After the devastating hurricane “Katrina”, the US actor stands up for those who have lost their homes. However, houses designed by him and sold to the victims have significant shortcomings. Now a large sum of millions is to be paid back.
Hollywood star Brad Pitt has settled out of court with a total of 107 victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. His charity Make It Right Foundation has struck a deal with the plaintiffs for a total of $20.5 million. However, this deal still has to be approved by a judge. The sum is financed by the environmental organization “Global Green”, which had agreed to provide the money.
What happened? After the devastating damage caused by the hurricane, Pitt sold environmentally friendly passive houses he had designed, which, however, could not cope with the weather and humidity in the US state of Louisiana due to massive construction defects. According to local newspaper The New Orleans Advocate, the 107 homeowners in the Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood will each receive a $25,000 refund for repairs already made. After paying legal fees, the rest of the money will be distributed depending on the problems that arise.
In a statement, Pitt said he was “incredibly grateful” that Global Green would take over the payment. They have already worked together directly after “Katrina” and can count themselves lucky that the organization is so generous.
Only with their help can the challenges that have arisen in the houses be overcome. “Hopefully the agreement will help everyone look forward again and further strengthen this proud community,” said the 58-year-old. The homes were sold to hurricane victims for the discounted price of $150,000, with Brad Pitt available to face the campaign. The opposing attorney said in a statement to Newsnation about his client’s lawsuit: “They trusted Brad Pitt. They believed in the dream he sold them. Unfortunately, they only have a series of broken promises to do so and are now living in rotten houses that should actually be torn down and rebuilt!”
Pitt himself requested not to be a subject of the lawsuit shortly after the lawsuit was filed. Although he helped design the houses and was part of the advertising campaign, he had nothing to do with the actual day-to-day business. The Foundation did this on its own. It was only when the organization proved unable to repair the defective homes that Pitt took over again. Nevertheless, he explained that he could not be held legally responsible for the actual construction and the resulting defects.
Pitt co-founded the Make It Right Foundation in 2007, two years after Hurricane Katrina devastated large parts of New Orleans. A close Pitt acquaintance told the Daily Mail: “Brad has put a lot of time and millions of his own funds into his heart project.”
Nevertheless, the owners of the houses quickly ran into problems: leaky roofs and walls made of inferior wood caused massive mold growth and almost caused the houses to collapse. One house has already had to be demolished due to so-called fundamental damage.
