Katrina: one year later, MS was hit harder. Do the know out there?

Question

I left Ms and went to GA after the storm, now I am home and looking for people to chat with. They say that talking helps. I used the i.d.:homesicknga while I was in GA. I would like to share any info that I can, that might help others that are trying to return home, and get a new start.

Answer 1

Mississippi was the hardest hit but no one cares because New Orleans is a major city and MS is crap. They are trying everything they can to get the MS coast back on it's feet. The Governor is trying to get more money to help and some is coming thank goodness. I live in Centeral Ms where all we had was alot of wind and rain and some damage and lights outages. That was rough. One day people will see that MS was hit harder and will help more but until then i'm glad we got what we do to fix the coast and bring it back stronger then ever.

Answer 2

Mississippi WAS hit harder by Katrina, but one year later: there are positive signs rebuild efforts may NOT take as long as previously thought. I'd say between Mississippi and Louisiana, Mississippi will win the race to be back on it's feet. I estimate Mississippi will be 90% by this time next year; mid 2008 at the latest.

Why is simple: Mississippi has it's act together. Casino gaming revenues and Federal assistance together, along with well planned cleanup/rebuild efforts from Miss. Governor's office are bearing fruit.

Louisiana has been a tad slow on the rebuild path. La. Governor Kathleen Blanco has made A LOT of blurbs in areas of flash-point decision making (opting for bad decisions) and press mistakes that not only embarrass the people of Louisiana, but even her vocal election supporters now feel voting her in office was a regretted mistake.

NOLA mayor Ray Nagin shares the same mistakes as well, appearing more like a streetwise defensive frustrated man than a calm, collected public leader. Nagin's "Choclate City" and "references to NYC's WTC/Ground Zero as a 'hole' hasn't won hearts world wide;he and Blanco both aren't politically well recieved by Washington,who by the way---holds valuable purse strings. And that has tense ways of slowly bringing about progress.

But let's get to the bottom line: The sad fact for displaced urban housing project residents: Louisiana DOES NOT have the $$$ to rebuild destroyed project buildings....and the Feds have made it clear priorities go to working/bank-note paying home owners.

In short: Louisiana's "free ride" won't start up for at least 22 years; you're better off being in whatever state you now are in.

Bank-note paying homeowners: It's been a heart-breaking struggle with insurance companies. Bush has opened up The Road Home program in NOLA.....and the displaced living in surrounding parishes have signed up en masse and are now defiantly moving back into their neighborhoods and getting things done.

Their exodus from surrounding parishes back to their NOLA neighborhoods raise concerns from North Shore real estate companies; but their move back home is one I respect.....I wish them God's blessings as they each day work to rebuild what truly belongs to them.