New Orleans public-housing residents were very angry on Saturday because they took charge of the recovery and cleanup of homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina and vandals, blaming the government for failing to act.

Federal housing authorities that manage New Orleans units say 64% of the city's public housing base has mold and must be inspected. Former tenants are offered vouchers to pay rent elsewhere temporarily.

There were other residents who said that thieves had stolen the complex's copper plumbing pipes. Residents of other complexes, which were flooded, said upper floors could be inhabited and lower floors could be gutted and fixed, just as private homeowners are doing.

The police in charged of housing watched the activity at the Peete complex and others without interfering. Housing and Urban Development spokeswoman Donna White said by phone that residents were being allowed to go into units but not to stay. The agency has set aside $154 million for rebuilding public housing in the city. About 5,000 families had lived in New Orleans units before Katrina and about 1,000 have returned.

There were also some residents who say they feel those who blame public housing for crime are keeping them out by officials who want to build more expensive housing or.
 
By M. Sese
http://realestatepress.org