Embargoed Until:   Sunday, August 27, 2006 12:01 AM
 
Contact:  Allison Conyers, Allison@mckpr.com
Kira Calm Lewis, Kira@mckpr.com
202-833-9771 

New Study Highlights Housing Condition in the Gulf Coast One Year Later

NAACP, The Opportunity Agenda and the Kirwan Institute Outline Policy Solutions to Aid Those Hit Hardest by Katrina

Fair and affordable housing is central to the promise of opportunity—the idea that everyone deserves a fair chance to achieve his or her full potential.  Housing determines access to schools, jobs, safety, health care, and political participation.   A lack of affordable housing, exacerbated by discrimination and poverty,  plagued New Orleans residents before Hurricane Katrina and  is now a major challenge to creating livable communities for displaced residents.  The three groups unveiled a Housing Opportunity Action Plan which spells out solutions, and an effective government role in investing in expanded housing assistance programs and mixed income development.  The report, Housing in New Orleans:  One Year After Katrina, is prepared by the NAACP, The Opportunity Agenda and the Kirwan Institute of The Ohio State University.  It will be the subject of an audio news briefing with NAACP President Bruce Gordon and the report’s authors on Monday, August 28. 

WHAT:  Audio News Briefing

WHO:    NAACP President Bruce Gordon
               Director of NAACP Gulf Coast Advocacy Center Tracie Washington, Esq.
               The Opportunity Agenda Executive Director Alan Jenkins
               Research Associate Beatrice Alvarez
               Kirwan Institute for Race and Ethnicity
               Senior GIS/Demographic Specialist Jason Reece

WHEN:  Monday, August 28, 2006
               10:30 AM CENTRAL

HOW:     Call or email Allison Conyers at 202-833-9771 or Allison@mckpr.com for Call-In Number

“Where you live determines whether you have access to the essentials in our society—schools, hospitals, safety, political participation,” explained NAACP President Bruce Gordon.  “Fair and affordable housing is central to creating opportunity and ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to achieve his or her full potential.”

To receive embargoed copies of the report, information on the audio conference or interview queries, contact Allison Conyers at 202-833-9771.

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Downloads

New Study Highlights Housing Condition in the Gulf Coast One Year Later (pintable pdf of above news release)
NAACP Hosts Townhall Meeting at Xavier University (pdf)

The State of Housing in New Orleans One Year After Katrina: A Plan for Equitable Rebuilding (pdf)

Partners

NAACP and the Gulf Coast Advocacy Center
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the nation’s oldest civil rights organization. The Gulf Coast Advocacy Center’s mission is to bring civil rights initiatives in the Gulf Coast region to the forefront, melding what have been separate struggles over housing, education, voting, criminal justice, and worker rights and economic development. For more information, visit www.naacp.org. 
 

The Opportunity Agenda
The Opportunity Agenda is a communications, research, and advocacy organization dedicated to building the national will to expand opportunity in America. For more information, visit www.opportunityagenda.org. The Opportunity Agenda is a project of the Tides Center. 
 

The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity
The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity is an interdisciplinary research institute at The Ohio State University. Its goal is to deepen our understanding of the causes of and solutions to racial and ethnic disparities and hierarchies. The Institute brings together a diverse and creative group of scholars and researchers from various disciplines to focus on the histories, present conditions, and the future prospects of racially and ethnically marginalized people. Informed by real world needs, its work strives to meaningfully impact policies and practices. http://www.kirwaninstitute.org