After a Disaster Like Katrina, Water, Food, and Shelter Are Not Enough

Providing access to expert civil legal help is absolutely essential to rebuilding communities and lives after a disaster.

Op-Ed (Louisiana, NATIONAL)

Laura Tuggle
Nation, The
August 27, 2015
READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Tags: Disaster Recovery

Organizations mentioned/involved: Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS)


DETAILS

In the terrible aftermath of a natural disaster, everyone recognizes the importance of water, food, and shelter as a first response. But one thing many people don’t think about is this: Providing access to expert civil legal help is absolutely essential to rebuilding communities and lives.

Immediately after Katrina, people who had lost their jobs needed help getting their final paychecks from businesses and employers that no longer existed. Some landlords rented out damaged and dangerous properties with the promise of quick repairs that never happened. Other landlords found it profitable to rent out the same residence simultaneously to different desperate families