Common Ground Relief - Free Legal Clinic

Legal Collective Update

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 20:58:53 +0000

The legal collective currently has numerous projects on the go.

HUD Lawsuit
The Common Ground Legal Collective supports the lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The lawsuit charges that HUD is discriminating against low-income black residents by refusing to reopen housing units undamaged by Hurricane Katrina, failing to repair other units and planning to destroy most of the public housing available in New Orleans without plans to replace them. The suit also declares that HUD is violating the rights of public-housing residents by evicting them despite their legal and valid leases, and of violating international law guaranteeing the right of displaced people to return home.

common ground legal collective

Sun, 09 Apr 2006 17:35:47 +0000

The legal team of Common Ground seeks to provide free legal assistance to residents as they begin rebuilding their lives after the recent hurricanes. We provide a free legal clinic every Saturday with volunteer lawyers from Louisiana Legal Aid, Loyola Law Clinic and volunteer Common Ground lawyers. We also help document police misconduct and unsafe prison conditions. Every day, we have volunteers posted outside the Orleans Parish Prison to meet with released arrestees. The volunteers collect interviews, connect people with legal assistance if possible, share resources and translate – our volunteers are virtually the only assistance that post-Katrina arrestees have access to at this time. We also have volunteer lawyers and legal assistants that are taking cases, developing potential lawsuits and participating in civic action.

Common Ground Legal Team Flyers

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 17:15:07 +0000

A summary list of flyers available from the CGC Legal Team. All files are pdf, sizes noted.

Housing

Hiring Contractors & Resolving Disputes (93K)

FEMA Eligibility and Appeals: What You Should Get, and How To Get It (173K)

Having Problems With Your Insurance Company? Know Your Insurance Rights! (467K)

How to Prepare for Mediation with Your Insurance Company (139K)

Guide to the Louisiana Road Home Program (200K)

Guide to the Louisiana Road Home Small Rental Property Program (135K)

Learning about Liens on Your Property (154K)

Tennant/Landlord

Tips for Louisiana Tenants (135K)

Police/Arrest

Know Your Rights (3M)

How Not to Get Arrested (39K)

How to Prepare for Mediation with Your Insurance Company

Sat, 02 Sep 2006 22:17:08 +0000

This brochure discusses how to mediate insurance claims with insurance companies so as to avoid unnecessary litigation, assuming the insurance company is willing to make a fair deal with the homeowner.

Guide to The Louisiana Road Home Program

Sat, 02 Sep 2006 22:07:24 +0000

These brochures discuss the Louisiana Recovery Authority's plan to provide up to $150,000 to home-owners whose homes were damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

They encourage home-owners to return, repair, and rebuild their homes on the original site.

These brochures encompass Repair, Rebuilding, Buyouts, Relocations, and Home Sales.

The Small Rental LRH brochure applies to small-scale landlords who are eligible for up to $75,000 in aid for rental home repairs.

FEMA - Eligibility and Appeals: What You Should Get, and How to Get It

Sat, 02 Sep 2006 21:31:33 +0000

This pamphlet describes what kinds of assistance you should have received from FEMA and how you can appeal if you didn't receive the benefits you are entitled to.

It also explains the process you must follow to recertify your benefits.

You can find more information at: http://www.femaanswers.org

Hiring Contractors and Resolving Contractor Disputes

Sat, 02 Sep 2006 21:10:28 +0000

This nine-part brochure covers all of the basics when dealing with contractors to ensure that the home-owner gets the proper work they paid for and deserve.

It explains how to select skillful contractors, how to form an agreement with them that protects the home-owner, and how to pursue legal remedies in the event that the contractor fails to perform adequately.

Audio interviews with residents

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 19:31:05 +0000

Interview with KeShawn Harris, evicted resident of Louisburg Square Apartments:
download mp3

10/05 Interview with Alicia Billiac, arrested for 'curfew violation' at 6 pm, although curfew was at 8 pm at the time (in the Upper 9th Ward):
download mp3

11/05 Interview with Sean Dodson, contractor from Kentucky, and his friend in Algiers:
download mp3

11/05 Interview with David Luke, HIV+ man who was in Orleans Parish Prison for a minor offense when the hurricane hit, and ended up spending 40 days in horrible conditions, and contracting AIDS (off-site):