Racist FEMA Treats Sandy Victims As Slaves

New York City, December 28 — Over 1,000 people left homeless by superstorm Sandy were moved into Manhattan hotels after spending a couple of weeks in various shelters. They were dumped at the door, often at fancy establishments, without money, food, clothes, healthcare, or means of transportation. With thousands of empty apartments and even more vacant luxury condos, the bosses would rather pay $300/night for a month than put families in permanent housing for a year.

These mostly black and Latino workers, who previously received some public assistance, now face eviction to homeless shelters. The racism and total human disregard with which they are being treated shows the true nature of U.S. capitalism.

At first, the evacuees resorted to begging food from stores while they asked the Red Cross and other agencies for help. Everyone rejected them until we demonstrated at the Red Cross headquarters. Then the 106 families we know got $100 per person/week food cards and Metro transit cards until December 18. On January 2, all food aid is due to expire, and those with food stamps can’t use them in midtown because their stamps are not accepted at most stores. The hotels removed refrigerators and microwaves from the rooms, so there is no way to store or re-heat food or keep medications like insulin. 

There is no “recovery center” in Manhattan where various agencies help survivors. No sources of health care other than Emergency Rooms were ever identified; no centers of food or clothing donations were set up to help these families. The first, very limited Federal Emegerncy Management Agency (FEMA) office opened here mostly aimed at helping small businesses.

Families have sought help from various local politicians, agencies and news outlets. All of them express their sympathy or momentary interest, take campaign photos of themselves helping victims, and then do nothing.  A small group of evacuees, trade unionists, and members and friends of Progressive Labor Party has formed, trying to build ties with families as they fight back.  

A week ago, hotels began to evict some families onto the street, even though FEMA is supposed to house them until at least January 12. Fifteen families were evicted from the Beekman hotel when their FEMA paperwork was a few hours late. A single mother with five children was evicted on December 27 and sent to a homeless shelter. Other families with young children were facing eviction New Year’s weekend, to make room for celebrators. Although NYC promised case managers several weeks ago, none has materialized. Those who were previously subsidized renters have received no guidance obtaining aid to rent again.

Our group held a rally at the new local FEMA office. After leafleting outside, we walked boldly into the FEMA office. Although threatened with arrest, we stood our ground and demanded answers. The staff simply said over and over again that FEMA would only offer individual assistance about housing, and refused to acknowledge any responsibility for enforcing their own hotel policy. 

One family did go in for individual help and was taken into a back room for 30 minutes. When they emerged, they said all they had been told was to call the FEMA phone number! When you call the FEMA number, you are told to go to a FEMA office. 

The Sandy survivors understand the treachery of politicians and the government; but they do not yet see the need to overthrow this system to create a communist world where workers’ needs, not profits, are the order of the day. We will continue to fight the bosses and their lackeys at these workers’ side, which can lead to recruitment of some more fighters for PLP and to destroying capitalism.