NEW ORLEANS RESIDENTS FORCED INTO DEPLORABLE SHELTERS DEMAND END TO JINDAL POLICY

Outraged Gustav evacuees have exposed a Louisiana state policy that directs the poorest hurricane survivors to the worst shelters. Over 1500 New Orleans residents were shocked when they arrived at an abandoned Sam's Club warehouse that had been converted into a shelter lacking the most basic services and infrastructure. Mothers have been forced to bathe babies in portable toilets parked outside while diabetics are receiving food that puts them at risk.

The exposure of New Orleans' poorest residents to this public health disaster is the result of the Department of Social Services' sheltering policy issued on August 29, 2008 - the eve of the evacuation and the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The differential treatment policy explicitly directs the poorest evacuees to state-run shelters that fail basic humanitarian standards. The policy prescribes that residents using city/state transportation are directed to "large capacity" substandard, state-managed, warehouse-style shelters. In contrast, residents evacuating in their own cars are sent to shelters operating at a higher standard -- often Red Cross Shelters. The impact of the policy is that the poorest in New Orleans have least access to humane conditions in a time of disaster.

The residents at Sam's Club have been organizing and need your help. On Thursday, Sept 4 residents in the Sam's Club shelter held a press conference along with members of STAND, a grassroots project of the New Orleans Workers' Center, to expose the horrific conditions. They demanded an end to the differential treatment policy and a safe and immediate return home. They also presented a letter with 900 signatures they had collected which had been sent to Governor Bobby Jindal.

What you can do:

Sign the petition below. The petition directs Governor Bobby Jindal to revoke the outrageous policy, and offer an apology to the thousands of poor Black residents forced into humiliating shelter conditions.
· Reply to this email at workerscenter@gmail.com, and let us know you want to sign the petition.

Call Mayor Ray Nagin. DIAL 504 658 4900
· Tell the mayor to give Jindal a strong, clear message: "Revoke your unjust policy, and apologize to the people of New Orleans."
· Tell Mayor Nagin that ALL SHELTER RESIDENTS MUST BE BACK IN NEW ORLEANS BY NOON ON SUNDAY.

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New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice
803 Baronne Street Phone: 504.452.9159
New Orleans, Louisiana 70113

STAND
for dignity

PETITION AGAINST DIFFERENTIAL AND INHUMANE TREATMENT FOR NEW ORLEANS POOR AND WORKING CLASS RESIDENTS


[To add your name to the petition, please reply to this email, workerscenter@gmail.com with your name and the name of your organization.]

On the third anniversary of Katrina, New Orleans began preparing for a mandatory evacuation as Hurricane Gustav approached. On the evening before city/state transportation began evacuating poor and working class residents from the city, Governor Jindal's administration adopted a new evacuation policy. The differential treatment policy proactively directed the poorest evacuees to state-run shelters that failed basic humanitarian standards. The policy prescribed that residents using city/ state transportation would be directed to "large capacity" substandard state-managed shelters. In contrast, residents evacuating in their own cars would be sent to shelters operating at a higher standard - often Red Cross Shelters. The impact of the policy is that the poorest in New Orleans-- predominantly African-American families struggling for stability since Hurricane Katrina-- have least access to humane conditions in a time of disaster.

We allies stand with the poor and working class people of New Orleans still working to rebuild the city as they struggle for fairness in all phases of this humanitarian crisis-evacuation, shelter, relief, and return.

Recognizing the inhumane conditions they have suffered and the courage and vision of the evacuated residents to demand a new, just system, we support the evacuated residents' demands as follows:

WHEREAS, thousands of poor and working class residents of Louisiana heeded the government's call to evacuate in the wake of Hurricane Gustav and boarded city and state transportation services. Without knowing their final destination until arrival, these residents were ultimately transported to inhumane state-run shelters that do not comply with basic humanitarian standards.

WHEREAS, on the eve of the evacuation of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Gustav, Gov. Jindal's Department of Social Services adopted a shelter policy that directed poor and working class residents to the worst quality shelters.

WHEREAS, evacuated residents and their families were thus exposed to the following substandard conditions:

PUBLIC HEALTH AND BASIC NEEDS

· Diabetics have been forced to choose between consuming foods that exposes them to health risks or starving.

· Shower facilities for 2000 people have consisted of a single re-used bucket and two minutes in the utility closet. Mothers have been washing their babies in portable toilets.

· Evacuated residents have been relying on outdoor port-o-potties for toilets even when the aftermath of the storm bore down on Shreveport.

· Because the state chose to use an open warehouse, thousands of residents have been subjected to almost a week of round-the-clock fluorescent lighting.

· As the National Guard looks over the 2400 square foot room, residents have had no sense of privacy. Residents have been forced to change their clothes under surveillance by armed guards, creating an invasive and traumatic climate of constant control. The only private space has been the port-o-potties that over 2000 people use.

LACK OF INFORMATION

· Evacuated residents have relied on a personnel television for the only information regarding the safety of their homes.

POOR PREPARATION AND PLANNING

· Evacuated residents have waited in lines 2000 people long for meals and other services.

· Evacuated residents have been warehoused in buildings no longer even used to house goods.

WHEREAS, STAND, a grassroots project of the New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice monitored the evacuation of low-income residents from New Orleans and communicated with them as they were directed to state-run shelters across Louisiana.

WHEREAS, as soon as they arrived at the warehouse shelters with their families, evacuated residents began reporting the inhumane conditions at the shelters to STAND and began to organize and demand minimum standards that protect their health and dignity.

WHEREAS, on September 3, a core leadership committee collected over 900 signatures of evacuated residents on a letter to Governor Jindal and Secretary of Social Services Silverberg Williams documenting the substandard conditions and public health risk.

WHEREAS, on September 3, evacuated residents presented the letter to Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover who committed to immediately forward the residents' letter to Governor Jindal and the Department of Social Services.

WHEREAS, on September 4, evacuated residents exposed that their plight was planned and directed by a state policy dictating that poor and working class residents who relied on city/state transportation to evacuate were sent to substandard large- scale sheltering facilities while evacuated residents of better means were sheltered by the Red Cross, churches, and other shelters with higher standards.

WHEREAS, evacuated residents publicly presented the inhumane conditions and again demanded a response from Governor Jindal, the Department of Social Services, and New Orleans Mayor Nagin.

WHEREAS, after and unjust and traumatic evacuation process, residents now face further obstacles returning to the city they love.

WHEREAS, Governor Jindal and Mayor Nagin have ignored the evacuated residents demands for a response.

WHEREAS, the impact of Louisiana's current policy is that the poorest in New Orleans have least access to humane conditions in a time of disaster and face obstacles to returning to New Orleans.

THEREFORE, I add my name and support to the growing ranks of allies standing with the poor and working class people of New Orleans still working to rebuild their city and their lives. I stand with them in demanding that:

(1) Governor Jindal must revoke the current differential treatment policy in providing emergency humanitarian assistance and publicly apologize to residents on whom the state tested it;

(2) The Louisiana Department of Social Services' must adopt a new shelter policy that includes the following minimum standards for all shelters:

· Diabetic evacuated residents receive adequate food for their medical conditions;

· Bath/shower facilities with running water;

· Separate toilet and shower facilities for men, women, and children;

· Facilities where lights can be dimmed at bedtime;

· Separate partitioned space for food preparation, eating, nursing, medical needs, changing clothes, children's play spaces, and recreational spaces;

· Evacuated residents should receive twice daily updates regarding the physical conditions of their homes;

ORGANIZATION / INDIVIDUAL:
(Name and contact information)