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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]