Press Releases

State Amends Problematic Hurricane Relief Program
07th Jul 2011
CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS SETTLE HURRICANE KATRINA HOUSING DISCRIMINATION CASE AGAINST HUD AND LOUISIANA – STATE AMENDS PROBLEMATIC HURRICANE RELIEF PROGRAM Today, African-American homeowners and two civil rights organizations announced a settlement in a post-Hurricane Katrina housing discrimination lawsuit brought against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the State of Louisiana regarding the […]

St. Bernard Parish Issues Building Permits
06th Jul 2011
After defying a federal judge’s order for more than two weeks and garnering $40,000 in fines, St. Bernard Parish today issued building permits for three of four contentious mixed-income apartment construction sites in Chalmette. 7-6-11 Read the nola.com article “St. Bernard Parish Issues Contentious Apartment Building Permits” here. 7-8-11 Read the nola.com editorial “St. Bernard Parish officials get […]

Judge Partially Grants Another Motion for Contempt Against St. Bernard Parish
30th Jun 2011
On June 30, 2011, the Honorable Judge Helen Berrigan issued an order, partially granting the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center’s (GNOFHAC) latest emergency motion for contempt against St. Bernard Parish. The order also requires the Parish to issue permits for Provident Realty Advisors’ sites Woodlands, Parc Place, and Magnolia by 3pm on July […]

Fair Housing Center Files Another Motion for Contempt Against St. Bernard Parish
22nd Jun 2011
On June 22, 2011, the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC) filed an emergency motion for contempt against St. Bernard Parish. The motion “requests that the Court issue an immediate order enforcing its June 20, 2011 Order; ordering Defendants to immediately provide water taps and authorize the release of electricity; holding Defendants in […]

Federal Judge Grants Relief In Part, Requires Parish to Provide Essential Utilities to Developer
20th Jun 2011
On June 20, 2011, Federal Judge Helen Berrigan issued an order partially granting the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center’s (GNOFHAC) and Provident Realty Advisors latest motion to hold St. Bernard Parish in contempt of court. The order requires St. Bernard Parish to allow Entergy to release electricity to developer Provident Realty Advisors’ sites, […]

Judge Grants Temporary Restraining Order in Baton Rouge Disability Discrimination Case
10th Jun 2011
On June 10, 2011, the Honorable Judge James Brady, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana, issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining the City of Baton Rouge from enforcing its “two (2) unrelated persons residing in an A-I zone” rule against two Oxford House, Inc. homes. Additionally, until a hearing is held, the City of […]
Fair Housing Center Receives Prestigious Award for Contribution to Fair Housing Movement
06th Jun 2011
On June 6, 2011 the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) awarded the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC) its prestigious Chairman’s Award for GNOFHAC’s contribution to the Fair Housing Movement. NFHA Board Chair Jim McCarthy presented the award to GNOFHAC staff before an assembled audience of fair housing advocates from around the country […]

Resistance to Mixed Income Housing in St. Bernard Parish Still Driven by Racial Discrimination
06th Jun 2011
On June 6, 2011, the Honorable Judge Helen Berrigan issued another order in the legal battle between the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC)/Provident Realty Advisors and St. Bernard Parish. In her order, Judge Berrigan denies St. Bernard’s motion for the court to issue a cease and desist order and sets a timeline […]

Tell HUD & The State of Louisiana to Fix the Discriminatory Road Home Program!
20th May 2011
In 2008, the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC) filed a lawsuit against the State of Louisiana and HUD because the design of the Road Home program, the program designed to help people recover from Hurricane Katrina, is inherently racially discriminatory. A few weeks ago GNOFHAC was engaged in promising settlement talks with Louisiana and […]

Taffaro Issues Cease and Desist Order in Response to State Court Ruling, then Rescinds to Avoid Fine
08th Apr 2011
On April 8, 2011, St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro ordered work stopped on the four mixed-income apartment complexes being built by Provident Realty Advisors in Chalmette because they don’t have proper parish permits. But U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan quickly ordered him to rescind the order or face contempt-of-court fines beginning today at 5 […]