As St. Bernard residents try to reach terms with HANO officials about their right to return, members of Mayday NOLA, a housing rights advocacy group, currently occupy more than one apartment of the St. Bernard Housing Development in New Orleans. They do so at the residents' request as stated in their open letter.
One occupant, who wished to be anonymous at this time, described the mood inside the apartment as quiet and apprehensive as of 5pm, but maintained they are "staying here as long as it takes."
Earlier today, Martin Luther King's birthday, around 12:30 pm, St. Bernard residents and supporters marched around the development until an opening in the fence allowed residents, with volunteers in tow, to open up their apartments for cleaning and salvaging. Without HANO officials interfering, residents saved many bikes, bed frames, ceramics and glass objects while ridding apartments of dirt and grime from the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina more than sixteen months ago.
Images I |
Images II |
interview with the occupants |
Last year's video footage from (fluxview.com)
