UNITY Executive Director Testifies Before Congress, February 6, 2007

Testimony of Martha J. Kegel, UNITY Executive Director, before the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the “Federal Housing Response to Hurricane Katrina."

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Full Text of Testimony (.doc)

New Orleans Permanent Supportive Housing Plan 2006

In partnership with city agencies, state agencies, and many local and national nonprofit organizations, UNITY has developed a plan to welcome home people with disabilities who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Prior to Katrina’s devastation, the City of New Orleans was working on a plan to accomplish the goal of ending chronic homelessness – the long-term homelessness of vulnerable persons with disabilities, in keeping with the President’s goal of ending chronic homelessness in 10 years by creating 150,000 units of Permanent Supportive Housing. Katrina’s catastrophic flooding of New Orleans has led to widespread homelessness beyond that which already existed, including the tragedy of thousands of low-income persons with disabilities losing their homes. The greater New Orleans area can create a national model for ending and preventing homelessness by ensuring that all disabled New Orleanians have a safe, decent, affordable home linked to community services in their beloved city. To reach this goal will require constructing at least 2,000 units of Permanent Supportive Housing scattered throughout New Orleans and Jefferson Parish. Another 1,000 units would be constructed elsewhere in the Go-Zone. This housing would serve individuals with special needs who would typically face homelessness. Most of the housing would target individuals but some of the units would serve families.

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Full Text of Permanent Supportive Housing Plan 2006

Testimony, January 13, 2006

Testimony of Martha J. Kegel, UNITY Executive Director, to the House Financial Services Committee during a special Field Hearing of the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity in New Orleans.

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Full Text of Testimony (.pdf)