Taking advantage of disaster: misrepresentation of housing shortage for political gain

Vedran Vuk

International Journal of Social Economics, 2008, vol. 35, issue 8, 603-614

Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this paper aims to explore the reports of housing shortages in post‐Katrina New Orleans especially for low‐income residents in the face of a returning working poor population. Despite the availability of housing vouchers by the New Orleans Housing Authority to any previous residents of New Orleans housing projects, a political uproar has claimed no homes are available and that destroying the previously failing New Orleans housing projects would amount to “forced homelessness.” Design/methodology/approach - The analysis is done by reflecting on different commentary from persons claiming the housing projects must be preserved while also exploring the failed goals of the same public institutions. Further, a brief overview of the housing situation regarding availability of homes is conducted. Findings - The findings show that the poor of New Orleans are being misled about available housing, and there is a continuing process of decline in sovereignty of local public policy makers. Politicians benefit by elevating their public persona. Originality/value - The paper explores the political benefactors of perpetuating falsehoods in order to make political gains.

Keywords: Housing; United States of America; Floods; Disasters; Financing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:ijsepp:v:35:y:2008:i:8:p:603-614

DOI: 10.1108/03068290810889224

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