Hurricane Katrina and Rita Victims v Radisson Hotel in Jamaica, Queens New York
Hotel Settles Class-Action Filed By Katrina & Rita Evacuees
A class action was filed on behalf of nine hurricane Katrina and Rita victims by the NY Solidarity Coalition with Katrina/Rita Survivors. After both sides negotiated behind closed doors, the hotel's attempt to evict the refugees was refused by a judge in Queens housing court.
"We had motion to dismiss today, we negotiated settlement," declared the legal-aid attorney for the evacuees. He would not discuss details except to say that the evacuees will be allowed to stay at the hotel while looking for more permanent housing and that the Radisson will encourage prompt departure by giving evacuees who check out this week an undisclosed sum of money. For every week beyond this one that an evacuee stays, the amount of his or her departure check will drop dramatically. "I think everyone's happy," the attorney remarked of the deal.
After providing free rooms for more than a month, Radisson Hotels and owner French Quarter Holdings Inc., began efforts to recover losses by evicting and suing each evacuee for $5,000, according to Legal Aid Society press materials.
The nine evacuees involved in the lawsuit, in addition to the approximate 2,000 other hurricane evacuees living in New York, must decide when or if, they will return to New Orleans, or whether New York has become home.
The lawsuit settled on April 11, 2006 for an undisclosed amount of money issued to each evacuee.
