‘How Nonprofits Betrayed Public Housing and Promoted Privatization’ in New Orleans

Nonprofit Quarterly dissects John (Jay) Arena's new book.

arena_driven coverRandy Shaw has published a review of a book with a tough message for nonprofits to hear. John Arena, identified by Shaw as a longtime New Orleans labor and community activist, sees complicity, if not conspiracy, in the activities of nonprofit organizations and foundations – before Hurricane Katrina – in displacing black households from and then demolishing public housing. Although he acknowledges that white Republicans plus black political leaders and the city’s Democratic machine were all parties to the strategy, the subtitle of his book, “Driven from New Orleans,” makes it clear who and what he thinks deserves some major responsibility and blame: "How Nonprofits Betray Public Housing and Promote Privatization."

Read the full article here.

Published in: Nonprofit Quarterly
By: Rick Cohen