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Louisiana Workers March Against Evictions

On September 8, the New Orleans Workers Group organized a rally and march demanding that the city reinstate a ban on evictions.

People marched down the streets chanting, “Don’t starve, fight! Housing is a human right!” and “No More Rent!”. Speakers at the rally emphasized the need for unity between the employed and unemployed to build a militant organization of the working class to combat not just evictions but all the murderous policies the ruling class has used to wage war on us workers, from forcing us to return to work and denying people unemployment benefits to cutting social programs and giving huge bailouts to businesses.

When asked what brought them out to the march, one worker said, “I’m here to support the workers of our community. It’s absolutely inhumane that the city is willing to put people out on the streets during a pandemic.” Another worker remarked, “This state prioritizes landlords’ rights over renters’ rights. Housing is a human right. New Orleans already had a huge eviction rate before the pandemic, so now I’m very frightened and concerned about what might happen. I’m also concerned about the evacuees from Lake Charles. How long will they be displaced? Hotels are open for tourists now. But what kind of care are residents from Lake Charles getting?”

30,000 families in New Orleans are at risk of eviction. The majority of these households are Black, brown, women and children. Already people have been pushed out on the streets. Housing is our human right, but it’s going to take an organized mass struggle for us to win it.

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Urgent News to Keep Workers in Our Homes

  • CDC moratorium on evictions may not stop them.
  • Know the facts. Beware of phony eviction notices, harassment, fees, and lying landlords.
  • Eviction Court reopens October 5th.
  • Courts will be demanding CDC declaration and proof.

The CDC declaration is a big problem. It makes us swear we will pay all back rent and fees on January 1st. It must be downloaded, filled out, copied, and served to your landlord. The court says we will need proof.

We are fighting against this unnecessary obstacle and want a clear-cut ban on evictions and foreclosures and a ban on back rent or federal relief to pay it. But you may need the form to stop an eviction. We have copies of the declaration, just give the Louisiana Movement for Workers Councils a call at (504)-671-7853.

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Halt Property Tax Increase

Real Estate Tax Hikes = Evictions for Black Homeowners

Mayor Cantrell issues a new press release daily praising new programs. Working class New Orleanians, especially the Black community, need to ask ourselves a few questions. Is my situation today better or worse? Have my rents, taxes, utility bills gone down? Has my income gone up? No! The main policy of the city is to displace New Orleans communities to make way for the high paid, mostly white yuppies who are moving here. Black music, food and traditions draw tourism bucks but communities aren’t seeing any benefits from it. The government proves once again that it works for the capitalists, not the people.

Despite the Sewerage & Water Board illegally squandering tens of millions of dollars, not one former Board member has gone to jail—even worse, they’re collecting huge pensions on our dime. The S&WB gives out huge profit-making contracts with no accountability. Meanwhile, the S&WB workers’ jobs have only been getting harder and more terrible.

A new Board has been appointed headed by Neil Abramson, a major Cantrell backer, who works with real estate developers and who pushed through the destruction of public community education in favor of charter profiteering. The new Board is mainly made up of millionaires. Like before, the City Council, with all their contributions from big business, tries to pretend they have no role and can do nothing. So whose interest are they really representing? Now they want us to pay for higher bills with a new drainage fee on the October ballot.

In 1999 a new fee and higher rates increased bills by 50%. Thousands are still struggling with the robbery the S&WB carried out with false high bills. A fee is a pretty word for a tax, and we cannot afford another expense coming out of our stagnant or falling incomes. We need an elected S&WB run by working class people, not the robber barons.

VOTE NO TO NEW DRAINAGE FEE
NEW TAX ASSESSMENTS are ANOTHER WAY TO GENTRIFY

RACIST REAL ESTATE VULTURES RESPONSIBLE, GOVERNMENT AIDS THEM

The new tax assessments, some 50% higher, are pushing thousands of working class and middle-class homeowners into foreclosure and eviction. This is a crisis for those on social security, pensions, and disability especially, but with low wages and no raises this is devastating. Taxes and insurance are swallowing incomes up, and this crime is abetted by government officials—city and state—who are owned by the developers and insurance industries.

Many Black communities like Treme are barely recognizable as rents and home prices and new taxes are driving Black people out. Hospitality workers can no longer afford to live in areas close to the Quarter or CBD. Gentilly homes are now selling for $350,000 because that’s what real estate vultures charge. So, based on that, long-time homeowners are seeing their homes that were purchased for $80,000 reassessed for higher amounts, regardless even of condition.