lpompa -- All Comments -- In These Times

All 2 comments by...

lpompa

- 21 Jan 08
- 2:18 pm
I'm here in New Orleans, and was at that city council meeting. I know a lot about public housing, know former residents, know how the voucher system works, etc. I have to say that this article is off base in many ways and takes a narrow view of an extremely complex topic. A lot of this info is downright inaccurate. HANO and HUD have done a miserable job, and peoples fate should not be left up to them. These particular projects were awful and are not places where you would want your grandma to live. There should be something better for …

Posted to First Came Katrina, Then Came HUD
- 27 Jan 08
- 6:11 pm
Economically, it's more expensive to refurbish. Aside from the lead paint and asbestos remediation, in most of these buildings looters have taken out every copper pipe, and knocked down the telephone poles to reach copper wire and steal it too. The units were once heated with fireplaces, and the later boiler systems put in are unrepairable. Obviously there was never air conditioning. The units are tiny, have no closets and the buildings would basically be a complete gut job. Morally speaking, I can't say. In the case of the New Orleans, which is not as transient as some other cities, the …

Posted to First Came Katrina, Then Came HUD