ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. — A group gathered outside the St. Landry Parish Courthouse Wednesday morning to protest Parish President Jessie Bellard after he made a controversial post on public housing.
Bellard posted "Public housing is not supposed to be permanent housing" on social media.
Protesters say the post targets people who live in public housing, and some are calling for Bellard to resign.
"So, by you saying that it should not be permanent—we have a problem with it because that is not right," said Racheal Reed, one of the protesters. "As a person in leadership, you should not be making those types of statements."
Bellard spoke with KATC by phone from Washington, D.C. He said he stands by the post and insists it was not directed at any one person but was meant to highlight a program designed to help people in public housing become homeowners.
"I'm not going to change my views on it because we're going to make sure that people have the opportunities to get out of the projects, get out of public housing and own their own homes," Bellard said. "We have a program we put in place over three years ago...to help people buy their own homes."
Reed said she will continue to call for Bellard's resignation.
