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Pitt pitches eco-friendly housing project

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ¿ Brad Pitt and friends have raised enough money for six. Now he wants you to put up for the rest.

The actor, surrounded by hot pink tents representing where environmentally sound houses should soon be standing in a part of the city devastated by Hurricane Katrina, called on politicians, foundations, companies and individuals this week to donate to his "Make It Right" project.

The programme calls for 150 homes to be built in the area of the Lower 9th Ward where levees broke in the 2005 storm, letting loose floodwaters that pushed homes off their foundations.

"We chose to start here because of the devastation, because of the immense hurdles for the homeowners, for the residents to come back here," Pitt said.

Pitt said he would like to see thousands of the homes built and would like to see his "green" building initiatives extend beyond the Lower 9th Ward.

Each home will cost approximately $150,000 to build and will be built on stilts as a precaution against future flooding, Pitt said. He has pledged to match $5 million worth of contributions for the project, and billionaire Steve Bing has pledged the same.

Pink was chosen for the tents, Pitt said, because "it screams the loudest. It says people are coming back."

To be eligible for one of the homes, applicants must have previously owned property in the ward and will be expected to contribute what they can afford.