New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice

Through My Eyes: Louisiana’s First Independent Evacuation Shelter Monitoring Report

Evacuation can never be effective, humane or legal without prioritizing community community input and decision making in evacuation planning, preparation, and implementation.  This grassroots monitoring report is one step towards building adequate transparency and accountability into Louisiana’s emergency preparedness and response.

The purpose of this report is to provide families of Southeast Louisiana with a comprehensive and honest assessment of Louisiana’s evacuation plan and sheltering readiness prior to a mandatory evacuation.  The information comes from community assessors – 90% were former evacuees in state run shelters during the 2008 mandatory Gustav evacuation.

STAND’s specific priorities were: (1) to determine the readiness of the State of Louisiana’s 2009 Evacuation and Sheltering Plan: (2) to assess the humanitarian standards in place at ‘State-run’ Critical Transportation Needs Shelters (CTNS) and Medical Special Needs Shelters; and (3) to evaluate the state’s shelter management and organization.

To download the full report, click here.

DETENTION CONDITIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

UNDER THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION

Immigrant Detainees Report From Basile, Louisiana

IN THE LAST MONTH, OVER 100 IMMIGRANT DETAINEES HAVE ACTED AS HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORS IN THE PRIVATELY-RUN IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTER IN BASILE, LOUISIANA.   THEY HAVE REPORTED EGREGIOUS VIOLATIONS TO JAIL STAFF, IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS, AND ADVOCATES.

ON THE DAY THAT THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION DECIDED TO REJECT A FEDERAL COURT PETITION CALLING FOR LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE DETENTION STANDARDS, DETAINEES IN BASILE, LOUISIANA DECLARED A HUNGER STRIKE, PROTESTING INHUMANE CONDITIONS.

THIS REPORT COMPILES THE ACCOUNTS OF DETAINEE HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORS, REVEALING THAT THE FACILITY FALLS BELOW ICE’S OWN STANDARDS – AND ALL STANDARDS OF HUMAN DECENCY.

Compiled by the New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice

based on the reports of over 100 detainee human rights monitors.

Click here to download full report

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STAND with Dignity v. Housing Authority of New Orleans

STAND with Dignity is a grassroots membership organization that monitors and seeks to improve HANO’s administration of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (“HCVP”), also known as Section-8, as an integrated component of a comprehensive plan for affordable housing in New Orleans.

During the summer of 2009, STAND and its members created external accountability mechanisms and documented how HANO’s corruption continues to hamper the long term re-development of New Orleans.  STAND’s goal was to ensure affected low-income residents participate in the development and implementation of a plan to address the housing needs of the community’s low-income families, including the immediate administration of a program resulting in the release of available Section-8 vouchers.

To download the full writ of mandamus, click here.