Despite Sharpton’s absence, HTHA residents’ demands met

The Rev. Al Sharpton was a no-show at Friday’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, but residents of the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority were still able to get what they wanted: Storm-damage repairs.

Members of the conference rallied on Friday in front of the Operations and Maintenance Building in Houma’s predominately African-American housing development, but a smaller audience and a different message prevailed than at a Oct. 2 rally.

Then, members of the SCLC threatened “to turn Houma into the next Jena” if HTHA director Wayne Thibodeaux was not removed from office. Residents also demanded that alternative housing be provided to Senator Circle residents while their units were repaired. They also stipulated that no rent or utilities be paid until all repairs were made.

Sharpton, president of the National Action Network, was expected to attend Friday’s rally. Around 4:30 p.m., rumors were rife that the outspoken Sharpton was in town at a local attorney’s office with Terrebonne’s SCLC president, the Rev. Vincent Fusilier, as well as Terrebonne Parish Councilman Alvin Tillman, Senator Circle Housing Manager Troy Johnson and Thibodeaux.

But shortly after 5 p.m., Fusilier, arrived to deliver a different message.

“You may have to move to a different place for a while so that a professional can come here and clean it,” he said. “We don’t want anyone getting sick. The housing authority is going to find proper housing for you, and we’re not leaving until you have a place to live, and you’re not leaving until you have a place to live.”

“I also want to assure you that the fight is not over,” he said. “We have a bigger fish to fry, and the fish is FEMA… but allow Mr. Thibodeaux to do what his boss allows him to do.”

The Rev. Marie Galatas, Louisiana Women’s Coordinator of the SCLC and pastor of New Creation Christian Church in New Orleans, backed Fusilier. “FEMA should not play us cheap. We’re going to see that FEMA gets you what’s rightfully yours!” she said.

The Rev. Raymond Brown, president of the New Orleans chapter of the National Action Network, explained Sharpton could not appear because of “legal complications” because of an arrest earlier this year while protesting a verdict in New York City.

However, Brown read a prepared message from the civil rights activist, which said, “I will be here next time to join you in your struggle.”

The Rev. Dr. Norwood Thompson Jr., president of the New Orleans chapter of the SCLC, marveled at how “people are crying out for help and they’re not getting it.”

HTHA Commissioner Brenda Belcher was the only member of the agency to attend the rally.

Attempts to reach Thibodeaux were unsuccessful as of press time.

Belcher called for an end to all of the confusion regarding the recovery effort in Senator Circle. “Confusion, we don’t need. We were born in confusion,” she said.

Afterward, Belcher said that Thibodeaux “cannot do anymore than what he is doing. I don’t see any reason why they want him to resign. He is only one individual and he has steps and a chain of command to follow within his job.”

In short, “Mr. Thibodeaux has tried and is trying to help them,” Belcher said.

Tillman also promised that he would be with the crowd “until the end.”

“I’ve been in contact with Congressman Charlie Melancon’s office and he would see what he could do to send help to the area. We’ve been in talks with FEMA. We’re going to get you safe and healthy housing, and we’re going to expedite this process,” Tillman said.

Telisa Clark, vice-president of the HTHA resident council, confirmed there was a meeting at local attorney Thompson’s office, and that she was not allowed inside.

“I don’t know why, but they would not let me in the meeting. My job is to represent the residents,” Clark said. “The president of our group, Alvin Livas, had a heart attack and is in the hospital. He can’t be there, but I should have been.”

Clark said that she and her husband Kevin had just returned to Terrebonne Parish after having evacuated with 19 non-family members.

“Mr. Thibodeaux is continuing to help, but he has limited resources,” she explained.

“Frankly, I don’t feel that all of this confusion has been necessary… too many people assumed too many things that are and were going on,” she said, adding that many of the residents have refused to leave their homes to use hotel vouchers because they do not want to leave the area.

Residents said their units still reek of sewage, mold infestation and have no power.

Angela Welch, who has been living in Senator Circle for one year, said her unit has mold and she has a child with asthma. She evacuated to Bunkie, La.

Pearly Welch, her sister, who is a four year resident of Senator Circle, said her unit has mold as well. She evacuated to Hinesville, Georgia.

Kilben Lafont, a resident of Bayou Towers, another Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority development, was also in attendance at the rally. “Mr. Thibodeaux is working hard at getting us up and running,” he said.

Lafont explained that Bayou Towers is also closed because the roof over the 11th floor came off and rain leaked throughout the building. “I’m more fortunate than other people, and am living with my brother,” he said.

The Rev. Raymond Brown, president of the New Orleans chapter of the National Action Network, tells the crowd outside the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority’s Operations and Maintenance Building Friday that “legal complications” kept the Rev. Al Sharpton away from the rally. * Photo by HOWARD J. CASTAY JR.