Sign petition to stop FEMA trailer evictions, go to local events in AL, MS, elsewhere

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Despite earlier commitments, FEMA may not actually extend the February deadline for people living in FEMA trailers after losing their homes in Hurricane Katrina. Instead, they are talking about ending all rental asistance and continuing trailers on a case-by-case basis.

To protest this and urge FEMA to extend the deadline, please sign Oxfam's petition urging FEMA to extend the eviction deadline for another year.

http://act.oxfamamerica.org/campaign/FEMA

Background:

As of November 2006, almost 110,000 households on the Gulf Coast were living in FEMA trailer or mobile homes, with an additional 33,000 supported by FEMA-assisted rental payments. In Mississippi alone, an estimated 35,320 families are still receiving vital housing assistance.

Extending the 18 month deadline on FEMA assistance for a year is firmly within the powers of the Stafford Act, which governs federal emergency response. The Stafford Act states that FEMA is authorized to extend the deadline if "the President determines that due to extraordinary circumstances an extension would be in the public interest."

Gulf Coast events:

As part of the Day of Action, housing and poverty advocates, displaced residents, local officials and others will hold events today and this week throughout the Gulf Coast region. Press conferences, meetings and other actions are planned in New Orleans, LA.; Austin, Dallas and Houston, TX; Biloxi and Jackson, MS; Mobile, AL; Little Rock, AR; and Atlanta, GA.

ACORN chapters are staging press conferences Monday in New Orleans, Houston, Little Rock and Jackson.

In Houston Monday, ACORN will hold an 11 a.m. rally and press conference at Meadows Place Senior Village Apartments. For more information, contact ACORN at 713-868-7015.

In Biloxi Monday, members of the Steps Coalition will hold a 9:30 a.m. prayer service and press conference at 125 Kuhn St. For more information, contact Natalie Presley at 228-990-2904.

In Mobile Monday, a 2 p.m. press conference will feature Mobile County Commissioner Mike Dean, whose jurisdiction includes the areas most severely destroyed by the storm. Sponsored by Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, Volunteer Mobile and Volunteers of America, Southeast, the event will be held at the Mobile County Government Building. For more information, contact Craig H. Baab, Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, 334-233-7385.

Texas Low Income Housing Information Service in Austin will issue a press statement Monday from leading community leaders. For more information, contact Kristin Carlisle, Development director/Policy analyst, at 512-477-8910, ext. 4

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1. Done and forwarded to friends to sign as well. n/t