ACORN Files Suit Against FEMA

[benny05]

WASHINGTON, DC - This morning the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) filed suit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in federal district court in the District of Columbia for failing to adequately explain to hurricane evacuees why their housing benefits are being terminated. Approximately 7,000 evacuees stand to lose their housing as of August 31 unless the court acts.

Katrina survivors assert that FEMA systematically fails to explain why benefits have been denied and what evacuees may do to fix any problems with their applications for continued housing assistance. Instead, FEMA sends form letters to evacuees that only contain a cryptic computer code or phrase that refers to a reason for each termination of benefits.

The suit alleges that the reasons for termination remain vague even after the computer codes have been deciphered, and that for a half-century, the Supreme Court has consistently required agencies to clearly explain their reasons for denial of benefits in time to allow affected individuals to appeal the agency's decision. Survivors of Katrina and Rita deserve this basic due process.

"Anyone with a $299 computer can mail-merge an explanatory paragraph into a form letter," said Texas RioGrande Legal Aid attorney Jerome wesevich. "By using a computer code instead of the English language, FEMA has made what appears to be a deliberate attempt to place barriers between desperate families and the housing that Congress said they should have."

When evacuees call in response to a letter denying benefits, FEMA representatives strain to clearly state the reason for the termination. The process has forced evacuees to run in circles to obtain documents that may not even be needed, and some evacuees have even been given entirely different reasons for the denial when they call FEMA at a later time.

"We stand today with evacuees all across this country who have done everything within their power to put the pieces of their lives back together," said ACORN representative Debra Campbell. Ms. Campbell is the leader of the ACORN Katrina Survivors Association that has over 5,000 members.

ACORN is represented by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (Jerome Wesevich 915-241-0534) and Public Citizen Litigation Group (Michael T. Kirkpatrick 202-588-1000).

The lawsuit and supporting exhibits can be found at http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=2263.

[Ian David]

1. I bet Choicepoint is involved somewhere. n/t

[benny05]

2. Just makes want to say

:wtf: to * and Pickles, who are down in NOLA right now, doing what? Kicking them to the curb via FEMA while they are there in remembrance of those poor people? What hypocrites!

I'm proud that John Edwards has more than once stood with ACORN to get poverty issues on the radar, most recently last month in Ohio.

http://oneamericacommittee.com/news/headlines/cd20060710/

[sparkleon]

3. John Edwards Has Visions

It is a shame that New Orleans still bears the brunt of this Government's inactivity to rebuild. Article in today's paper said that Bush is very pleased with the progress thus far....Give me a break please. John Edwards knows what needs fixed and he stands tall in my book and I salute him for his courage and visions.

[Catchawave]

4. Bush's FEMA deserves everything they get !

He destroyed that (dis)organization !