Yet another sob story about NO...
We returned from our vacation in Texas this week by way of NO and the Gulf Coast. One reason was to get a glimpse of what I had been reading and hearing for the last two years.
What we saw was truly sad. Vast neighborhoods directly visible from I-10 that were basically vacant still. One in 20 houses might have a FEMA-supplied camper trailer out front. That one house would have some significant progress made. It appeared that those very few homeowners actually were trying.
Vast shopping and business areas completely abandoned and rotting. Entire apartment complexes still boarded up.
The overall impression we got - folks were waiting for “someone” to come in and do the job for them.
Our journey took us that night to Biloxi, MS. While the damage was impossible to hide, the comparison to the NO area has to be made - there was far more evidence of people TRYING to do SOMETHING. Very few completely abandoned properties in the damaged areas. Most had either been completely removed, or were in some stage of repair/rebuild. Many of the old hotels and motels along Beach Dr. just no longer exist - maybe a foundation, but nothing else. The casinos are making a huge comeback now that they can build on the land.
So - the long and short comparison which I believe is very telling:
New Orleans area - limited number of homeowners actually trying to lead the recovery. Simply waiting for government or others to do it for them.
Biloxi/Gulfport - people actually doing what they can to put the hurricane behind them. There was an attitude of optimism.
It’s that Can-do Mississippi Spirit.
I think your take is probably right on.
Just a thought but is it possible as well that there were more homeowners in Biloxi / Gulfport than the majority of welfare renters in New Orleans .......
Grateful for yer first hand peek at the aftermath of that arena........
Thanks , .......Stay safe !
“The overall impression we got - folks were waiting for “someone” to come in and do the job for them.”
I went there about a year ago and I got the same impression they are waiting on someone else to do the heavy lifting.
I could not believe that they did not put back up the street signs and I mean on the interstate!
And they where throwing their trash in the middle of THE STREET!!!!