 1668
is an opportunity to do that. Please join us in demanding that your
senator support the bill.

http://www.colorofchange.org/s1668/?id=2013-52977

Thanks.

The website it gives will take you to a page where you can send a form letter to your Senator. Or you can write a letter yourself. Washingtons senators are Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. I know a lot of people don’t read this blog, so I’m going to bring this up at youth group this sunday.

 Ben