(Below is a post by Chicago Public Housing activist William JR Fleming regarding the debate on who should be included in the New Orleans Public Housing delegation that will meet with HUD on January 20, 2010 on the future of Public Housing. Following that is a response from C3/Hands Off Iberville member Jay Arena).
Hello All,
I am praying for all of us this just what the powers to be is counting on FOR US TO BE DIVIDED! As a resident of Cabrini Green in Chicago and all public housing in the world(my extended family) it hurts me to see what is happening in New Orleans my second home and where a lot of my family still resides. I am confident enough that Carol Steele and Cheryl Johnson can handle the Chicago representation so with that being said I am willing to give up my seat at the table if it would bring resolve to this crisis! WE ARE ALL WE GOT! WE SHOULD FIND COMMONALITY IN THE STRUGGLE FOR HOUSING! We cannot continue to have in-fighting I plea with My New Orleans Family Today is a New Day and Year lets Move Together on the Promise tomorrow brings and not live on the mistakes of yesterday.
Catherine I'm not singling you out but please see what is happening and understand your POWER in this situation to bring resolve!Which reminds me of MLK Jr. Quote
In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Peace Love Respect and Unity
WILLIE J.R.FLEMING
(Jay Arena's response)
Principled Unity is What We Need--Based on Defending and Expanding Public Housing
Yes, JR, we need unity in the Public Housing Movement, but unity based on common interests and principles. We need unity based on the principle, on the common agreement, that we are for defending and expanding PUBLIC HOUSING—where housing is based on NEED, not profit. Unity not based on these principles does not make us stronger, but rather weaker.
The New Orleans Public Housing movement demands that Sam Jackson and Kawana Jasper represent us at the January 20th meeting with HUD because they support our interests, our demands, to defend and expand Public Housing. The issue is not some childish concern that they been left out of a trip to Washington DC.
Cynthia Wiggins, in contrast, has another agenda. She—and other resident mangers-- has a material, an economic interest, in turning over public housing to private resident management. Wiggins is very clear about this. She does not want to defend the Iberville Public Housing development, for example. As she said, “The public housing that we knew is no more”. Instead, her interest is working with developers to “redevelop” public housing and ideally have them run by private resident managers like herself. And she wants to have as much power as possible, as any landlord would, over residents. As Wiggins told the Gambit weekly, she wants her and other resident managers to have the right to evict people that can’t find work—and this when we have the highest unemployment since the 1930s.
Wiggins has been clear that she will be representing not residents, but the class interests of the National Association of Resident Management Corporations, of which she belongs, at the January 20th meeting. Wiggins concern is how public housing can be “reformed” so she and her fellow mangers can make more money. Indeed, in a December 16th email , Wiggins placed as her number one concern to be addressed at the January 20th meeting at HUD was to overturn:
“* the $1m [$$1 milion] limit placed on resident own business during [doing] business with a PHA and the lack thereof”.
I have included as an attachment a slew of for-profit, and ‘non-profit’ businesses that Wiggins controls. Therefore her concerns about the money-making of her businesses—which she wants addressed at the January 20 meeting-- makes sense from her class position. But her interests and concerns are different from those of the Public Housing movement. WE need to be clear about that. If we gloss over those different economic interests in the name of some false unity, then we become weaker.
Therefore, JR, if you want to show solidarity with your friends and comrades in the New Orleans public housing movement DONT Give up your seat. Go to Washington and speak up for DEFENDING and EXPANDING Public Housing. To show solidarity demand that Catherine Bishop REMOVE Cynthia Wiggins as part of the New Orleans delegation-which was a conflict to begin with since Wiggins was a part of the selection committee, and picked herself! Instead of Wiggins, demand that Sam Jackson and Kawana Jasper, along with Stephanie Mingo, be our representatives.
C3/Hands Off Iberville
Friday, January 15, 2010
Kawana Jasper Speaks
(Below is the letter Public Housing Activist Kawana Jasper sent to HUD, dated January 14, 2010, explaining why she should be a part of the New Orleans delegation at the upcoming meeting with HUD . She also questions the credentials of those that have been chosen, including Cynthia Wiggins).
Hi, Mrs. Henqriuez, my name is Kawana Jasper im a public housing resident in New Orleans, La. I'm very interested in attending the meeting in Washington D.C., on January 20, 2010 on "The Preservation of Public Housing". I have fought tirelessly on the grounds in New Orleans for the rights of residents of public housing to be able to return to public housing post Katrina. Residents of public housing who have fought hard for preservations of public housing would not be able to get the opportunity to be apart of this meeting because of poor selection from the steering committee. I have earn a seat at this meeting unlike some people who have not defended public housing in New Orleans. I was displace from public housing due to the demolition of the "Big 4 Developments" that were torn down. I can bring to this meeting important issues that public housing residents are facing in New Orleans. I am supported by local and national organizations to be a part of this meeting.
Hi, Mrs. Henqriuez, my name is Kawana Jasper im a public housing resident in New Orleans, La. I'm very interested in attending the meeting in Washington D.C., on January 20, 2010 on "The Preservation of Public Housing". I have fought tirelessly on the grounds in New Orleans for the rights of residents of public housing to be able to return to public housing post Katrina. Residents of public housing who have fought hard for preservations of public housing would not be able to get the opportunity to be apart of this meeting because of poor selection from the steering committee. I have earn a seat at this meeting unlike some people who have not defended public housing in New Orleans. I was displace from public housing due to the demolition of the "Big 4 Developments" that were torn down. I can bring to this meeting important issues that public housing residents are facing in New Orleans. I am supported by local and national organizations to be a part of this meeting.
CEO Cynthia Wiggins Responds, and Exposes Her Real Interests
(Below is the Response of Cynthia Wiggins, CEO of the Guste Resident Management Corporation to our earlier demand that she be removed as part of the New Orleans Public Housing Delegation that will meet with HUD on January 20, 2010 in Washington, D.C. She does a great job in confirming what we have said--she is concerned about her class interessts as a landlord, rather than the interests of Public Housing residents, and those that want to expand and defend Public Housing.)
Jay in response to your attempt to misepresent what is factual let me advise you that Cynthia Wiggins has no affiliation with thirteen corporations. I'm not the only Cynthia Wiggins in La let along the country. However I'll let you determine which ones I am affiliated with.
Who ever we is for a point of information the Guste Homes RMC is a non profit corporations developed for the sole purpose of managing public housing in accordance with federal regulation developed under the leadership of former Sec. Jack Kemp. To date there is 350 public housing properties managed by RESIDENTS organized under the direction of Jack Kemp. All of us are doing very well and all of us have financial interest if not we would not be able to employ residents, create economic and or business opportunity for residents nor would we be able to create healthy enviroments for the families that live in public housing. I promote resident management and not private management. You figure out the difference!
The voice of the public housing movement is the families that live in public housing who is crying out for decent safe and sanitary housing, which the families in Iberville and all the others have not seen for decades. What is criminal here is that the families that live in Iberville is subjected to inhumane living conditions i.e raw sewage, rodents, detoraiting apartments, crime, poor management. The Citywide TenantAssociation and Guste Homes have always demanded that HUD and HANO redeveloped the complexes through redevelopment. Families living in public housing deserve to live in decent housing and the conditions Iberville famlies are currently living in Jay is criminal. You would not know that because you live in New York and I'm certain the grant funds you receive help in your financial assistance to maintain you and your wonderful living enviroment.
Everything changes and public housing is changing. The lack of federal assistance has changed therefore our families must ensure they are able to care for their families for its there personal responsibility. When there children can't eat who's going to provide for them. When there is no real afforable housing who's going to assist them. Katrina was the wake up call for our families. You talk about demand it was Citywide Tenant Association that demanded that public housing in New Orleans be reopen. HUD had proposed to close all of them down even Guste. It was Constance Haynes and her residents that return back homes after a call from me to get back home or Fscher would be close down that backed HUD and HANO off Fischer. It was through our RESIDENT MANAGEMENT arrangement that BW Cooper and Guste Homes was reopen.
As a reminder Jay Guste Homes finance Survivor Village under Endesha and provided needed space and supplies. Also since you want to appear you can quote individuals, quote my comments at the City Council meeting.
Jay in response to your attempt to misepresent what is factual let me advise you that Cynthia Wiggins has no affiliation with thirteen corporations. I'm not the only Cynthia Wiggins in La let along the country. However I'll let you determine which ones I am affiliated with.
Who ever we is for a point of information the Guste Homes RMC is a non profit corporations developed for the sole purpose of managing public housing in accordance with federal regulation developed under the leadership of former Sec. Jack Kemp. To date there is 350 public housing properties managed by RESIDENTS organized under the direction of Jack Kemp. All of us are doing very well and all of us have financial interest if not we would not be able to employ residents, create economic and or business opportunity for residents nor would we be able to create healthy enviroments for the families that live in public housing. I promote resident management and not private management. You figure out the difference!
The voice of the public housing movement is the families that live in public housing who is crying out for decent safe and sanitary housing, which the families in Iberville and all the others have not seen for decades. What is criminal here is that the families that live in Iberville is subjected to inhumane living conditions i.e raw sewage, rodents, detoraiting apartments, crime, poor management. The Citywide TenantAssociation and Guste Homes have always demanded that HUD and HANO redeveloped the complexes through redevelopment. Families living in public housing deserve to live in decent housing and the conditions Iberville famlies are currently living in Jay is criminal. You would not know that because you live in New York and I'm certain the grant funds you receive help in your financial assistance to maintain you and your wonderful living enviroment.
Everything changes and public housing is changing. The lack of federal assistance has changed therefore our families must ensure they are able to care for their families for its there personal responsibility. When there children can't eat who's going to provide for them. When there is no real afforable housing who's going to assist them. Katrina was the wake up call for our families. You talk about demand it was Citywide Tenant Association that demanded that public housing in New Orleans be reopen. HUD had proposed to close all of them down even Guste. It was Constance Haynes and her residents that return back homes after a call from me to get back home or Fscher would be close down that backed HUD and HANO off Fischer. It was through our RESIDENT MANAGEMENT arrangement that BW Cooper and Guste Homes was reopen.
As a reminder Jay Guste Homes finance Survivor Village under Endesha and provided needed space and supplies. Also since you want to appear you can quote individuals, quote my comments at the City Council meeting.
The Public Housing Movement Chooses Kawana Jasper and Sam Jackson
To: Catherine Bishop, National Housing Law Project, Organizer of January 20, 2010 key meeting with the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD on the fate of Public Housing
The New Orleans Public Housing Movement Wants Our Voices Represented
YES TO KAWANA JASPER AND SAM JACKSON
NO TO SELLOUTS CYNTHIA WIGGINS AND CONSTANCE HAYNES
(Supporters: Call/email Catherine Bishop at (510) 251-9400 cbishop@nhlp.org
in support of our demands; Also contact NOLAC housing lawyer Laura Tuggle, who is on the local organizing committee, to stop her support of Wiggins and Haynes-- latuggle@nolac.org)
Demand: We demand that two True Defenders of New Orleans Public Housing, Sam Jackson and Kawana Jasper, represent the New Orleans Public Housing movement at the meeting in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2010. We OPPOSE the inclusion of Cynthia Wiggins and Constance Haynes in the delegation. Wiggins and Haynes both SUPPORTED the criminal destruction of Public Housing in Post-Katrina New Orleans, and Wiggins, under the guise of “Resident management” has a financial interest in the further privatization of public housing through the so-called ‘project basing’ plan HUD will float at the Jan. 20 meeting.
Ms. Bishop, as you have stated in a recent email “we at NHLP would have the final say as to who would attend and take full responsibility for which tenants are attending this meeting.” Therefore we are demanding that you listen to the voices of the Public Housing movement in New Orleans, and include those that will convey our positions, and not those UNREPRESENTATIVE voices that have worked to destroy Public Housing.
Who Are Sam Jackson and Kawana Jasper?
Sam Jackson and Kawana Jasper have been at the forefront of the Public Housing movement. They have worked tirelessly, even going to jail, for their commitment to defend Public Housing in post-Katrina New Orleans. The Public Housing movement is confident they will bring the MOVEMENTS message to the January 20th meeting, which are the following: We do not want to lose even one more unit of Public Housing. We reject the plan cooked up by recently appointed HUD staffer Barbara Sard to privatize public housing through her “project basing” scheme.
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2009/HUDNo.09-140
We want a commitment that ALL the 800+ units at the Iberville Public Housing development remain as Public Housing, where people pay 30% of their income for rent and utilities. We want the currently empty units to be immediately repaired and made available to the thousands of people now on the waiting list in city, where the homeless population has doubled since hurricane Katrina. We demand real enforcement of HUD’s section 3 rules that gives preference to local low wage workers on any HUD funded construction—a rule currently being flagrantly violated.
Furthermore we demand not only the defense of the Public Housing we have, but we call for a massive expansion. The expansion of Public Housing should be part of a larger Public Works initiative, with direct government employment, that would rebuild our public sector, from schools, to housing, to hospitals, with workers being paid prevailing wage.
Who is Cynthia Wiggins?
In contrast to Jackson and Jasper, Cynthia Wiggins is a supporter of the destruction of Public Housing. Ms Wiggins never once provided support for the movement to defend public housing in post-Katrina New Orleans. Rather she and her organization--the City Wide tenants Association, whose terms have all expired--spoke out in support of demolishing Public Housing, including at the infamous December 20, 2007 New Orleans city council meeting. At this infamous meeting, N.O. cops, on orders from the city council, beat, tasered and arrested people for daring to attend the meeting and register their objections to the internationally recognized crime of demolishing public housing in post-Katrina New Orleans.
Ms. Wiggins, and the National Association of Resident Management Corporations, of which she has been president, is a long time defender of privatizing public housing. Wiggins and other managers make money by turning over management to their corporations, and they want more of it. As can be seen below from records obtained from the Louisiana Secretary of State office, Wiggins has set up a series of for-profit and ‘non-profit’ corporations as part of her business operation managing public housing. We demand that she come clean on how much profit she has made from her entire corporate portfolio.
Therefore, considering how well she has done from privatization, it is no wonder that Wiggins paid homage to former HUD secretary Jack Kemp after his death last year, which was posted on the blog of the right wing Heritage Foundation. Kemp helped create the National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing, out of which the monster known as HOPE VI was birthed. This program, as we all know, has driven literally millions of poor people, especially people of color, from their homes and neighborhoods through demolition and gentrification. While this caused great harm to rank and file residents, this program has helped create more profitable opportunities for ‘resident management corporations’ such as the ones Wiggins heads.
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/05/08/tributes-to-jack-kemp-a-man-above-men/
Seeing how Wiggins has made out very well financially from privatizing public housing, it is no wonder she wants to finish off what is left. In October 2009 interview with the Gambit newspaper, Wiggins stated. "The public housing that we knew is no more…There's a shifting that's taking place and it's from the perspective of personal responsibility. The government is getting out of all of this subsidizing, so at some point in time, if we don't do something to force people back into the workforce, what's going to happen is you're going to have folks who are homeless."
http://bestofneworleans.com/gyrobase/PrintFriendly?oid=oid%3A63286
Clearly, Wiggins is on board with eliminating public housing, and yet she has been selected to represent the interests New Orleans Public Housing residents in Washington at this critical meeting! NO WAY.
NO TO WIGGINS! NO TO THE PROFITEERS OF PRIVATIZATION!
C3/Hands off Iberville
**************************************************
Below is a listing of the corporate affiliations of resident council member Cynthia Wiggins as provided by the Louisiana Secretary of State. She has thirteen corporate affiliations. This information is a matter of public record.
Director of "Guste Homes Lowrise Economic Development Corporation." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Director of "Metro-New Orleans Community Development Corporation." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Vice-President of "New Orleans Public Works, Inc." This is an inactive non-profit corporation.
Director of "Guste Homes Management Corporation." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Director of "Optimistic Healthcare, Inc." This is an inactive business corporation.
President of "Housing Authority of New Orleans Residents Loan Corporation." This is an inactive non-profit.
Member of "Clip'n'Clean," This is an inactive business corporation.
Vice President of "The Guste Low-Rise Resident Council." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Director of the "Guste Low-Rise Resident Council." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Agent of "Moms Against Violence." This is an inactive non-profit corporation.
Agent of "Metro-New Orleans Community Development Corporation." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Agent of "Guste Homes Resident Management Corporation." This is an active corporation.
Total Results: 16
Name
Affiliation
City
Detail
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “GUSTE HOMES LOWRISE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “METRO-NEW ORLEANS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Vice-President of “NEW ORLEANS WORKS, INC.”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “GUSTE HOMES RESIDENT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “DEAR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION INC.”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “OPTIMISTIC HOME HEALTH CARE, INC.”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
President of “HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT LOAN CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Member of “CLIP - N - CLEAN L.L.C.”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Vice-President of “THE GUSTE LOW-RISE RESIDENT COUNCIL”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “THE GUSTE LOW-RISE RESIDENT COUNCIL”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Agent of “MOMS AGAINST VIOLENCE, INC.”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Agent of “METRO-NEW ORLEANS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Agent of “GUSTE HOMES RESIDENT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
The New Orleans Public Housing Movement Wants Our Voices Represented
YES TO KAWANA JASPER AND SAM JACKSON
NO TO SELLOUTS CYNTHIA WIGGINS AND CONSTANCE HAYNES
(Supporters: Call/email Catherine Bishop at (510) 251-9400 cbishop@nhlp.org
in support of our demands; Also contact NOLAC housing lawyer Laura Tuggle, who is on the local organizing committee, to stop her support of Wiggins and Haynes-- latuggle@nolac.org)
Demand: We demand that two True Defenders of New Orleans Public Housing, Sam Jackson and Kawana Jasper, represent the New Orleans Public Housing movement at the meeting in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2010. We OPPOSE the inclusion of Cynthia Wiggins and Constance Haynes in the delegation. Wiggins and Haynes both SUPPORTED the criminal destruction of Public Housing in Post-Katrina New Orleans, and Wiggins, under the guise of “Resident management” has a financial interest in the further privatization of public housing through the so-called ‘project basing’ plan HUD will float at the Jan. 20 meeting.
Ms. Bishop, as you have stated in a recent email “we at NHLP would have the final say as to who would attend and take full responsibility for which tenants are attending this meeting.” Therefore we are demanding that you listen to the voices of the Public Housing movement in New Orleans, and include those that will convey our positions, and not those UNREPRESENTATIVE voices that have worked to destroy Public Housing.
Who Are Sam Jackson and Kawana Jasper?
Sam Jackson and Kawana Jasper have been at the forefront of the Public Housing movement. They have worked tirelessly, even going to jail, for their commitment to defend Public Housing in post-Katrina New Orleans. The Public Housing movement is confident they will bring the MOVEMENTS message to the January 20th meeting, which are the following: We do not want to lose even one more unit of Public Housing. We reject the plan cooked up by recently appointed HUD staffer Barbara Sard to privatize public housing through her “project basing” scheme.
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2009/HUDNo.09-140
We want a commitment that ALL the 800+ units at the Iberville Public Housing development remain as Public Housing, where people pay 30% of their income for rent and utilities. We want the currently empty units to be immediately repaired and made available to the thousands of people now on the waiting list in city, where the homeless population has doubled since hurricane Katrina. We demand real enforcement of HUD’s section 3 rules that gives preference to local low wage workers on any HUD funded construction—a rule currently being flagrantly violated.
Furthermore we demand not only the defense of the Public Housing we have, but we call for a massive expansion. The expansion of Public Housing should be part of a larger Public Works initiative, with direct government employment, that would rebuild our public sector, from schools, to housing, to hospitals, with workers being paid prevailing wage.
Who is Cynthia Wiggins?
In contrast to Jackson and Jasper, Cynthia Wiggins is a supporter of the destruction of Public Housing. Ms Wiggins never once provided support for the movement to defend public housing in post-Katrina New Orleans. Rather she and her organization--the City Wide tenants Association, whose terms have all expired--spoke out in support of demolishing Public Housing, including at the infamous December 20, 2007 New Orleans city council meeting. At this infamous meeting, N.O. cops, on orders from the city council, beat, tasered and arrested people for daring to attend the meeting and register their objections to the internationally recognized crime of demolishing public housing in post-Katrina New Orleans.
Ms. Wiggins, and the National Association of Resident Management Corporations, of which she has been president, is a long time defender of privatizing public housing. Wiggins and other managers make money by turning over management to their corporations, and they want more of it. As can be seen below from records obtained from the Louisiana Secretary of State office, Wiggins has set up a series of for-profit and ‘non-profit’ corporations as part of her business operation managing public housing. We demand that she come clean on how much profit she has made from her entire corporate portfolio.
Therefore, considering how well she has done from privatization, it is no wonder that Wiggins paid homage to former HUD secretary Jack Kemp after his death last year, which was posted on the blog of the right wing Heritage Foundation. Kemp helped create the National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing, out of which the monster known as HOPE VI was birthed. This program, as we all know, has driven literally millions of poor people, especially people of color, from their homes and neighborhoods through demolition and gentrification. While this caused great harm to rank and file residents, this program has helped create more profitable opportunities for ‘resident management corporations’ such as the ones Wiggins heads.
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/05/08/tributes-to-jack-kemp-a-man-above-men/
Seeing how Wiggins has made out very well financially from privatizing public housing, it is no wonder she wants to finish off what is left. In October 2009 interview with the Gambit newspaper, Wiggins stated. "The public housing that we knew is no more…There's a shifting that's taking place and it's from the perspective of personal responsibility. The government is getting out of all of this subsidizing, so at some point in time, if we don't do something to force people back into the workforce, what's going to happen is you're going to have folks who are homeless."
http://bestofneworleans.com/gyrobase/PrintFriendly?oid=oid%3A63286
Clearly, Wiggins is on board with eliminating public housing, and yet she has been selected to represent the interests New Orleans Public Housing residents in Washington at this critical meeting! NO WAY.
NO TO WIGGINS! NO TO THE PROFITEERS OF PRIVATIZATION!
C3/Hands off Iberville
**************************************************
Below is a listing of the corporate affiliations of resident council member Cynthia Wiggins as provided by the Louisiana Secretary of State. She has thirteen corporate affiliations. This information is a matter of public record.
Director of "Guste Homes Lowrise Economic Development Corporation." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Director of "Metro-New Orleans Community Development Corporation." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Vice-President of "New Orleans Public Works, Inc." This is an inactive non-profit corporation.
Director of "Guste Homes Management Corporation." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Director of "Optimistic Healthcare, Inc." This is an inactive business corporation.
President of "Housing Authority of New Orleans Residents Loan Corporation." This is an inactive non-profit.
Member of "Clip'n'Clean," This is an inactive business corporation.
Vice President of "The Guste Low-Rise Resident Council." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Director of the "Guste Low-Rise Resident Council." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Agent of "Moms Against Violence." This is an inactive non-profit corporation.
Agent of "Metro-New Orleans Community Development Corporation." This is an active non-profit corporation.
Agent of "Guste Homes Resident Management Corporation." This is an active corporation.
Total Results: 16
Name
Affiliation
City
Detail
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “GUSTE HOMES LOWRISE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “METRO-NEW ORLEANS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Vice-President of “NEW ORLEANS WORKS, INC.”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “GUSTE HOMES RESIDENT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “DEAR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION INC.”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “OPTIMISTIC HOME HEALTH CARE, INC.”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
President of “HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT LOAN CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Member of “CLIP - N - CLEAN L.L.C.”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Vice-President of “THE GUSTE LOW-RISE RESIDENT COUNCIL”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Director of “THE GUSTE LOW-RISE RESIDENT COUNCIL”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Agent of “MOMS AGAINST VIOLENCE, INC.”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Agent of “METRO-NEW ORLEANS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
WIGGINS, CYNTHIA
Agent of “GUSTE HOMES RESIDENT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION”
NEW ORLEANS
[Details]
Friday, January 1, 2010
Can HANO Director Gilmore be taken on his word?
(Below is an email from journalist Katy Reckdahl responding to my earlier post about her article on New Orelans Public Housing. Following the email is my response to HANO director Gilmore's assurances regarding the fate of the Iberville Development).
From: kreckdahl@timespicayune.com [mailto:kreckdahl@timespicayune.com]
Sent: Monday, December 28, 2009 5:37 PM
Subject: RE: Open Letter to Katy Reckdahl, Laura Tuggle and Tracie Washington
Jay:
Just FYI. Mr. Gilmore said at the last HANO meeting that he has been told nothing about the Iberville being demolished and that he thinks to do so would be a mistake. One of the residents that I think is still on your People's Committee, Sharon Jasper, was at that meeting and hugged Gilmore at the end of it.
Katy,
Thanks for responding.
I, as much as anyone, would like to take Mr. Gilmore--of Gilmore Kean LLC, whose company is making money from the privatization of HANO management, Mr Gilmore of the National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing (1989-1992) infamy, from which emerged the HOPE VI public housing demolition scheme, the Mr Gilmore that was appointed by the Obama administration which completed the demolition of the Lafitte development--on his word.
Yet, the reassuring WORDS allegedly uttered by Mr. Gilmore guaranteeing the continued existence of Iberville as a Public Housing development are contradicted the by the continuing ACTIONS of the agency he heads:
1. HANO/HUD's closure of vacated apartments continues at Iberville.
2. HANO/HUD continues to prioritize the distribution of section 8 vouchers to existing residents at Iberville, while there is a huge waiting list of families with no housing assistance. When Iberville residents take the section 8 voucher HANO contractors then place metal plates on these apartments and do not reopen them to any of thousands of families now on the waiting list for a public housing apartment.
3. Henry Charlot Jr, from the Downtown development district continues as head of the HANO appointed Iberville advisory committee, despite the DDD's long stated aim of destroying Iberville as PUBLIC HOUSING. The IAC continues to hold only closed doors meetings prohibiting members of the public from attending.
4. The stimulus money has been used mainly to place 'crime cameras' at Iberville, rather than make repairs.
5. HUD's recently appointed HANO advisory board is filled with players that have supported demolition and privatization of public Housing. They range from representatives of the Greater new Orleans Foundations, to the office of Mayor Nagin. Maybe the most objectionable is the ostensible tenant representative, Cynthia Wiggins, who has made a tidy sum providing support for the demolition of public housing and driving public housing resident from their homes. Wiggins , in her latest move, has joined hands with the notorious racist, poor-people hater, Stacey Head, in calling for the eviction of public housing residents that cannot find job--at a time when workers, especially Black Workers, are now facing Depression era levels of unemployment (see Gambit, October 19, 2009, 'work and Home')
Until these and other glaring contradictions are addressed, Mr Gilmore's reassurances will be greeted with healthy and warranted skepticism.
Investigating these contradictions, I believe, would be the basis of an excellent investigative piece. If only we could get it by the censors at the Times Picayune, who have been cheerleaders of public housing demolition, and, in effect, class and racial cleansing.
HANO advisory board members are:
John Alford, principal at Langston Hughes Academy; Rev. D.R. Berryhill, Sr. of First Zion Baptist Church; Dr. Karen DeSalvo, Tulane University School of Medicine's vice-dean of community affairs and health policy; Martin Gutierrez, who heads up neighborhood and community services at Catholic Charities; Nick Harris, who directs the Dillard University Community Development Corp.; Michael Hecht, president of Greater New Orleans, Inc.; Ellen Lee, senior vice president of programs at the Greater New Orleans Foundation; Maggie Merrill, director of policy for the city of New Orleans; U.S. Congressman Joseph Cao's deputy chief of staff Rosalind Peychaud, U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu's regional manager, LaVerne Saulny; Laura Tuggle, who heads up housing law at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services; Tracie Washington, managing director of the Louisiana Justice Institute; and Cynthia Wiggins, head of the Guste Home Resident Management Corporation.
Jay Arena
Hands off Iberville
From: kreckdahl@timespicayune.com [mailto:kreckdahl@timespicayune.com]
Sent: Monday, December 28, 2009 5:37 PM
Subject: RE: Open Letter to Katy Reckdahl, Laura Tuggle and Tracie Washington
Jay:
Just FYI. Mr. Gilmore said at the last HANO meeting that he has been told nothing about the Iberville being demolished and that he thinks to do so would be a mistake. One of the residents that I think is still on your People's Committee, Sharon Jasper, was at that meeting and hugged Gilmore at the end of it.
Katy,
Thanks for responding.
I, as much as anyone, would like to take Mr. Gilmore--of Gilmore Kean LLC, whose company is making money from the privatization of HANO management, Mr Gilmore of the National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing (1989-1992) infamy, from which emerged the HOPE VI public housing demolition scheme, the Mr Gilmore that was appointed by the Obama administration which completed the demolition of the Lafitte development--on his word.
Yet, the reassuring WORDS allegedly uttered by Mr. Gilmore guaranteeing the continued existence of Iberville as a Public Housing development are contradicted the by the continuing ACTIONS of the agency he heads:
1. HANO/HUD's closure of vacated apartments continues at Iberville.
2. HANO/HUD continues to prioritize the distribution of section 8 vouchers to existing residents at Iberville, while there is a huge waiting list of families with no housing assistance. When Iberville residents take the section 8 voucher HANO contractors then place metal plates on these apartments and do not reopen them to any of thousands of families now on the waiting list for a public housing apartment.
3. Henry Charlot Jr, from the Downtown development district continues as head of the HANO appointed Iberville advisory committee, despite the DDD's long stated aim of destroying Iberville as PUBLIC HOUSING. The IAC continues to hold only closed doors meetings prohibiting members of the public from attending.
4. The stimulus money has been used mainly to place 'crime cameras' at Iberville, rather than make repairs.
5. HUD's recently appointed HANO advisory board is filled with players that have supported demolition and privatization of public Housing. They range from representatives of the Greater new Orleans Foundations, to the office of Mayor Nagin. Maybe the most objectionable is the ostensible tenant representative, Cynthia Wiggins, who has made a tidy sum providing support for the demolition of public housing and driving public housing resident from their homes. Wiggins , in her latest move, has joined hands with the notorious racist, poor-people hater, Stacey Head, in calling for the eviction of public housing residents that cannot find job--at a time when workers, especially Black Workers, are now facing Depression era levels of unemployment (see Gambit, October 19, 2009, 'work and Home')
Until these and other glaring contradictions are addressed, Mr Gilmore's reassurances will be greeted with healthy and warranted skepticism.
Investigating these contradictions, I believe, would be the basis of an excellent investigative piece. If only we could get it by the censors at the Times Picayune, who have been cheerleaders of public housing demolition, and, in effect, class and racial cleansing.
HANO advisory board members are:
John Alford, principal at Langston Hughes Academy; Rev. D.R. Berryhill, Sr. of First Zion Baptist Church; Dr. Karen DeSalvo, Tulane University School of Medicine's vice-dean of community affairs and health policy; Martin Gutierrez, who heads up neighborhood and community services at Catholic Charities; Nick Harris, who directs the Dillard University Community Development Corp.; Michael Hecht, president of Greater New Orleans, Inc.; Ellen Lee, senior vice president of programs at the Greater New Orleans Foundation; Maggie Merrill, director of policy for the city of New Orleans; U.S. Congressman Joseph Cao's deputy chief of staff Rosalind Peychaud, U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu's regional manager, LaVerne Saulny; Laura Tuggle, who heads up housing law at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services; Tracie Washington, managing director of the Louisiana Justice Institute; and Cynthia Wiggins, head of the Guste Home Resident Management Corporation.
Jay Arena
Hands off Iberville
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