Democrats' Cause Is Tempered by Political Realities

The crowd erupted in cheers.

"And can we all agree that redevelopment isn't necessarily bad if it's done right?"

This time, the crowd was silent.

But overall, the audience seemed pleased that Democrats were making recovery from Katrina a priority. "This is about action," Jefferson said. "We're going to keep our commitments."

The House bill would release the frozen $1.2 billion, increase oversight of Road Home, authorize new housing subsidies to offset all subsidized apartments destroyed by Katrina, and require the federal government to replace public housing units it demolishes in New Orleans. In its recent Iraq funding bill, the House waived the requirement on local jurisdictions for federal projects.

At a White House meeting in February, House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) had urged President Bush to eliminate the cost share. Clyburn, a former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, is Pelosi's point man on Gulf Coast relief, and he left that meeting infuriated by the president's unwillingness to make a commitment. Clyburn almost forgot that he had the power to do something about it himself. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) reminded him: "You're the majority whip. Why don't you put up a bill, and I'll schedule it?"

Which is exactly what happened.

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A few days after Waters held court in New Orleans, Frank held court in Washington at the National Low Income Housing Coalition's annual conference. He was clearly among friends, and he told them Pelosi had made housing "a very high priority." Frank had lots of good news for activists such as Lucinda Flowers of the New Orleans Neighborhood Development Collaborative, which is counting on tax credits for low-income housing to help rebuild the city.

Flowers said to Frank: "My question is about the tax credits --"

"They will be extended," he interrupted.

"That's what I needed to hear," she said.