I suspect the blacks in NO have the lowest per capita income of any major metro area in the US, about 10K. In fact, the whole state just reeks of poverty in black areas, from what I have seen.
There could be a different kind of poverty in NOLA than in some other American cities -- closer to the poverty of the rural South. That means it's not as close to collapse as a city like Detroit was, but that poor people are further from integration into the contemporary workplace than in some other cities.
What may do some good are limited and specifically targeted ideas adapted to local conditions. But what the BBC, the Guardian and the rest have to offer from thousands of miles away is indignation and condescension. They have a lot of that stockpiled, but their opinions really don't count for much.