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96thdayofrage · 2 years

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Katrina Survivors Were Told They Could Use Grant Money to Rebuild. Now They’re Being Sued for It.

After Hurricane Katrina, struggling homeowners said, they were told not to worry about the fine print when they received grants to elevate their homes. Now the state is going after them because they did exactly that.

This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with The Advocate | The Times-Picayune, and it was also co-published with WWL-TV. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.

As natural disasters become more expensive, ProPublica and The Advocate | The Times-Picayune are investigating how relief programs unintentionally punish poor people. Do you have a story to tell? Fill out this form.

Celeste Matthews spent last summer’s 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in a panic at her cousin’s house in Uptown New Orleans as another monster storm, Hurricane Ida, roared through the city. With every gust, she was terrified the windows would shatter.

The next day, she returned to her home in the Gert Town neighborhood to find part of the roof torn off. With the electricity out, she had to sleep with the windows open. Mosquitoes swarmed around her bed.

“It was horrible,” said Matthews, 67.

After three days without power, Matthews had her daughter drive her to Houston. A week later she returned home, closed the curtains and sank into a depression, spending the next several days in bed.

One morning, she awoke to a knock on the door. An Orleans Parish sheriff’s deputy was holding a stack of court papers. Matthews, her hands shaking, read the first page:

“State of Louisiana, Division of Administration, Office of Community Development - Disaster Recovery Unit Versus Matthews, Celeste.”

Below that: “YOU HAVE BEEN SUED.”

When the levees broke during Katrina in 2005, Matthews’ home was engulfed in 5 feet of water. She lost everything. Like most poor New Orleanians, she struggled to cobble together enough money to rebuild.

In 2008, the state of Louisiana offered Matthews $30,000 through the federally funded Road Home program to elevate her house to reduce the risk of future flooding. But her home was still unlivable, and she desperately needed the cash for repairs. To her relief, she said, a Road Home representative told her she could use the elevation grant to instead pay for repairs. So she did.

Now, more than a decade later, the state wanted the money back.

Louisiana has sued about 3,500 people — about one in every nine people who received an elevation grant — for failing to use the grants to raise their homes after hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck in 2005.

The real problem, however, wasn’t that people ignored the rules, according to an investigation by The Advocate | The Times-Picayune, WWL-TV and ProPublica. It’s that the state Office of Community Development and a contractor it hired in 2006, ICF Emergency Management Services, mismanaged the program. For more than a decade since, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has insisted that the state recoup the money from people who are noncompliant.

Louisiana gave money to 32,000 homeowners starting in 2008. The state was in such a rush to distribute grants that no one verified they were eligible, according to the testimony of a top state official in one of the lawsuits. Some homeowners, like Matthews, said Road Home representatives told them they could use the money for repairs, even though that would violate their grant agreements.

Twice between 2013 and 2015, the state tried to fix the problem, changing the rules to allow spending on repairs and other expenses. But by then, so much time had passed that many homeowners couldn’t prove how they had used the money.

Some homeowners said they originally planned to elevate, but found that $30,000, the typical elevation grant, was less than a third of what it typically costs to lift a house and put it onto raised footings.

In 2017, under pressure from the federal government to recoup the funds, Louisiana started filing lawsuits against residents.

For many low-income homeowners, the suits could threaten financial ruin. Several pre-emptively declared bankruptcy, according to their attorneys. Others failed to defend themselves in court, resulting in the state placing liens on their properties. Some fear their homes will be taken away.

“We worked our asses off to get where we are now,” said Michelle Williams, 54, who is being sued along with her husband, Patrick Williams. “And for this to happen? You’re not helping the people of Louisiana. You’re knocking us farther and farther back.”

If they lose the lawsuit, she said, “I will crumble.”

The failures of Louisiana’s elevation grant program are part of a tapestry of dysfunction in how America prepares for disasters and helps victims in their wake. ProPublica and The Advocate | The Times-Picayune are exploring how a range of policies unintentionally punish working-class Americans and people of color, contributing to the disproportionate harm they suffer in catastrophes.

The problem is particularly urgent in Louisiana. Not only is it one of the poorest states in the union, it’s the most flood-prone, and it has been struck by some of the costliest natural disasters ever to hit the U.S. Thanks to global warming, the severity of such events is increasing, and their monetary toll is skyrocketing: Adjusted for inflation, the cost of U.S. natural disasters has increased by 600% since 1980.

The lawsuits over elevation grants, which have left thousands of Louisiana homeowners facing the prospect of cripping liens or payment plans, are part of the broader pattern of poor disaster planning.

The majority of elevation grants were in lower-income neighborhoods and communities of color, as were the lawsuits that followed, according to an analysis by ProPublica and The Advocate | The Times-Picayune. For the roughly 3,000 lawsuits that could be mapped, more than half of properties were located in census tracts with median incomes below the surrounding areas.

Roughly two-thirds of the properties were in neighborhoods that were disproportionately Black compared to their parishes.

The state is seeking $103 million in the elevation lawsuits. So far it has recovered nearly 5% of that from 425 families through the suits, said Pat Forbes, executive director of the Office of Community Development.

The agency tried to avoid taking such an aggressive approach, he said. But the state is required by the federal government to claw back money from people who didn’t follow the grant requirements.

“We’ve gone to great lengths to try to not have to take money back from people,” Forbes said, adding that the state will not foreclose on anyone’s home to collect.

A HUD spokesperson said the state could have used its own funds to repay any misspent grants rather than going after homeowners.

Suing them years later runs counter to the goal of helping the devastated communities of Louisiana rebuild, said U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-La.

Carter said he and other officials have talked to the Biden administration and Gov. John Bel Edwards about wiping the slate clean.

“These are not people that defrauded the government,” Carter said. “These are people that used the money to repair their homes. And they should not be put in a position where now those homes are being threatened.”

“I Wish I Never Signed That Paper”

Donnie Small’s family has deep ties to Jefferson Parish, which borders New Orleans. His father was the first Black sheriff’s deputy in the parish. Small drove a public bus there for 37 years.

After Katrina, Small volunteered to shuttle first responders between a small town upriver and New Orleans, 29 miles every morning and night. He did so when his own family was suffering, like so many others.

The one-story house in Kenner that he shared with his wife and two daughters sat in 2 feet of water for days after the storm. Everything had to be replaced: furniture, flooring, appliances, wiring.

Small, 69, received about $60,000 from his insurance company, but that covered only immediate needs, such as remediating mold and removing damaged trees. Unable to afford other accommodations, his family slept on air mattresses in the gutted structure, wearing masks to keep out the dust.

Small didn’t know how he was going to come up with more money, but he refused to give up. “I’ve never had any intentions of moving anywhere else,” he said. “This is my home. I’m going to be here.”

The Road Home program, created in 2006 to help people rebuild, often gave people less money than they needed to complete repairs because of how awards were calculated.

So in 2008, when the state sent 40,000 letters to homeowners telling them they were eligible for elevation grants, plenty of them were interested.

“The State of Louisiana is pleased to announce that funds are now available to assist you with the cost of elevating your home,” the letters read. To get the money, homeowners had to agree to raise their homes within three years of receiving grants.

Yet when Small met with a Road Home representative, he said, he was told he could put his $30,000 grant toward repairs. The money was a godsend, Small said.

Once the state Office of Community Development received an application, it sent the money to homeowners, Jeff Haley, who helped administer the elevation grant program as an official with ICF from 2006 to 2009, said in testimony during one of the elevation lawsuits.

No one double-checked before the money went out that homeowners were eligible or that their homes needed to be elevated, said Haley, who is now with the state Division of Administration. The state simply “didn’t have time,” he said. There was pressure to “get the funds out into the community as fast as possible.”

The state told the news organizations that it selected people whose homes were in flood-prone areas and who had already received another Road Home grant. It was up to homeowners to determine how much they needed to elevate their homes, officials said, and if they learned they were already at the correct height, they should have returned the money.

But when homeowners informed Road Home representatives, sometimes in writing, that they didn’t plan to elevate their homes, they were verbally told that they could use the money for repairs, according to eight families and eight attorneys representing more than 200 homeowners.

State officials told the news organizations no homeowners have identified who told them they could use the money for repairs. They suggested this didn’t happen until years later, after the state changed the rules to allow people who hadn’t raised their homes to use elevation grants for repairs.

Small said he never would’ve accepted the money if he hadn’t been told he could use it to fix his home.

“Back then it seemed they were really trying to help people,” said Small, who is the subject of a pending lawsuit. “We thought it was something that was a plus for us, that we can get our home back to the position that it was before the storm. Now, I wish I never signed that paper.”

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southjerseyweb · 3 months

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New Jersey to get $20 million in federal funds to fix roads

… South Jersey and another $12 million for disaster relief efforts. These efforts include trying to fix the lasting impacts of Hurricane Ida. Sen …

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dumb-fuck27 · 3 months

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I don’t everyone knows exactly what happened in the past 4 years so here’s a list.

2020:

The continent of Australia was on fire for 3 months starting in December of 2019

The prince of England and his family left royalty in the start of January

Covid-19 became a world wide pandemic in February which caused a toilet paper shortage, at least 750,000 deaths, every non essential store to close (some for good), racism against anyone and everyone who looked somewhat Asian, and so much more.

Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash with his daughter.

The FIRST impeachment of trump

Harvey Weinstein was FINALLY convicted on February 24th of raping and sexually abusing a young actress and film crew since he was first accused during the metoo movement

The stock market crashed so bad it was the modern equivalent of the 20-30s stock market crash (march 9th 2020)

The black lives matter protest started.

Kim Jon Un was rumored to be dead for an entire month.

Biden wins the election

Twitter gets fucking hacked

Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested for sec trafficking

3 inch murder hornets suddenly appear in the US

Beirut fucking exploded… like the entire capital city

Kalama Harris is chosen as vice president

Chadwick basemen aka the black panther died of cancer

The entire west coast was on fire

Ruth bader Ginsburg died

The denier of covid-19 Donald trump caught Covid-19

Eddie Van Halen died of cancer

Biden wins the election

Alex Trebek died of cancer

Covid-19 finally got a vaccine made. This caused death in the people who tried to substitute the vaccine with horse dewormer, fish aquarium chemicals, and just adamant denial of vaccines.

Covid-19 financial relief finally comes out

2021:

Covid-19 death toll went from at least 750,00 to over 1 million starting in January

In January 6 trump told his devout followers to go to the capital and protest the election results which ended in the protester braking in, destroying property, the death of multiple police and security guards, defecation and urination on files and in room, pipe bombs were found on site, the political officials were ushered out all the while trump sent the national guard away from the capital

Trump claim voter fraud which was proven against trumps case where voter fraud was found on trump.

The US rejoins Paris’ climate accord with WHO

The US military withdrawals from the Middle East living equipment and some men behind

Notable foreign leaders step down from power just as Raul Castro, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Angela Merkel

Alexey Navalny pitons political rivial returns to Russia after recovering from Putin poisoning him from being out spoken against Putin

A huge earthquake in Haiti followed by flash floods leaving 2,200 people dead

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics happen in 2021

2 mass shootings happen with in a week for each other in march

A 12 story condominium collapsed killing 98 people

Winter storms in Texas shit down power to the entire state

Followed by historical record braking heat waves in the west

Hurricane ida hits

The officer who millled George Floyd was convicted of second degree murder

R. Kelly was convicted of sex trafficking

Brittny Spears is free from her controlling life as a pop star

Another rover lands on mars

Jeff Bezos safely lands his space ship (sadly)

Facebook struggles containing hate speech

2022:

Apple stocks hit 3 trillion dollars

Baby formula shortages happens

Brittney Griner detain in Russia for having illegal drugs on her person

Roddy’s invaded Ukraine

The fish from Shark Tales slaps the zebra from Madagascar

Microplastic found in human blood

Johnny Depp wins amber heard false sexual assault allegations

Monkeypox outbreak spreads like wild fire

Buffalo supermarket shooter targets black people in mass shooting

Uvalde school shooting

Abortion is outlawed

Ketanji brown Jackson is sworn in as the first black j woman to be a supreme judge

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe is assassinated

The Choco Taco is laid to rest

The queen of England dies. The reports from the after life says that princess Diana had a couple things to say to her when she arrived.

Iran erupts in protest over the hijab laws

NASA defends the earth from an asteroid by smashing a rocket into it

The try guys are outed for cheating

Alex jones goes against sandy hooks parents in trial and looses

Elon musk buys twitter and twitter flops

The democrats win midterm election

The world population reaches 8 billion

Club Q nightclub shooting results in 5 deaths and 25 injuries

The worlds largest active volcano erupts in Hawaii

Once again, no student loan forgiveness

Worlds oldest DNA sample found in Greenland

Scientists discover nuclear fusion

US marks 10 years since sandy hook

Argentina wins World Cup

2023:

67,000 people die in massive earthquake in Syria

India takes the #1 spot for highest population count

The lost submarine next to the titanic

The Ukrainian war is still happening

Ongoing hamas and Israeli war killing millions of innocents from both sides

Bangladesh election protests

Canada and India relations get a little worse

2023 Nashville school shooting

150 people were killing is massive Nepal earthquake

And the best for last… gumball waterson kicks a Minecraft YouTuber ass after the YouTuber mocks back while not want to talk about pedophile allegations. Law suit underway while pedophile allegations are being looked into.

#shitpost #world news #history #politics

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aurajustaura · 1 year

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Sick Days, Cold Comfort

This past week, I've had an honest-to-goodness, funky, cruddy cold for the first time...maybe since before the pandemic?

In the past few years, I've had allergies, migraines, flare-ups of my pre-existing chronic illness, and big, bad COVID-19 itself, twice. The first time, at the beginning, unavoidable, only because we were told not to worry (yet) but it was already too late. The second time, while a little mosre mild, still painful, lead to #longcovid / post viral syndrome that has lasted most of this year, with weeks where I slept more than I was awake, I stumbled, I fell, I had joint pain flare ups, and for months it was impossible to focus on or retain anything. There were the knock-you-on-your-ass days after each COVID vaccine, booster, and flu shot. There was a debilitating depressive episode, and grief from so much loss. There was a cracked tooth that had to be pulled, from clenching my jaws in my sleep during the nightmares of the earliest, hardest days of this. There were hives and heat rash and a yeast infection in the swampy, steamy, hot days with no electricity after Hurricane Ida. And there was an embarrassing, but brief daliance with food poisoning.

What a long, strange, time. Being forced to stop for so long and stop and start and stop again, so many times, having to wait: for the all-clear, for the recommended quarantine time, for the symptom relief, for the test results, for your place in line for a shot, for the wound to heal, for the delayed mail, for the check to clear, for the election results, to be allowed to dance again, for your place in a line for food, for the storm to pass, for the debris to be cleared, for an available doctor's appointment, for answers, and seven months waiting until you finally feel a hug from another human.

Now this - a cold. We worry, like most people. Is it COVID again? We take multiple tests until we are certain, we make note of the presence or absence of every symptom. When it's finally confirmed it's just a cold - a nasty one, mind you, but still just a cold, the tension shifts.

I am sinking into a series of old, familiar, sensations. There is the hazy drowziness of a late afternoon nap, waking up momentarily confused about the day or time. There is the flinch before a sneeze, the ruffle of a tissue, the crisp, cool, snap of breathing in Vick's. . .

. . . want to read the rest? Go to patreon.com/aurajustaura to "follow" or become a patron. New public posts will be up every Wednesday.

#long covid #covid essays #nostalgia #personal essay #prose #cold and flu #chronic illness

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once-named-lethe · 1 year

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So the running theme is I get kidnapped or like purposely left behind in groups.

Every fucking life to the point I am painfully and constantly on edge of being kidnapped. And military service. Because fuck you Mike.

Ida, just fucking snatched me from a road and then made it several lives of continually kidnapping and killing me. In kinda short successions.

The whole Brethren issue. No I did not join by choice. Technically I was given an option. Continue being a Ida victim or join a holy gang and die glorious.

Puberty sucked alright what can I can say. Plus constantly thinking every family your born into hates you wears ya down.

I am still unpacking the trauma from the Divine assholes and no I don't need help. I will push Star Light off a cliff for half a snickers bar given the chance. Just cause I am staying out of their shit and not fist fighting them does not mean I am fully chill.

Seriously though, the fucking torture. The caves were fucked. And making grand gestures to remind people of their insignificance and incapabilities was fucked.

I am considering war against the Brethren. So if you are interested for your part of theraputic relief of punching Gab or Mike in the face let me know.

Uhhhhh five different lives people who I got engaged to got mad at me or my family and kidnapped me. Resulting in several murders and me jumping/drowning to death.

That one asshole that stabbed me in the eye at a tavern and tried dragging out was an ass thank fuck I died.

I fucking hate Ancient Rome for a million and one reasons.

The kidnapping ruined by a hurricane was funny to me and I claimed it was upset Harpies. Then died to hypothermia.

See I don't get to dream and think like normal people. I am kinda on a kaleidoscope of past deaths and major moments when I am not actively doing something.

From being loved and praised by a mother one life to the pain and sorrow of losing my entire family the next because some fuckwad wanted more power...

Its on constant replay. Some lives I know entirely but leave untouched because its unbareably painful.

Others I repeat endlessly hoping I'll finally find the words I should have said.

All of your faces. From when we met till we were damned. Till now. I replay the times of joy and sadness.

I remind myself. People change. They can be alone, or come together. But a pattern holds the same.

For me. I won't be able to hold my family together. What peace I will gain will be from keeping my mouth sewn shut. And I will age in silence.

Then someone takes all my things away.

For others its who or how they love. Maybe its being a fashion icon. A good fighter. Scholar. Drunk... Martyr.

For me. I will be taken and no one will notice. And as I scream out endlessly. Everyone will forget. Forget who they are and why it even matters.

I am Lethe. When I am lost in my mind you return to yourself. But when I walk a mind the fields of thought from all who are.... You forget. You are just a person in the moment. No longer 'Once who was'.

I wonder what happens next. I won't see it. But even when Gods die we know. But what happens when my final death comes?

I wonder that a lot. I wonder if someone will recall my melancholy in painful detail or if they endlessly play faded memories of my days of mirth and joy giving.

If.... Anyone recalls at all. Lethe who once was... Just know. Even when you forget me. I never stopped playing my memory of you.

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cathedralhouma · 2 years

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On October 15th & 16th, we will have a Second Collection to support Disaster Relief for the victims of Hurricane Ian. Last year when we were devastated by Hurricane Ida, our sisters and brothers from Florida came to our aid in large numbers with generous supplies to assist us.

For those of you would prefer to donate non-perishable foods, we will also be collecting them at the doors of the Cathedral this weekend as well. Please note: the Diocese of Venice – where our relief is headed – has NOT asked for water or cleaning supplies as they have a surplus of these. However, the Diocese has specifically requested: Feminine hygiene products • 40 gallon or above garbage bags • Gallon-size Ziploc bags • Manual can openers.

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lockbanana · 2 years

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2016 tax extension for california

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fmhiphop · 2 years

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Chris Brown Skips Hurricane Relief Show Or Did He? It's Time To Set The Record Straight!

Rumor has it that Chris Brown didn't fulfill his commitment to a benefit show recently. But did Chris Brown skip out on a hurricane relief show? The artist is finally setting the record straight about skipping the benefit show and how the organizer of the event has it all wrong. Chris Brown Skips Hurricane Relief Show But Is Giving the Details On How It Went Down On March 19 Brown was set to perform at the "One Night Only" show to raise money for victims of Hurricane Ida. However, LaJuan Bailey, the organizer of the event, claims Chris Brown bailed on his commitment. What makes things even worse, she says she spent over $1 million on Brown's fees and accommodations. Including a private jet. But during sound check she got notice that he was canceling. Chris' team says they actually emailed the event on March 17 stating that the "Forever" artist wouldn't be performing. So it was in fact two days before the event. And the reason he wasn't performing was because of a violation to his contract. Since Bryson Tiller was removed from the lineup without a replacement. Now it is still unclear whether or not Bailey's team knew before sound check and just didn't tell her until last minute. Brown continues to defend himself saying that the organizer has it all wrong. And he would never skip out on a charity event without notice. On top of offering his side of the story on skipping the benefit show he offered to send a 6-figure donation. Sources close to Chris say he is currently in negotiations with the Houston-based charity to settle the situation. But Bailey recently stated that she is willing to bring Chris to court if he fails to make things right. There are definitely two sides to this story and only time can tell which is the truth! For more hiphop news and entertainment check out FMHipHop. Brittany Belizor | IG @Brittieb_ | Twitter @BBelizor Read the full article

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jennymanrique · 2 years

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Across the US, Activists Fill In for a ‘Failed’ Disaster Relief System

June 1 marked the official start of wildfire and hurricane season in the United States. With the severity of natural disasters increasing every year due to climate change, non-profit organizations have been working to pressure elected leaders to address what they say is the nation’s failed disaster relief system.

Under the banner of Organizing Resilience, activists from Florida, Oregon, California, Louisiana, and Texas, are demanding action on long-term climate resilient infrastructure that supports thriving economies.

During a June 3 briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services, speakers shared ways local communities have responded to disasters in the absence of government support in meeting immediate needs.

“FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) doesn’t show up until about two weeks after a storm,” said Ashley Shelton, CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice in Louisiana. “It creates this gap where folks are desperate, they’re reeling and hurting.”

Last year, Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana and killed more than 100 people. Under mutual aid agreements, Shelton’s organization managed to get about $200,000 on the ground within that first week after the storm to cover expenses like hotels, food, and bills.

“We did a lot of work this legislative session to pass legislation around insurance companies, making sure that we’re holding them accountable to their clients… Lots of provisions weren’t clear in their policies, like they didn’t cover wind or had this cap for natural disasters,” Shelton said.

Even critical documentation could be destroyed in a disaster, so people need to request these documents from their mortgage and insurance companies, requiring long processes.

In conversations at both the federal and the state level, Shelton and her team are pushing the idea of giving tax credits to victims: $500 for the first three months after a disaster is declared for people living in the area.

They are also holding workshops across Louisiana to talk about what resources are available and how to hold government accountable.

“We had to submit forms (to FEMA) like a week and a half after the storm, but if the grid is down, there’s no electricity and no internet, how is anybody supposed to do that?” Shelton noted.

Disaster preparedness for non-English speakers

Activists insisted there is not enough information available on how to be prepared before a disaster strikes or about what steps to take in the event of a disaster in languages other than English.

“Spanish resources weren’t available” during wildfire season last year, one of the worst on record for the West Coast, said Daysi Bedolla Sotelo, organizing director at Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN), a labor union representing farmworkers in Oregon.

“Our folks can sign up to emergency alerts, but they’re not getting it in the language that they are needing it. And not just Spanish, but also indigenous languages. There’s a lot of other dialects that are also spoken,” she added.

Farmworkers in Oregon and elsewhere in the country work under taxing conditions made more difficult by increasing heat and extended periods of toxic smoke from nearby wildfires. Thanks to Bedolla’s organization, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) recently passed smoke and heat rules to protect farmworkers this coming season.

“We do outreach wherever we find our community members and farm workers. We do have a rapid response component, teach them how to look for those resources, what documents they should have, how to prepare an emergency backpack…we are definitely way more prepared and ready than we were two years ago when the first wildfire hit us,” Bedolla explained.

Still, despite these measures, undocumented people—who make up a significant share of the nation’s farmworkers—don’t qualify for relief. Which is why last season the state and three sister organizations had to set up an emergency fund as farmers were too scared to go to government agencies to ask for help.

“They don’t know what the repercussions are going to be,” Bedolla said.

Addressing disaster-related trauma

Natural disasters also have an impact on survivors’ mental health. According to Chrishelle Palay, executive director of the HOME Coalition in Houston, 2021’s winter storm, Yuri—which brought unprecedented freezing conditions to Texas and a monumental power grid failure—left the community suffering from PTSD.

“We were left in freezing conditions and darkness for four days and in some areas actually for weeks,” Palay recalled. “After the temperatures increased and the plumbing pipes warmed up, another disaster struck when the pipes burst and we were left with no running water.”

Palay said that Texans living along the Gulf Coast are concerned not just about the power grid but also about deteriorating conditions made worse by these extreme events.

“Harvey happened almost five years ago, and unfortunately low-income communities of color are continuing to live in leaky roofs and homes with the moldy ceilings and walls,” she said. “We’re worried about the continued exacerbation of issues that already existed.”

Her coalition has been working with city and county leaders in Houston to address the need for more resources among community members.

Housing access and affordability

Housing access and affordability remain a key concern for many activists, who say low-income residents in states like Florida—where costs have been rising precipitously—are being forced to move to regions more vulnerable to climate-driven disasters.

“A lot of folks are experiencing housing insecurity, not knowing where they’re going to live next,” said MacKenzie Marcelin, climate justice manager at Florida Rising. “Entering this hurricane season, it’s a grave concern.”

Marcelin and his peers have been coordinating a “Justice on Every Block campaign,” pressing for increased accountability and oversight for landlords across the state, ensuring they comply with local safety ordinances and implement housing anti-discrimination policies.

“We’re also pushing for 90-day eviction notices for pregnant women and tenants with children,” said Marcelin. “We believe that housing is a right, so we’re trying to pass a bill to protect tenants and make sure they have just as many rights as these developers.”

Originally published here

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#English #Florida #Hurricane season #Texas #Climate #fire season #California #housing #climate change #Latinos

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