Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
1401 New York Avenue, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005

For Immediate Release
Contacts:
Stacie B. Miller
202-662-8317
smiller@lawyerscommittee.org
March 31, 2008

Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Urges Improved HUD Leadership Following Jackson's Resignation

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 31, 2008 – Following today’s announcement of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Alphonso Jackson’s resignation, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law urges the appointment of a replacement who will provide improved leadership for addressing the continuing housing crisis on the Gulf Coast caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita over two and a half years ago.  Strong leadership is needed at this key transition time of HUD assuming the responsibility for housing disaster victims as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) role is phased out.

Appropriate measures to meet the critical housing needs of hurricane survivors must be a top priority for the next secretary.  It is also imperative that the next secretary increase efforts to enforce the Fair Housing Act (FHA) to eliminate discrimination on the prohibited bases of race and increase its funding to local programs to investigate fair housing discrimination.

Given the very poor performance of FEMA throughout the post-hurricane period, continued Congressional hearings into formaldehyde in FEMA trailers and HUD’s consistent lack of any oversight of spending of Community Development Block Grant funds in Mississippi, such leadership is critical. 

The Lawyers’ Committee has devoted extensive resources to addressing the needs of hurricane victims through its Disaster Recovery Initiative created shortly after Hurricane Katrina.  Barbara Arnwine, executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee noted her continuing concern with the lack of progress in this recovery, stating:

“FEMA trailers are now being rapidly closed because of the long-delayed acknowledgement of their unhealthy conditions by FEMA, yet the lack of adequate affordable housing to provide alternative housing threatens homelessness for those who remain in trailers with no place to go.  Of equal concern is the recent approval by Secretary Jackson of a proposal by state officials in Mississippi to divert $600 million from housing programs for hurricane victims to the expansion of the Port of Gulfport even as he was fully aware of the unmet affordable housing needs on the coast.  Such wrongheaded policies must be reversed.”

The LCCRUL urges the Administration and Congress to include a renewed focus on this continuing housing crisis in considering the new Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.  Equal focus must be on improved enforcement of the Fair Housing Act.  The secretary must be the general in the battle against any who violate fair housing laws.  Too often, it is left to citizens to act as private attorneys general and file complaints against those who discriminate against all protected under the FHA.

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. The principal mission of the Lawyers' Committee is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice under law, particularly in the areas of housing, community development, employment; voting; education and environmental justice.  For more information about the LCCRUL, visit www.lawyerscommittee.org.

back to Press Releases