Update 2: New Orleans City Council Unanimously Votes To Demolish Public Housing

New Orleans, LA (AHN) - The City Council of New Orleans unanimously voted to demolish 4,500 government-subsidized homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, despite overwhelming criticism and riotous protests that included a brawl in the council chamber before the vote.

The 7-member council supported a redevelopment plan of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to replace the C.J. Peete, B.W. Cooper, Lafitte and St. Bernard public housing projects with a mixed-use development that has 744 public housing units.

Mayor Ray Nagin called the council's decision another pivotal moment in the rebuilding of New Orleans, according to WDSU News.

"Today we made a unified decision to move forward," Nagin said.

Protesters and opponents of the plan were expecting the council to rule in favor of the demolition but were not anticipating a unanimous vote, which was preceded by weeks of racially-charged protests and lawsuits against the HUD.

The state's Housing Authority last Friday postponed the demolition because it wanted city officials to weigh in on the issue of where to put low-income families who will be left homeless. Opponents have claimed the redevelopment plan requires the council's approval and reduces public housing in the city by as much as 82 percent.

Police on Thursday made arrests and used stun devices and chemical sprays against protesters using bullhorns and intending to disrupt the vote. A brawl that took place outside the council chambers just before the members began meeting led to some protesters being forced out of the building and the council calling for a quick recess. The meeting began later than the 10 a.m schedule as police on horseback secured the gates of the council chamber.

The council passed a resolution last month supporting legislation that called for the replacement of public housing destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, but the HUD, which is reportedly spending $762 million for the redevelopment, has proposed a quicker redevelopment plan that reduces the number of public housing units to make way for 1,000 market-rate and tax-credit homes.