Housing Rights in New Orleans

[FluxRostrum]

VIDEOS @ http://www.fluxview.com/v/Fluxview-News-Video-2006.htm

[bluestateguy]

1. Who the hell is Igor Margan?

nt

[Igel]

2. Indeed.

http://www.fluxview.com/v/Fluxview-News-Video-2005.htm

"Skeleton Chief Al Morris was illegally evicted from his New Orleans home by Igor Margan. Igor and his employee's are in possession of Chief Al's personal property and tools, severely limiting his ability to earn a living.
This is a direct action case video."

http://www.whereyat.net/index.php/4
"Thirty years ago, a new and powerful force on the New Orleans bar scene emerged with the opening of Igor’s on St. Charles and Jackson. Now, the Igor’s franchises have grown to five bars dotting uptown and the French Quarter. We sat down with Igor himself to learn a little bit about the man behind the bars, and have a little chat about hurricanes, the difficulty of opening a new bar, and just a little bit of celebrity name dropping."

So he's a bar owner and restauranteur that apparently somehow is also a landlord. Perhaps the "Skeleton Chief" (which, of course, raises another question) lives above the bar/restaurant, or he expanded into real estate.

But the pictures by themselves ... "huh?"

[FluxRostrum]

3. watch the Video or STFU

unbelievably stupid comments.

you'll scour the net looking for some corporate crap to post about him but obviously WATCHING THE FUCKIN VIDEOs is beyond your internet skill level.

No wonder you "democrats" support candidates that puss out at the last minute or sell out and bring you along for a BS ride.

is this link clear enugh for you?
http://www.fluxview.com/Hurricane_Katrina_Aftermath_Video.htm

[CarbonDate]

4. Igor's version of events

http://neworleans.indymedia.org/news/2006/01/6711_comment.php

"Igor's version of events
by Halina Margan Friday, Mar. 12, 2010 at 9:11 AM
[e-mail]


Hurricane Katrina left an ugly aftermath. One, although small example in the scheme of things, took the form of a scurrilous, slanderous, libelous attack upon my husband, Mr. Igor Margan.
This attack was launched by Mr. Jeremy Prickett, a community organizer, working under the auspices of the New Orleans Loyola Law Clinic.
On September 20, 2005, Mr. Margan went to inspect our property at 1049-41 Ursuline St. New Orleans to both check for damage, and honor the request of his evacuated tenant, Ms. Carmen Montano who was very concerned about the fate of the cats she left behind. The cats were not there. However, a Mr. Al Morris was ensconced on the premises, claiming that Ms. Montano had given him the key, permission to live there and take care of her cats.
Upon calling Ms. Montano to verify Mr. Morri' contention, Mr. Margan learned that this was not the case. She had been evacuated by the 82 Airborne army division and had given her key to one of the soldiers, begging him to feed and care for her cats. He was instructed to leave the key in the mailbox. Meanwhile, Mr. Morris a man who had recently been released from prison and was homeless, according to Ms. Montano, observed her departure, availed himself of the key and took up residence in the apartment. He was a trespasser. Other neighbors in the vicinity are also familiar with Mr. Morris' history. Names will be provided upon request.
Ms. Montano assured Mr. Margan that she would not be returning and, was thus, relinquishing the apartment.
Over a five week period Mr. Morris was informed repeatedly that he was trespassing and that he would have to leave. He refused to do so until both the F.B.I. and the local police intervened. The F.B.I. were involved because Wayne Montano, Ms. Montano's son a marine and a veteran of the Iraq war, could not gain access to the apartment, and subsequently discovered that a number of his uniforms (property of the federal government) were missing.
Mr. Morris had accumulated quite a large number of possessions. These possessions were removed from the property, and, in his presence and under the supervision of a police officer, deposited at the curb.
When Mr. Margan finally gained entrance to the apartment the place was in shambles. Holes had been punched in the walls; Ms. Montano's furniture, that which wasn't missing, had been destroyed and the floor was covered with trash.
Without researching any of the above facts, Mr. Prickett took it upon himself to champion the cause of Al Morris. The form this championship took, amounted to a systematic persecution of Mr. Margan, completely disregarding his civil or legal rights. A "Kafkaesque" nightmare ensured.
1) Either Mr. Prickett or someone he "inspired" (this will be checked into) arose at a public meeting, televised by Channel 6, and excoriated Mr. Margan, accusing him of doubling Mr. Morris' rent. Mr. Morris paid no rent. Ms. Montano's rent for the 8 years that she lived in the apartment remained at $400.00 per month. The current tenant Ms. Jackie Grisham rent after five years has been raised to $500.00 per month in 2009.
2) At 9pm. On 12-10-2005 Mr. Prickett made an imperious phone call to our residence announcing that Mr. Morris's possessions were missing and demanding that they be returned. Clearly, Mr. Margan was being held responsible.
3) On the same evening Mr. Margan received a call from Houston Chronicle informing him that Mr. Prickett was disseminating slanderous information.
The reporter, a Mr. Abram Hemestein, after speaking to Mr. Margan was somewhat shocked, and did not print a word of the unsubstantiated accusations.
4) Mr. Prickett then delivered a letter listing Mr. Morris' many possessions and demanding again, that Mr. Morris's possessions be returned. The fact that a deadline was mentioned implied the threat of consequences.
5) On three different occasion groups of demonstrators were incited to chant insults and accusations outside several businesses belonging to Mr. Margan. For example, on 12-24-05 they obstructed the entrance to Igor’s Lounge, 2133 St. Charles Ave. preventing alarmed patrons from leaving or entering. An attempt to not only embarrass Mr. Margan, but to negatively impact his livelihood as well.
6) Mr. Prickett had people spread leaflets around the city, condemning Mr. Margan, He also sent libelous E-mails to various parts of the U>S>A> requesting that the recipients call Mr. Margan and protest. One such recipient, Ms. Janine Montclaire from Colorado had the grace to call Mr. Margan and hear his side of the story.
She was very sympathetic.
Mr. Jeremy Prickett, with full complicity of Professor Judson Mitchell and the Loyola Law Clinic, has besmirched Mr. Margan's reputation; damaged his livelihood; and caused incalculable emotional distress to both of us. We also hold Loyola School of Law and Loyola University responsible for this egregious act of defilement. When a man loses his good name, what does he have left?
WE SEEK REDRESS."


I never knew Al Morris, who has since passed, nor have I ever met Jeremy Prickett, but I do know Igor and Halina, and my experience with both of them led me to assume that if they evicted this man, they must have had a good reason. As it happens, he was a homeless squatter.

Jeremy Prickett is (was?) a community organizer from California who came in with an agenda. He clearly did not understand the dynamics of the city. I vouch for Igor.