Nubian Oracle

Oliver M. Thomas, Jr.

(President of the City Council of New Orleans )

New Orleans Public Housing Goes “Old School”: The City Council of New Orleans is proposing that the new Housing Authority of New Orleans will host working tenants only. At least, people who will work when employment is found for them. At a meeting of the council’s Housing Committee, City Council President Oliver Thomas said that for too long government programs and agencies have “pampered” rather than improved lives.

Consequently, former residents who don’t want “to roll up their sleeves” are better off staying away, he said in remarks that generated murmured agreement from some members of the audience in the council chambers. “We don’t need soap opera watchers right now”, Thomas said. “We’re going to target the people who are going to work. It’s not that I’m fed up, but that at some point there has to be a whole new level of motivation, and people have got to stop blaming the government for something they ought to do.” The NBCC supports Council President Thomas in this endeavor 100%. This could become a national model. Right on!