Slight water damage, enough to require new carpeting, but not enough to condemn the house. Others had NO water damage, and little to no wind damage. These people wisely boarded up their windows and didn't leave items outside to blow about (and become missiles). They live in a different neighborhood than some of the ones the news is taping as they're being forced out, so there are actually several areas of high ground where there was little or no damage. Remember, they always said only 60-80% (depending on who was reporting) was under water. That means 20-40% wasn't.
As corrupt as the politicians are down there, it wouldn't surprise me if it does turn out to be a land grab--but Baby Doc Nagin seems capable of throwing his weight around just because he can, too.
Replacing the carpet is nothing. Homeowners here in the desert must purchase flood insurance riders for the mortgage. Out in the boondocks, we get flash flooding, and if the storm drains haven't been cleaned, then the streets can get flooded, but it's not that big of a deal.
I've been reading the posts since my last reply, and if someone wanted to turn NO into a tourist attraction, it would account for a land grab. Baby Doc(love it!)Nagin knows he screwed up, and is acting in desperation to try and retain some sort of authority. Of course if you dragged a dollar bill through the French Quarter, Nagin and Blanco would be killing each other to grab it.