Does the city of New Orleans have any obligation to let the welfare recipients back in?

Question

or do they need to redevelop the area for a higher tax base.

Answer 1

Welfare is for people in times of trials and need. Not a lifestyle to use an entire lifetime.

Answer 2

The nation is in a sorry state when it ignores the poor.  It's just about fascist.  Only the young, pretty and rich will live.  The rest will die.  Don't allow N'orleans set the NeoNazi example.

Answer 3

*No. Why should they? There's no law I know of that says a city has to support anyone.

Answer 4

Its a free country.  People are free to move back to New Orleans if they own land there, or if they can afford to.

Answer 5

There is no obligation but there is no way to stop it. People can move in where ever they wish. However, if the area is not friendly towards a group then they are less likely to move there.

Answer 6

I assume this question was prompted by the disturbances at the Thursday meeting of the New Orleans City Council (over a vote on permits for the demolition of several public housing developments).

However, you misunderstand the issues involved.

The public housing developments in question were built 50 to 70 years ago and were in very bad condition BEFORE they were flooded by Katrina. In addition to the storm damage, they were constructed using lead-based paint, asbestos, and other toxic materials. The developments are UNOCCUPIED and CONDEMNED.

The "protestors" claim the demolition of unsafe, unhealthy public housing so it can be replaced by something better is racist. They want African-American people to be forced back into the old developments so they can be kept poor & uneducated and

>>> voting the way they are told <<<.

The conversion of failed, large-scale housing developments to "mixed income" housing has been going on across the country for decades and during both Republican + Democrat administrations.

The City Council (4 Whites/3 Blacks) unanimously approved permits to demolish the unoccupied, condemned public housing developments HUD wants to replace with much nicer housing.

Regarding the disturbances:

The New Orleans City Council Chamber holds about 250 people and was filled to capacity. Members of the "protest" group were among the audience and were on the agenda to address the Council.

The "protestors" inside the Chamber attempted to unlawfully disrupt the proceedings before they started and deny the residents of New Orleans their rights to the democratic process. One "protestor" inside the Chamber was so violent that a taser was used to subdue him. Representatives of the "protest" group were heard once order was restored.

The other "protestors" outside demanded entrance to the Council Chambers, even though it would have been a violation of the fire codes. It was a deliberate, calculated tactic intended to attract the attention of the news media.

The outside disturbances were by 75 or so professional "protestors" who were acting out for the news media. Very few of them are from here and the local TV stations could not find a single one who had ever lived in public housing anywhere. All of the actual New Orleans public housing residents who could be interviewed were in FAVOR of the demolitions. The protesters are the ones trying to silence the voices of NOLA's public housing residents.

The outside "protestors" attempted to rush the Chamber, and literally broke the lock on the gate to the building. Pepper spray was used to restore order and allow the police to secure the gate.

In reality, this is a false "protest issue" and there are many more available apartments in public housing NOW than there are applicants. That does not include the widely available "Section 8" housing, which are regular apartments/homes with the rent paid for by HUD vouchers.

Answer 7

They have a responsibility to provide a safe secure environment to its populations.  If the buildings have been damaged and no longer provides that environment they need to be destroyed.  I can tell you the insurance companies are not going to make it affordable no matter what you do.  If the buildings are damaged, they will not be insured, and new construction is going to be very expensive.  To be honest New Orleans could do with a lot less welfare recipients.  They had far too many.

Answer 8

New Orleans is taking steps to ensure the city has a future. There is no reason to house generations of people in government housing. It was supposed to be a helping hand for people temporarily down on their luck. Instead it created a place where people do not look for work and expect the government to provide all their needs. These people have a chance to get out and make something of their lives. Any further help should be in the way of adult education to teach them job skills.

Answer 9

"redevelop the area for a higher tax base" is such a nice euphemism.

I think the quality of life needs to go up in that area, and it seems like there was a lot of poverty and problems.  I don't know why you have to think of those people as "welfare recipients" and not just as people.

I think its a little shameful when a city takes advantage of a disaster to displace people who don't have the means to do much else.

The city planners probably aren't the ones without income or property.  If New Orleans wants to truly become a greater city, it should make development of people as important as development of property.

Answer 10

No, however they do have an obligation to protect it's citizens from criminal...