The Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC) filed suit this morning against St. Bernard Parish in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The suit prays for a permanent injunction restraining St. Bernard Parish from enforcing its single-family and blood-relative ordinances.

GNOFHAC will host a news conference at 1:00 p.m. to provide details of the lawsuit. Additionally, attendees will hear from a landlord harmed by the discriminatory ordinance. The event will be held on the neutral ground near the intersection of St. Claude Ave. & Mehle Ave, in front of the St. Bernard Parish “Welcome,” sign.

GNOFHAC filed the lawsuit because the ordinance’s blood relative requirement will prevent St. Bernard homeowners with covered residences from renting to any person not of the owner’s own race and national origin. The most recent estimates from United States Census Data indicate that whites own nearly 93% of St. Bernard Parish owner occupied housing. As a result, in most circumstances only whites would be able to rent most single-family housing in the Parish.

10-3-06 Read the full press release here.

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