New Orleans police arrested two people following protests over the demolition of public housing complexes damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Police arrested Angela Jaster, 53, and Warren Antman, 58, Thursday night for squatting at a public housing complex in protest of its pending demolition, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Friday.

Protesters convened Thursday in Washington to stop the demolition of several public housing complexes but failed to deter federal officials from linking the demolition to the issuance of federal funding for improved housing.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said it slated 4,000 public housing units for demolition to make way for new units but has been reluctant to employ a one-for-one replacement schedule for public housing units.

U.S. HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson told New Orleans city officials they would lose $137 million in funding and 900 housing vouchers if they failed to approve demolition plans.

The Housing Authority of New Orleans is under federal control due to financial mismanagement.  // Copyright 2007 by United Press International



Publication date: 14 December 2007   

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