The information I
present here has been obtained from my 5 day volunteer experience with
Common Ground Relief in
the 9th Ward. I have also listened intently to the many broadcasts
and reports on National Public Radio for the past two months. This
report should in no way be accepted as "fact". Instead, it is my opinion
based on the above sources.
I regret that,
responding
to the destruction of this area, I only took pictures of heavily damaged
homes and failed to document those that appeared in good condition.
_____________________________________________
As we all know, New Orleans faces
and has faced for some time a severe and disturbing financial deficit.
Rita and Katrina have only multiplied many times over this financial
crisis. Therefore, the resources for rebuilding this city are
severely limited.
Rumors abound that the city
hopes to gain a new source of income through the development of a
tourist community within the area of the Ninth Ward. It has
an industrial canal that can handle ocean going ships, is bordered by the
Mississippi River, and is close to the French Quarter. Thus,
it would be prime real estate for a tourist complex that would
generate considerable economy to help the financial woes of the city.
Rumors go even further in saying
that the city has purposefully prevented the rehabilitation of this
area in order to obtain it by eminent domain and create a
tourist/commercial community. These stories also touch the realities
of discrimination that has come forth in the news since the hurricane.
We also heard of residents who were arrested for looting when they tried to
return to their homes for their possessions.
The 9th Ward has a very high
percentage of Afro-Americans, many of whom are 3rd and 4th
generations who have existed in the same homes in a very close knit
union of families and communities. It has a literacy rate of
only 15% with many families below the poverty level.
Schools serving the community are also very poor.
 |
However, as one tours what is left of the community, there is very
strong evidence that it was a viable and important community for its residents.
Demonstrating their faith, empty churches are everywhere, and
it is almost impossible to go more than a couple of blocks without
finding one of these small spiritual homes.
|
 |
 |
|
cgr
volunteers clean out flooded "close together" homes |
|
During my stay, I
constantly looked at what was left of the l physical community and
tried to picture what a summer evening would have been like before
the hurricane. Houses are no more than a few yards from each
other with only a small area for a front lawn. Back yards are
not much more. I can only imagine the close knit
relationships and the support between these residents who
shared this re-habilitated river bottom land. Neighborhood
children, dogs and possessions must have been closely shared. |
| This was one of the hardest
hit areas following the flood from Katrina. Many of the
homes, especially in the lower 9th Ward were totally destroyed.
However many were only damaged by the flood waters and
suffered little damage from the hurricane itself and are still
structurally sound . |
 |
|
Rubble, the
only visible sign of this Lower 9th Ward home |
|
 |
|
Water logged
possessions discarded, this home awaits its future... life or
death |
|
While most of the houses at present are not livable, they can
be gutted to their frames, and with proper decontamination from the
mold, can be restored by replacing insulation, dry wall, and
electrical wiring. The volunteer organization,
Common Ground Relief
and several private home owners have completed this task in many
of the homes.
|
However, the inability to obtain
building permits has prevented further rehabilitation and the
return of the residents. While the lack of permits prevents
people from investing in a community that might ultimately be
destroyed, one wonders if this is not designed to make sure that people do
not return and the community will be destroyed.
In addition, the city's apparent lack of
willingness to invest in this community and return it to its previous
owners has prevented the
availability of loans and home owner's insurance policies.
Many argue that the 9th Ward is
within the flood plain and therefore will continue to experience
difficulties with future weather events. It should be noted that
much of the
damage was not the result of the hurricane but instead of improperly
constructed levees and therefore easily preventable in the future.
| It is also my personal opinion
that many of the homes would have been safe if they had only been
elevated two or three feet. They are built on cement block
piers from 2' to 3' high, and observable water lines on some of
these homes were within a foot or two of the floor level.
These homes could easily be elevated with higher supports to an
elevation above sea level. New homes could be built with the
residential part of the structure elevated on poles.
This will apparently be a requirement for future rehabilitation of
any structures that experienced losses of more than half of their
pre-storm value.
|
 |
|
Note the
cement block piers that support this house. Also, the
high water level (on the sign) that this unfortunate house was
subjected to. |
|
The
city presented (Jan. 10, 2006) an approach stating that these communities will have 4 months to organize and
determine their futures. However, there are many difficulties
in effectively organizing the communities within this period of time.
Most of the residents are in communities many hours from New Orleans.
There is no effective way to organize them when one considers lack of
organized communication, distance, and the very low literacy rate. We see
little evidence of the city assisting in this need for organizing them.
One also needs to comprehend the
primary nature of this population. Many come from a history
where they had little control over their lives. Slavery
conditioned them to the life that faith in the Spirit was the only thing
they could count on. In other words, many feel blessed
with whatever they are given and do not exercise their American rights to
maintain their status and position in life. Thus encouraging them to
step forward and become pro-active is a difficult task.
In addition, we all know what a
difficult task it is to fight city hall. We have all seen the
destruction of blighted communities and the construction of low income
residences which in turn have been destroyed by the residents due to the
lack of the protective old community structure. Other communities
have been destroyed by interstate highways providing a more convenient
means of transportation, a loss of the individuals for the good of the
majority.
We heard this argument by one
resident who complained about the loss of community when the expressways
accessing New Orleans were built many years ago. At the same time,
we wonder what would have happened if the wonders of expressways had not
been present to facilitate the exodus from the hurricane.
There is talk about
buying the
land from the owners at its pre-hurricane value. This, of
course, lessens the attractiveness of return and re-investment. One
wonders how equitable the city will actually be in granting this action.
Further complicating the
picture are those land owners who rented out their dwellings and had no
personal investment in the community. They will easily "sell out"
rather than undergoing the expense of re-building.
Anne and I received a wonderful
introduction to the people of this community when we went out on bikes
to spread the word about the Common Ground Relief dinner on Christmas Eve
day. For the most part the community was deserted, but a few
individuals had returned for the day and were cleaning out their homes.
They were extremely gracious and often shared their smiles and
words before we even had a chance to introduce ourselves.
One of these individuals, an
Afro-American in his late 50's, was wheeling his wife's broken china to
the curb for trash pickup as we road up. He quickly removed his
glove, and extending his hand, wished us a wonderful "Merry Christmas".
How ironic. We were supposed to be the ones reaching out, and his
graciousness showed that he was far more effective at that task than we.
|
Should the loss of this
community and its residents who have existed here for 3 and 4
generations be accepted for the benefit of the city? I only
ask you what you would wish if you were a resident of the 9th
Ward and the other communities of New Orleans who face this
crisis for their communities.
|
 |
|
Many of the
uninhabited homes sported "No to Bulldozing" signs.
Others like this one "decorated" their front yards with
possessions. Still others demonstrated their "presence"
with decorated Christmas trees in their yards.
|
|
If we destroy this community, will
we look back in 50 years and realize we have done the same thing as we did
with the Native Americans? We live in a country that spends
millions of dollars protecting the spotted owl, the gray wolf, and the
bald eagle. We also spend billions seeking to destroy an enemy
we can't define or find in a country that is far from our borders.
Shouldn't we at least follow the example of the
Common Ground Relief
volunteers and go the extra mile to save this ENDANGERED community?
Or should the economic future of this poverty plagued city come first?
You can voice your
concerns or your opinion, pro or con by calling the city of New
Orleans:
(877) 286-6431
There is also an
email form to contact the mayor, but I have been unable to make it
work.
Read the city's action plan for rehabilitation
City of New Orleans website:
Survival stories from New Orleans residents
Wynton
Marsalis' speech welcoming Tulane's students back (video & text)
back to our home page
A postscript that
speaks for itself
 |
 |
 |
|
Great Britain |
Holland |
Venice |
