WASHINGTON -- The New Orleans City Council today unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing United States Senate passage of the housing recovery bill sponsored by Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La.

"The Council of the City of New Orleans is supportive of efforts towards Senate passage of S. 1668 and is committed to working closely with our Louisiana United States Senators and the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs to further strengthen this legislation as it moves through the Congress," the resolution reads.

The council found that the lack of affordable housing in the area is one of the "biggest challenges for low, moderate and middle-income families" and is impeding business recovery. It also included in the resolution a line calling for "immediate reforms in local management of HANO and HUD."

"The council's vote today is an encouraging step forward for this important bill, which helps ensure for our city the affordable housing we need to support our returning workforce and struggling economy," Sen. Landrieu said.

Sen. Landrieu's legislation, the Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act of 2007, S. 1668, replaces occupied affordable housing units that were destroyed in the hurricanes, and also authorizes funding to fix the multi-billion dollar Road Home shortfall. A similar version of the bipartisan bill was passed by the House of Representatives in March with the support of the entire Louisiana House delegation, Republicans and Democrats.

The City Council joins New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco, and more than 100 business groups and non-profit and religious organizations that support the bill.

Experts say that the lack of available and affordable housing on the Gulf Coast is a significant challenge to the mental health of Katrina and Rita affected communities.

"Housing is so critical," said Dr. Jan Kasofsky, executive director of Capital Area Human Services District, the Baton Rouge public health agency. "It's just not feasible to stabilize people when they're half living on the street or in a car."

Dr. Kasofsky testified yesterday at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Disaster Recovery Subcommittee hearing on mental health that Sen. Landrieu chaired.

Sen. Landrieu also today sent a letter to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson reiterating her request for documents, including a copy of the pre-Katrina public housing waiting list for HANO-owned or administered properties and the exact location of 400 units reported to be ready for occupancy. She also expressed concern about HANO impeding recovery efforts in the New Orleans area.

"Following the storms, I have heard consistent complaints from the local community on HANO hampering recovery efforts in the area -- including from the business, education, and healthcare sectors, which are vital for recovery in New Orleans," Sen. Landrieu wrote.

"As HANO undertakes a massive effort to redevelop public housing in the city, I believe that both HANO's administration and its redevelopment plans merit close attention. In my capacity as Chairman of the Senate Disaster Recovery Subcommittee, as well as through my seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, I fully intend to provide rigorous oversight on HANO."

A copy of the City Council resolution is available here, and the letter to HUD is available here.