I think this is the second big step of a major change process taking place over New Orleans. The fact that alot of folks found welcome situations when they left the town, and discovered that Memphis, Dallas, Houston, and numerous other towns were better and had less crime...they started thinking of not going back. I doubt that 60 percent of the population of the town will return to stay. I also think the Saints will start to plan another season away from New Orleans by May of next year. Based on comments about the Super Dome...it would appear that lengthly repairs may be required. Not say that this is a bad thing...but New Orleans probably grew in directions that were negative and it needed a housecleaning to make it back to the seaport that it once was.
NOLA has been losing population--and businesses--for decades.