On October 17, 2011, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana issued an order holding St. Bernard Parish and the Parish Council in contempt for violating the terms of a 2008 Consent Order, which among other things enjoins them from violating the Fair Housing Act. Plaintiffs GNOFHAC and Provident Realty Advisors, Inc. […]

New Orleans landlords Betty Bouchon, the Bouchon Limited Family Partnership and Sapphire Corp., have agreed to pay $70,000 in damages and civil penalties to settle a lawsuit alleging they unlawfully denied housing to African-American prospective renters at a 16-unit apartment building located in New Orleans. In December 2010, the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action […]

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 […]