Monday, January 26, 2009
Groups rally for Waveland cottage dwellers
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By Al Showers
Original Article: http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=9736905&nav=6DJI
WAVELAND, MS (WLOX) - Two national social justice organizations brought their voices to Hancock County Monday. The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, based in Minnesota, and the Social Welfare Action Alliance of Tennessee sent representatives to Waveland.
Watch Video of the MEMA Cottage Rally
The groups are trying to rally support for those who want to make Mississippi Cottages permanent homes. Cheri Honkala helped to organize the rally because of what she calls a reluctance by elected leaders to allow the Mississippi Cottages to become permanent homes.
"I'm with the Poor People's Economic Human Right's Campaign. I'm a formerly homeless mother and I'm very passionate about this issue.You dare touch any of these families, we'll come make Mississippi our home. We will set up tents. We will go to jail," Honkala said.
The protestors then paused for prayer. Rev. Bruce Wright with Refuge Ministries of Florida said, "I believe firmly that people that claim to follow Jesus should be concerned about people having a place to live, and not being put out on the streets."
The rally sparked a counter protest from people who don't want to see the cottages become permanent.
"Not everybody's for this. Not everybody's for the cottages next to their houses that they built brand new and spent thousands and hundreds of thousands and their whole grant money. Some people are responsible, some people are not," Waveland resident Scott Peterson said.
John and Silvia Peterson said, "Why not go into a trailer park? No, they think they're too good for that."
Waveland Resident Mary Sherrouse says it's not her fault the cottage has become a necessity.
"I have tried to rebuild, but had to let go of a contractor that wasn't building to code and lacking some money because of it. And I love my MEMA cottage and am just horrified to think people are so, the city is so heartless to want to throw us out," Sherrouse said.
Bayside Park resident David Winkles agrees.
"Don't put the old people, the sick people, the people with no place to go, the people with kids out on the streets - don't send them to trailer parks. Do the right thing. Let them have MEMA cottages on their own property," Winkles said.
City and county leaders have taken steps to allow the cottages to become permanent. But cottage-dwellers are concerned that the rules will be so strict they will not qualify.
Original Article: http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=9736905&nav=6DJI
WAVELAND, MS (WLOX) - Two national social justice organizations brought their voices to Hancock County Monday. The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, based in Minnesota, and the Social Welfare Action Alliance of Tennessee sent representatives to Waveland.
Watch Video of the MEMA Cottage Rally
The groups are trying to rally support for those who want to make Mississippi Cottages permanent homes. Cheri Honkala helped to organize the rally because of what she calls a reluctance by elected leaders to allow the Mississippi Cottages to become permanent homes.
"I'm with the Poor People's Economic Human Right's Campaign. I'm a formerly homeless mother and I'm very passionate about this issue.You dare touch any of these families, we'll come make Mississippi our home. We will set up tents. We will go to jail," Honkala said.
The protestors then paused for prayer. Rev. Bruce Wright with Refuge Ministries of Florida said, "I believe firmly that people that claim to follow Jesus should be concerned about people having a place to live, and not being put out on the streets."
The rally sparked a counter protest from people who don't want to see the cottages become permanent.
"Not everybody's for this. Not everybody's for the cottages next to their houses that they built brand new and spent thousands and hundreds of thousands and their whole grant money. Some people are responsible, some people are not," Waveland resident Scott Peterson said.
John and Silvia Peterson said, "Why not go into a trailer park? No, they think they're too good for that."
Waveland Resident Mary Sherrouse says it's not her fault the cottage has become a necessity.
"I have tried to rebuild, but had to let go of a contractor that wasn't building to code and lacking some money because of it. And I love my MEMA cottage and am just horrified to think people are so, the city is so heartless to want to throw us out," Sherrouse said.
Bayside Park resident David Winkles agrees.
"Don't put the old people, the sick people, the people with no place to go, the people with kids out on the streets - don't send them to trailer parks. Do the right thing. Let them have MEMA cottages on their own property," Winkles said.
City and county leaders have taken steps to allow the cottages to become permanent. But cottage-dwellers are concerned that the rules will be so strict they will not qualify.
Labels: Biloxi, Cheri Honkala, FEMA, MEMA, Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, PPEHRC, Refuge Ministries of Florida, Rev. Bruce Wright, Social Welfar Action Alliance, Waveland
Sunday, January 25, 2009
MS Center for Justice sues city of Waveland
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Original Article: http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=9724331
WAVELAND, MS (WLOX) - The cottage battles in Waveland will now be fought in court. Friday afternoon, the Mississippi Center for Justice filed suit on behalf of eight Waveland residents who want to keep their temporary cottages as permanent dwellings in the city.
Waveland leaders have been struggling with a decision on whether cottages can stay after the end of the government's temporary housing program March 31st.
The suit, filed in Hancock County Chancery Court, says the city wrongly denied permits to cottage residents when it misclassified the cottages as mobile homes instead of modular homes.
Riley Morse is an attorney with the Mississippi Center for Justice.
"Within a week a court is going to hear arguments whether Waveland's effort to split hair between other kinds of modular and the Katrina Cottages hold water," Morse said. "We think they won't, and we hope that when the court hears the argument they will agree with MEMA and most of the other jurisdictions that say modular embraces these cottages and they should be allowed to stay permanently."
The case will be heard next Friday. To see the filed suit, click here.
WAVELAND, MS (WLOX) - The cottage battles in Waveland will now be fought in court. Friday afternoon, the Mississippi Center for Justice filed suit on behalf of eight Waveland residents who want to keep their temporary cottages as permanent dwellings in the city.
Waveland leaders have been struggling with a decision on whether cottages can stay after the end of the government's temporary housing program March 31st.
The suit, filed in Hancock County Chancery Court, says the city wrongly denied permits to cottage residents when it misclassified the cottages as mobile homes instead of modular homes.
Riley Morse is an attorney with the Mississippi Center for Justice.
"Within a week a court is going to hear arguments whether Waveland's effort to split hair between other kinds of modular and the Katrina Cottages hold water," Morse said. "We think they won't, and we hope that when the court hears the argument they will agree with MEMA and most of the other jurisdictions that say modular embraces these cottages and they should be allowed to stay permanently."
The case will be heard next Friday. To see the filed suit, click here.
Labels: Biloxi, Cheri Honkala, FEMA, MEMA, Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, PPEHRC, Refuge Ministries of Florida, Rev. Bruce Wright, Social Welfar Action Alliance, Waveland
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