In the News

Protesters camp at South Delta

April 02, 2010

Kaitlyn Tucker Staff Writer, The Boliver Commercial

An empty lot next to the South Delta Regional Housing Authority office in Leland was transformed into a shanty town Wednesday. Residents from six subdivisions under SDRHA's domain brought tents, chairs and refreshments to their organized protest, which was held from noon to 2 p.m.

"I think it went well," said Beth Orlansky, Mississippi Center for Justice advocacy director. "There was no trouble, which is a good thing.

"The residents who came were able to express their frustration," she continued. "We had representatives from Cleveland, Indianola, Rolling Fork and Belzoni.

"They really had a chance to let people know what was going on and express their concerns about not being able to stay in their houses much longer."

According to A.J. Jefferson, executive director of SDRHA, the protest did not cause any problems for the agency.

"We want the same things the residents want," Jefferson said. "We didn't have a problem with the protest.

"In fact, we held an Easter egg hunt at the same time and told them that they could join," she continued.

The protesters came from six subdivisions across the Delta who have filed a civil lawsuit against SDRHA.

The suit was filed in July 2009 after the residents received notices that their rent would more than double in August 2009.

"Effective August 1, 2009: rent for one-bedroom houses went from $60 per month to $240 per month; rent for two-bedroom houses went from $120 per month to $320 per month; rent for three-bedroom houses went from $180 per month to $430 per month; rent for four-bedroom houses went from $230 per month to $520 per month; rent for five-bedroom houses went from $300 per month to $640 per month," read a court document.

Orlansky also represents the residents of the SDRHA subdivisions as an attorney for the trial.

"It's a long process in federal court," Orlansky said. "We're in the discovery process now.

"We have a conference Monday," she continued. "We are still gathering the information we need."

The residents are focusing their arguments on how, as a housing authority, SDRHA is bound by law on the way in which it can raise rent and by how much.

"Our position has never been that they are not allowed to raise rent," explained Orlansky. "But the increase they imposed last summer jumped way above what they are entitled to do under statutes."

The rent increase set for August was postponed due to the lawsuit filed. District Court Judge Allen Pepper Jr. ruled in October that SDRHA could implement its proposed rent increase, effective Nov. 1, 2009.

"The judge ruled the housing authority could increase rent," said Jefferson. "We agree (with the residents) and we thought that, based on the judge's last order, that Mississippi Justice was supposed to work with us.

"From what we have seen, they've totally ignored what we were supposed to work on," Jefferson continued. "We all agreed we would try to work together to get this fixed."

"Tenants have had to pay the increased rents since November," said Orlansky. "About 60 have been evicted for not being able to come up with the money.

"They're looking at ways to prevent homelessness," she continued. "They're trying to hold on but it's getting harder."

According to Jefferson, it is not SDRHA that makes decisions about evicting residents.

"We don't evict anyone. We go through the same court process as anyone else," Jefferson said. "A judge makes the decision and we carry out the letters."

Since the lawsuit was filed, Jefferson has said that she needs more money to bring the subdivisions up to par.

During an initial hearing, Jefferson had said that in 2008, the agency's non-HUD housing program was $500,000 in the red.

Jefferson noted that the program would lose another $100,000 in 2009 if the rent increases were not implemented.

"South Delta is trying their best to provide a decent place for people to live," Jefferson explained. "We agree with the families. We want them to have a decent place to live.

"We don't get subsidies for these units — the only thing we get is rent," she continued. "In order for me to bring them up to par, they'll have to pay more than $180 a month."

According to Jefferson, approximately 85 percent of the houses under SDRHA domain have not been maintained and some will have to be torn down and rebuilt.

"This didn't happen overnight and we will not be able to solve it overnight," Jefferson said. "It's been happening over the last 30 years. It's still going to take me a while to get the money to rehab those units.

"We want them (SDRHA residents) to have a decent place to live," she continued. "We want them to have decent homes. I want them to have homes that I would live in."

The trial will begin in March 2011. Until then, both sides are gathering information and expert witnesses and preparing for the case.