How's New Orleans Doing?

[editor]

Someone I work was in New Orleans a week or so after the storm went through. She just got back from a return visit and says it hasn't changed much. Of course, she didn't go through the neighborhoods and such this time, she was mostly downtown. But she says she's not seeing much signs of progress.

Has anyone else been there recently who can offer a contrasting opinion?

[WesternGulf]

It really hasn't changed much. I saw some pics on SSP that are atleast 2 weeks old and it looked like the hurricane hit yesterday and there was not one worker in the pictures. I have a friend who just got back on April 1st and she says the same thing. She says in general you can tell if work is being done in an area even if it is greatly damaged but she says in some areas you cannot even tell work has been done. Cars still flipped over rubble, houses still sitting as unorganized debris, etc.

[Jeebus]

Nothing has changed in Louisiana, from either hurricane. Everywhere you go, there are blue-tarp roofs as far as the eye can see.

[SDeNardi]

I was there last week, and it looked awful. It seems depressing, and like not much has been done. I couldnt imagine having to live there. I took alot of pictures, ill post them when I have the time.

[Subdude]

Last weekend I was talking to a guy from NO, and he mentioned that it has changed very little, and that it even still smells bad. Even downtown and the French Quarter still need a lot of work.

[TheNiche]

Someone I work was in New Orleans a week or so after the storm went through. She just got back from a return visit and says it hasn't changed much. Of course, she didn't go through the neighborhoods and such this time, she was mostly downtown. But she says she's not seeing much signs of progress.

Has anyone else been there recently who can offer a contrasting opinion?

It's not going to change any time soon, either.

Skilled carpenters, welders, electricians, etc. are commanding premium wages, and even then, in economic environments like these (lots of home building, solid economic growth, etc.) there's only so much money that you can throw at a project like the NO reconstruction and expect to get anything more done because you've got to compete with the demand for those skills from the private sector in other cities.

It looks to me like what really needs to happen is that Waste Management gets a contract to bulldoze and remove nearly everything with structural damage, leaving only a few buildings designated either as historical or as structurally sound. Going from there, NO needs to reduce the size of its city limits so that it encompasses only those parts of the city that are still economically viable...that way it only has to provide utilities and services to those areas. As forsaken neighborhoods reemerge, they can form HOAs that can negotiate with CoNO to buy utility services from the City and ultimately become reannexed.

[Condo Eric]

It's not going to change any time soon, either.

Skilled carpenters, welders, electricians, etc. are commanding premium wages, and even then, in economic environments like these (lots of home building, solid economic growth, etc.) there's only so much money that you can throw at a project like the NO reconstruction and expect to get anything more done because you've got to compete with the demand for those skills from the private sector in other cities.

It looks to me like what really needs to happen is that Waste Management gets a contract to bulldoze and remove nearly everything with structural damage, leaving only a few buildings designated either as historical or as structurally sound. Going from there, NO needs to reduce the size of its city limits so that it encompasses only those parts of the city that are still economically viable...that way it only has to provide utilities and services to those areas. As forsaken neighborhoods reemerge, they can form HOAs that can negotiate with CoNO to buy utility services from the City and ultimately become reannexed.

Things are a lot better if you live here. There is 100 miles of homes, businesses and infa structure wipped in 24 hours out in a very poor town. Electricity is back to most of the city, people are moving back. Only half will move back. The city is bankrupt, not all the ploiticians are crooks. Texas has just as many and they are most likely smarter than our. Enron? Exxon? Fema is a joke but they are sending loads of money to Texas in the clean up effort at inflated prices that ould make you cringe. The total cost of a fema trailer is costing the USA about 75k and will be trash in 2-3 years. Who comes out ahead in this. This is far worst that our most greedy and crooked leaders which there are far less than advertised. These are exciting times and nothing is dull, there are opportunities everywhere. I have not taken a weekend off since the storm. I may work another year and retire to Houston for the great life. Eric

[Montrose1100]

For the very latest news, I suggest visting the southeast section of Skyscraper City. They post every new article about New Orleans' recovery as fresh as the wet ink on the papers.

[Trophy Property]

For the very latest news, I suggest visting the southeast section of Skyscraper City. They post every new article about New Orleans' recovery as fresh as the wet ink on the papers.

I am heading back to NOLA over Halloween Weekend. I have not been since the storm, but I am interested to see how the city looks after a year. After reading these posts I am not holding my breath.

[J.A.S.O.N.]

For the very latest news, I suggest visting the southeast section of Skyscraper City. They post every new article about New Orleans' recovery as fresh as the wet ink on the papers.

www.nola.com is loaded with info too

[musicman]

I am heading back to NOLA over Halloween Weekend. I have not been since the storm, but I am interested to see how the city looks after a year. After reading these posts I am not holding my breath.

I know quite a few people in the quarter and the marigny, they have all said that it isn't the same. some areas are still abandoned. One in the marigny(which wasn't hit hard) said businesses have closed just cause many of the regulars are no longer in nola.

[TJones]

I know quite a few people in the quarter and the marigny, they have all said that it isn't the same. some areas are still abandoned. One in the marigny(which wasn't hit hard) said businesses have closed just cause many of the regulars are no longer in nola.

Not only that, they are still finding bodies , I have just spoken to some clients of mine who are from New Orleans, they live here for the time being, but the husband works the HazMat crews over there doing the clean-up, and he says it is just horrible, and that you cannot really tell any difference since the storm hit.

Edited May 25, 2006 by TJones

[alon504]

Hey guys...I posted a thread with pics, so you can make your own judgments on how New Orleans is doing. I've been living in my home, in the middle of Uptown New Orleans since Sept. 28 after the storm and have watched the progression. It's been an awesome experience seeing just how much had to be done, how much we've done, and how much more we've got to do. But, we're doing it. As far as population...New Orleans, City proper, is around 260,000, and Metro New Orleans is just under 1.3 million. Come on over and see us. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how far we've come. Obviously, areas that flooded, have more to clean up, so it's taking longer, but, those people are progressing along about as fast as one would expect. About 30% of flooded homes have been restored to pre-Katrina life and have families in them. The other 70% are either being worked on, or are going to be demolished. About 25% of the homes have been completely abandoned by the owners. After August 29 (1 year to the date), the City and other municipalities in the area, will begin seizing those properties themselves through eminent domain, demolishing them, and re-selling the property. They are giving everyone 1 year. If you abandon it for that long, it's no longer yours and your property and possessions will be destroyed. And I can agree with this...our city is coming back, and we will not tolerate these dangerous and abandoned properties by individuals who simply have moved on with their lives and not looked back.

[editor]

our city is coming back, and we will not tolerate these dangerous and abandoned properties by individuals who simply have moved on with their lives and not looked back.

This sounds like resentment. Or am I reading it wrong?

[alon504]

This sounds like resentment. Or am I reading it wrong?

It's not resentment. It's the law. There are those that are working day in and day out to bring their neighborhoods, back, and they have neighbors that haven't touched a thing. They've moved on. These abandoned homes are bringing in rats, they stink, there grass needs to get cut, etc. I'm just passing on what is going on around here and how we are recovering. People on this thread write that "it still looks the same." We see it, as well, here, and I though it was relevant to post that these homes that "still look the same," are going to be confiscated by eminent domain after August 29, and demolished and the city is going to re-sell the lots.

[RedScare]

From what I've read, it won't be quite as harsh as alon's post makes it sound. Those that are trying to do something will not have their property yanked from under them. Those that really have "moved on", and do not respond to calls to rehab their homes, will be the first to go...at least that was the impression I got from this.

FWIW, Houston has started doing this as well, only with properties that have not had taxes paid, and the house is dangerous. They just bulldozed 45 of them last month.

[sabasushi]

Hiya...I was in New Orleans last weekend, and though I'd been to New Orleans many times before, it was my first post-Katarina visit, and here are my impressions. French Quarter looks relatively normal, and it was full of tourists -- you'd never know that a hurricane had taken place. Ditto for some parts of downtown close to the river and parts of the Garden District. (However, if you look closely, you see missing trees, some businesses all boarded up and things like that. Oh, and no St. Charles streetcars -- last I saw, they were still working on the St. Charles streetline.)

However, when you go outside these areas, that's when things get really bad, such as in the Bywater/Margiry (sp?) area. Rows and rows of little old houses with these notorious blue markings with the big X's on the fronts. I saw one house with the words "Cat out 9-19" spray-painted on its fountain. And oh yeah....blue tarps. It was everywhere, even on I-10 all the way back to Beaumont.

I think New Orleans will come back...very slowly but surely. But it will be a much smaller city, and I think it will be more like Galvenston in some ways -- a touristy town full of history.

[alon504]

Hiya...I was in New Orleans last weekend, and though I'd been to New Orleans many times before, it was my first post-Katarina visit, and here are my impressions. French Quarter looks relatively normal, and it was full of tourists -- you'd never know that a hurricane had taken place. Ditto for some parts of downtown close to the river and parts of the Garden District. (However, if you look closely, you see missing trees, some businesses all boarded up and things like that. Oh, and no St. Charles streetcars -- last I saw, they were still working on the St. Charles streetline.)

However, when you go outside these areas, that's when things get really bad, such as in the Bywater/Margiry (sp?) area. Rows and rows of little old houses with these notorious blue markings with the big X's on the fronts. I saw one house with the words "Cat out 9-19" spray-painted on its fountain. And oh yeah....blue tarps. It was everywhere, even on I-10 all the way back to Beaumont.

I think New Orleans will come back...very slowly but surely. But it will be a much smaller city, and I think it will be more like Galvenston in some ways -- a touristy town full of history.

Probably bigger than Galveston..we have over 260,000 living in the City now. We're going vertical Downtown, and redesigning the flooded areas. Population in 1 year, around 300,000, 5 years around 400,000. In 7 to 8 years we'll be back at pre-Katrina levels of around 450,000. This is just based on what I'm hearing and reading at YLC meetings I attend. But, the metro area is doing OK...we're at 1.3 million today, and in 2 years should be back at 1.4 million. Our NFL and NBA teams are returning, we have the NBA All-Star game in 2008, our Arena Football team will be back in 2007 and we are going to be rewarded the Arena Bowl 1, likely 2 years shortly thereafter. Our Triple-A baseball team is breaking attendance records this year, already, so, in spite of the hurricane, New Orleans is recovering, and things seem to be retrurning to the 300 year history of this city...it will remain Major.

Edited June 16, 2006 by alon504

[Trophy Property]

Hey guys...I posted a thread with pics, so you can make your own judgments on how New Orleans is doing. I've been living in my home, in the middle of Uptown New Orleans since Sept. 28 after the storm and have watched the progression. It's been an awesome experience seeing just how much had to be done, how much we've done, and how much more we've got to do. But, we're doing it. As far as population...New Orleans, City proper, is around 260,000, and Metro New Orleans is just under 1.3 million. Come on over and see us. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how far we've come. Obviously, areas that flooded, have more to clean up, so it's taking longer, but, those people are progressing along about as fast as one would expect. About 30% of flooded homes have been restored to pre-Katrina life and have families in them. The other 70% are either being worked on, or are going to be demolished. About 25% of the homes have been completely abandoned by the owners. After August 29 (1 year to the date), the City and other municipalities in the area, will begin seizing those properties themselves through eminent domain, demolishing them, and re-selling the property. They are giving everyone 1 year. If you abandon it for that long, it's no longer yours and your property and possessions will be destroyed. And I can agree with this...our city is coming back, and we will not tolerate these dangerous and abandoned properties by individuals who simply have moved on with their lives and not looked back.

Please take back the element that is ****ing up my neighborhood. !!!!

[alon504]

Please take back the element that is ****ing up my neighborhood. !!!!

Congratulations...you've earned yourself some new citizens. They aren't coming back, because we are demolishing the projects and only 1,000 can return according to HUD.

[MidtownCoog]

I'll never throw another penny towards Louisana, and especially, New Orleans.

Print It

[Original Timmy Chan's]

I'll never throw another penny towards Louisana, and especially, New Orleans.

Print It

NOOOOOOOOOO!

How will LA ever survive without your penny?!?

[MidtownCoog]

[rps324]

defaultValuelon504' date='

5{ 2006 @ 1:09pm' post='92726']

Congratulations...you've earned yourself some new citizens. They aren't coming back, because we are demolishing the projects and only 1,000 can return according to HUD.

You got that wrong. They are getting 1000 units back up with more to come. I doubt there will only be 1 person living in each unit. Plus they have upped the amount covered by section 8 vouchers by 35%. Pressure seems to be mounting on HUD to allow any and all to come back who want to. The question now for New Orleans is who is it among their former residents that are going to want to?

Maybe I am imagining it, but it sure seems like there are plenty in New Orleans who are just tickled pink at the prospect of Houston getting stuck with their troublemakers. If the troublemakers are in fact also ones who are dependent upon government housing, as many seem to assume or suggest, I hate to burst your bubble, (no wait, I like bursting it), but when the FEMA free rent gravy train runs out in September, New Orleans will be gaining many of it's residents back.

With no free rent & a stronger police presence, there will be little incentive for the troublemakers to stay in Houston. Those that chose to take advantage of the opportunities available in Houston to better their lives will stay here, from those that were poor in New Orleans to much of that city's former middle & upper middle class. Ultimately with 50% of New Orleans public housing back on line by August, there will still be plenty who are not able to return, but for every troublemaker Houston inherits, I believe Houston will inherit far more of New Orleans middle & upper middle class.

[alon504]

I'll never throw another penny towards Louisana, and especially, New Orleans.

Print It

LOL..You always find people like this on forums..cracks me up. I'll continue to spend my $$$ In Houston, though...just spent $4,000 on a leisure trip last month in your fair city.

[Trae]

Midtown is good folk on these forums.

[alon504]

rps324, no doubt Houston has inherited many of our poor and, yes, some of our upper and middle class..but both are being replaced in New Orleans, as days go by...approximately 15,000 higher paying jobs have already been filled by newcomers to the City...simply put, there are those that lived and worked here and made a good living, and they have been hurt and aren't returning. It's sad, yet it is understandble. They lost everything. At the same time, New Orleans does remain a major American city with plenty of international commerce, again, occuriing every day in Downtown, and these jobs (most of which pay over 100K), have been replaced by newcomers that had never even seen New Orleans prior to Katrina, much less take a job here and move here. And the same goes with the poor...this is where we are really hurting. Today, we are a much more affluent city..the high paying jobs are back and the economy is flourishing because of this, yet, we can't get a McDonald's to stay open past 9:00PM, a Wal-Mart to reopen, or a grocery store to properly stock...and it's noticeable. The lower paying jobs simply aren't being filled..so this is hurting the City for the short term. There are many issues, but, we can only address so much at one time..TIME is the only thing that will cure this and let the dust settle.

[TheNiche]

...approximately 15,000 higher paying jobs have already been filled by newcomers to the City...

You know, I'd understand that a lot of the old high-wage jobs will likely return, if only because various companies (particularly large corporations) will stay put, either out of defiance of the weather or in order to avoid bad press...

...but good luck getting any corporate relocations/expansions (i.e. long-term employment growth) from companies based outside of the region for a good long while.

By the way, from the perspective of a city that has had its share of big sporting events and conventions, let me caution you that their effects are very temporary and relatively minimal when it really comes down to it.

Good luck, though...for what little its worth.

[rps324]

rps324, no doubt Houston has inherited many of our poor and, yes, some of our upper and middle class..but both are being replaced in New Orleans, as days go by...approximately 15,000 higher paying jobs have already been filled by newcomers to the City...simply put, there are those that lived and worked here and made a good living, and they have been hurt and aren't returning. It's sad, yet it is understandble. They lost everything. At the same time, New Orleans does remain a major American city with plenty of international commerce, again, occuriing every day in Downtown, and these jobs (most of which pay over 100K), have been replaced by newcomers that had never even seen New Orleans prior to Katrina, much less take a job here and move here. And the same goes with the poor...this is where we are really hurting. Today, we are a much more affluent city..the high paying jobs are back and the economy is flourishing because of this, yet, we can't get a McDonald's to stay open past 9:00PM, a Wal-Mart to reopen, or a grocery store to properly stock...and it's noticeable. The lower paying jobs simply aren't being filled..so this is hurting the City for the short term. There are many issues, but, we can only address so much at one time..TIME is the only thing that will cure this and let the dust settle.

I have heard Texas' welfare policies have been reformed more than LA. & are "less generous," or whatever you want to call it, although I don't have any reports or specifics, maybe someone on the board can supply that. If that is so, those that continue to be dependent upon government assistance will have even more incentive to return home this Fall. The problem of not enough poor in New Orleans will correct itself in about 90 days, so don't worry.

[editor]

approximately 15,000 higher paying jobs have already been filled by newcomers to the City...

Hopefully, since these people were part of the rebuilding effort, they'll take greater pride in the city and not let it deteriorate as quickly as other cities do.