What's Left of My Neighborhood

A major life-changing decision is whether one is able or has the desire to return to their former homes and neighborhoods after Katrina. All but three of the homes in Chalmette, which once had 65,000 residents, were flooded. Everyone has to make the decision. First the homes had to be gutted completely because in most cases the entire home was submerged up to the ceiling of the first floor. The process involves passing an inspection to determine if the house is solid enough to rebuild, then gutting it down to the two by fours; then spraying the chemicals to kill the "stuff" that grows under these conditions.

Mold is a constant concern, since the water stood in the house for weeks. Owners entered the houses (with permission) wearing boots, rubber gloves and masks. The trick was to put some Vicks or other analgesic under your nose, to help you withstand the stench. All refrigerators were ruined, and the instructions were to tape them shut, never open them, and put them out on the street for pick up. Those that did not heed the advice on not opening were greeted by a stench which they will never forget. The National Guard got high marks for helping in these endeavors, as did countless church groups and volunteers from across the country. The Federal government is not given high marks, given the unbelievable red tape which is placed in the way of an applicant has been unbelievable.

The bigger question was one of options. The insurance industry is balking on payments because of arguments whether the damage was flood, or wind or whatnot, money was in short supply for most home owners. Speculators are offering $20,000 for houses which were appraised at $160,000 pre-Katrina. Many don't have any choice but to rebuild, because of the economics of the situation. There isn't enough cash from the sale of their homes plus any insurance payments to build a similar home anywhere else. Many, over half, have decided not to return to the city, and have sold to speculators or simply walked away.

The second daunting question is, "who else is going to be in the neighborhood?" The number of vacant lots is staggering, and the number of former residents who will eventually restore the gutted hulks in the neighborhood hangs in the air. Put your self in their shoes. Even if the house is paid for, there isn't enough in the bank to build a home somewhere else, which would cost fifty percent more. Drive down a street, and you are greeted by the scene above - Block after block after block of empty shells and lots which have been cleared down to the building slabs. The school where your children attended is no longer there (11 of 13 are gone). Gutted wrecks, as seen below, still stand.

These pictures were not selected for their shock value. The questions discussed above were the ones shared with me by many residents. "Do I want to be the first one to move back into a neighborhood, which has only one house out of fifty still inhabitable?" "Will my friends and neighbors return?" "Will the neighborhood ever have the same "feel" it had before the storm?" "Will the commercial establishments return, so I will be able to purchase the goods and services I need?" All legitimate questions/