irishgrl
02-12-2006, 05:52 PM
Motion Filed to Stop Katrina Evictions
By MARY FOSTER, Associated Press Writer 29 minutes ago
NEW ORLEANS - Lawyers asked for a temporary restraining order Sunday to stop the evictions of 12,000 families left homeless by hurricanes Katrina and Rita from hotels across the nation on Monday.
"We have provided the court with statements from people showing they have not been treated fairly by FEMA," said Bill Quigley, an assistant dean of the Loyola University Law School, who with civil rights attorney Tracie Washington filed the motion.
The attorneys delivered the papers to the home of federal judge Stanley Duvall. It was not immediately clear when he would act on the motion.
The 12,000 families made homeless by last year's storms are scheduled to be forced out of their federally funded hotel rooms Monday, the
Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Saturday.
That amounts to about 40,000 people, Quigley said, many of whom have not received trailers as promised and some who did not find out about the eviction until the beginning of the month.
"Under our reading of the judge's orders they should be allowed to stay until the beginning of March," Quigley said. "We think FEMA is just trying to clear the books and not taking a careful or compassionate look at these people."
Of those departing on Monday, FEMA officials said 10,500 families, or 88 percent, have received rent-assistance checks from the agency, said Libby Turner, FEMA's transitional housing director. The cash can be used to pay for an apartment or to continue their hotel stays. It can also be put toward fixing their ruined homes.
Quigley and Washington are asking the court to issue a temporary restraining order suspending all pending FEMA evictions of all evacuees. The motion said that contrary to prior orders of the court many did not receive written notice of termination from the program before Jan. 30 or have not received trailers as promised.
Those who have been given rental assistance have not been given fair market value for reasonable living accommodations for three months in their home area, according to the motion, and others have been terminated illegally or mistakenly.
Many of those facing eviction would become homeless if the evictions go through, the motion said.
Monday will mark the second wave of evacuees losing FEMA financing of their hotel rooms. Last week, the occupants of roughly 4,500 rooms lost FEMA funding for failing to register with the agency.
In Louisiana, officials offered shelters to those leaving the hotels, but according to FEMA, only one family needed sheltering.
By MARY FOSTER, Associated Press Writer 29 minutes ago
NEW ORLEANS - Lawyers asked for a temporary restraining order Sunday to stop the evictions of 12,000 families left homeless by hurricanes Katrina and Rita from hotels across the nation on Monday.
"We have provided the court with statements from people showing they have not been treated fairly by FEMA," said Bill Quigley, an assistant dean of the Loyola University Law School, who with civil rights attorney Tracie Washington filed the motion.
The attorneys delivered the papers to the home of federal judge Stanley Duvall. It was not immediately clear when he would act on the motion.
The 12,000 families made homeless by last year's storms are scheduled to be forced out of their federally funded hotel rooms Monday, the
Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Saturday.
That amounts to about 40,000 people, Quigley said, many of whom have not received trailers as promised and some who did not find out about the eviction until the beginning of the month.
"Under our reading of the judge's orders they should be allowed to stay until the beginning of March," Quigley said. "We think FEMA is just trying to clear the books and not taking a careful or compassionate look at these people."
Of those departing on Monday, FEMA officials said 10,500 families, or 88 percent, have received rent-assistance checks from the agency, said Libby Turner, FEMA's transitional housing director. The cash can be used to pay for an apartment or to continue their hotel stays. It can also be put toward fixing their ruined homes.
Quigley and Washington are asking the court to issue a temporary restraining order suspending all pending FEMA evictions of all evacuees. The motion said that contrary to prior orders of the court many did not receive written notice of termination from the program before Jan. 30 or have not received trailers as promised.
Those who have been given rental assistance have not been given fair market value for reasonable living accommodations for three months in their home area, according to the motion, and others have been terminated illegally or mistakenly.
Many of those facing eviction would become homeless if the evictions go through, the motion said.
Monday will mark the second wave of evacuees losing FEMA financing of their hotel rooms. Last week, the occupants of roughly 4,500 rooms lost FEMA funding for failing to register with the agency.
In Louisiana, officials offered shelters to those leaving the hotels, but according to FEMA, only one family needed sheltering.