Hey comrades! Here's some updates on city housing shenanigans, urgent calls to action, and upcoming events (late, oops).

THURS, 3/7 @ 1PM: City Council will be voting on an ordinance that would ask voters to amend the city charter to mandate that at least 2% of City general fund expenditures go to affordable housing every year in perpetuity. This amounts to a new $15.5M annually that would go towards affordable housing, and this would increase if the city budget increased in future years. If council approves the ordinance on 3/7, it will go on the November Presidential ballot. The initial draft was written and proposed by one of our very own DSA New Orleans comrades! You can submit virtual comments in support here as "Regular 29a. CAL. NO. 34,570" (or show up day of).

Also, around 11am, they are voting on Freddie King’s moratorium on multi-family housing around English Turn. There are immense consequences for HUD funding if King’s ordinance passes: Discriminatory housing ordinances like this one has the potential to disqualify the city for millions in HUD grants for housing programs when we need them most. Anyone who votes for King’s law is taking that immense risk at the expense of ALL our residents and our city’s housing needs. For virtual commenting in opposition, it’s "Regular 28. CAL. NO. 34,569."

Please take 3-5 min to complete this survey at nola.gov/housingsurvey. We believe a better world is possible and that the City of New Orleans can and should provide housing for all our residents. Policymakers and elected officials claim this survey will help guide them in developing “housing strategies.” We want this survey to reach the people of New Orleans, not just the landlords, STR operators, and wealthy homeowners. Tell our policymakers what you think and what type of housing strategies you’d envision in a better world (for example, encourage our officials to draw inspiration from Vienna’s Karl Marx Hof).

*Please only fill out the form if you are a resident of New Orleans and above 18 years of age. Please only provide one response. By filling out the form, you agree to allow your responses to be anonymously represented in the final report.

Food distribution -- Islamic Relief has graciously donated hundreds of basmati rice and vegetable and rice meal kits to New Orleans DSA to distribute to those facing food insecurity. We had the opportunity to share them at our recent Brake Light Clinic, but we want to expand to have more frequent food distribution days. Get in touch to get involved in making this a reality, or if you want some for yourself or others!

Let Us Not Forget: New Orleans Vigil for Unhoused Lives -- The annual vigil for unhoused individuals who have passed in the past year will be March 23rd 3pm-dinner, with dinner provided. Join us at Duncan Plaza for a ceremony honoring the neighbors we lost, building community, and reaffirming our dedication to the fight for housing as a human right. Can't come but want to support? Their Venmo is @NolaVigilForUnhoused; donations are used to pay for supplies and compensation for unhoused artists & performers. You can also help paint signs honoring each person who died on Saturday, March 16th 1-3pm at the Rebuild Center (1803 Gravier St), or bring food to share! Reach out to see how else you can volunteer -- every extra hand helps :)

Encampment updates -- In December, we hosted the Sweep Legal Observer Training after the City did multiple illegal and cruel encampment sweeps, but particularly in response to the disastrous and inhumane Tchoupitoulas encampment closure. We are pleased to say that since the campaign to hold the city accountable by having legal observers at all sweeps began, the number of legal and ethical violations committed during these activities has dropped. Last month, the city closed the Treme encampment, officially evicting those who remained there. Unlike the last encampment closure, this one did not feature the same level of illegality and cruelty -- which is a success worth celebrating. We look forward to this work continuing, so reach out to see how you can get involved.

ELECTORAL CALL-TO-ACTIONS:
Early voting begins this Saturday, March 9th, and our DSA candidates for DSCC and DPEC are hitting the streets and phones. Phone bank with Jack “Big Okra” Sweeney throughout the week and sign up for a shift. Michele Johnson will also be phone banking (sign up here) and canvassing across District B on Sunday, March 10th. Meet at PJ’s coffee (2140 Magazine) to canvass from 10-12:30p and Twelve Mile Limit (500 S Telemachus) from 2-4:30p.

Reach out via email, social media, or Slack if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions!

Solidarity forever,

New Orleans DSA