Is New Orleans still a mess?

Question

I was watching a programme the other day about hurricane katrina and it showed that the area still has debris.
Isnt this embarassing considering the size of resources the US have?
Are many of those people still homeless.
Silly question but do they routinely offer hurricane insurance in those areas of the US.

Iam British,
So I dont know much about american politics.

Despite the state it was in before the hurricane.

If this happened in UK, and an area was destroyed, and if it still had rubble and wasnt cleaned up, plus the whole world could see, then I would be ashamed.

Answer 1

Really, New Orleans has been a mess for a long, long time. I lived there from 1981 to 1988 and it was well known that the city and state had no viable evacuation plan and that the levy system could not withstand a direct hit by a large hurricane. The police were the lowest paid in the nation for a city the size of New Orleans and were widely considered to be corrupt and routinely beat people silly for little or no reason. One also should remember that the federal government is a backup for disasters and are largely responsible for pooling the resources of the unaffected states to help out. There was still debris in far-eastern New Orleans from Hurricane Betsey some 20 years prior and I-10 bridges to nowhere because it wasn't rebuilt.

Embarrassing? Maybe. But the very things that have made Americans' lives better then most of the world works against quickly rebuilding. Responsibility level one is with the individual and it then works its way down to the federal government. That makes forcing people to give their money for the rebuild difficult. Only a dictatorship or a communist/socialist economic system allows people to live with lower standards so all can be equally bad off. The US governments have to live within their budgets. It is interesting to note, though, that Americans are routinely DONATING so much of their money to help others in need. It just dries up once news coverage goes away.

I don’t know about flood insurance. Routinely private insurers cannot offer it for high risk areas. I suppose Federal insurance is available for grand-fathered flood zone livers. I doubt it will be available for folks rebuilding in a known flood zone - basically a bowl surrounded by water - as is New Orleans. One would hope the people would have enough sense to rebuild on higher land and only levee off the historic sections but it doesn't appear to be happening.

Are many people still homeless? I have no doubt that they are. THAT is definitely an embarrassment but if they wish to return, rebuilding will be drawn out and their choice makes them homeless longer then it would be otherwise.

So, news services - where is your in depth coverage of the post-Katrina/Rita problems in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas?

Answer 2

There is work going on all the time. The people are not homeless unless they choose to be, homes have been provided for all victims. No, The US wasn't prepared for this scale of disaster and is still struggling to deal with it. And yes hurricane insurance is offered but it is a choice the home owner has to make. I don't think you can blame the government if the person didn't take that responsibility seriously. But a lot of the homes were damaged not by the hurricane but by the levee breaking and so it would have to be flood insurance I would think, not hurricane insurance.

Answer 3

I was in New Orleans two weeks ago and many parts of it seemed to be working well. Obviously there are still thousands of damaged houses and other buildings. You need to understand the scale of the damage, and then factor in the concept that a government was involved in the clean up. It will probably take 10 years to repair everything. Imagine how the British government would react if a hurricane hit Brighton, they would post a few adverts, bring out the Green Goddess fire engines (again) and then claim "job done but we need to raise taxes to pay for it".

Answer 4

i don't stay in New Orleans, yet have been there presently. it remains a multitude, yet you will desire to nevertheless have the skill to pass to Bourbon St. and function a stable time. The freshen up is what you will desire to not have relaxing with. confirm you deliver a mask of a few type, like a doctor's surgical operation mask or some thing like that for once you're working. that's probable infectious down there with each and all of the mess and rubbish everywhere, particularly in the 9th ward, that grew to become into the toughest hit.

Answer 5

I didn't see the program you did but everyone who lost their homes were given the opportunity to move into government-provided trailers until they either rebuilt or moved.

Hurricane insurance is available but at a higher price and is not included as a matter-of-course. Many people who live in hurricane areas decide not to get it because they think it won't happen to them (the same way many Californians decide not to get earthquake insurance).

I'm guessing the debris you saw was on private property and it's up to the property owners to clear it away.

Answer 6

It was a mess before the hurricane, because of the elected leaders. It was a welfare haven and now no money to continue the life style. Sorry people must attempt to help them self The nation can't do all. Try something new help yourself.
Who do you put back in office same people

Answer 7

world wide the neo cons are turning forests /towns /whole countries into deserts and rubbish tips
its the nature of evil
ugly , vile
despoil and destroy its real easy

harder to build but what the heck its all ecomomic activity
no [new orleans] isnt getting rebuilt in a hurry
they plan to do a bit of dozer work over some of the major
poor housing subburbs soon as they can default enough through non payment of rates they then will sell the ''new land to big buisness
note who got the money last time ?
more on the way
make political donation and get your pay

Answer 8

It depends. Some people are trying to pull themselves together, some are just sitting on their butts for as long as they can, collecting as much as they can from the government.

Plus, the mayor doesn't seem to be getting a lot of help from "chocolate" sources, even though he said he wanted a "chocolate city".

Answer 9

Yes,and will remain that way for a very long time,perhaps always.

The US has resources when you're middle to upper class and white.

EDITED TO ADD:Someone e-mailed me to say that was a prejudicial statement.Absolutely not--just a true one.I am the least prejudice person you will find.

Answer 10

The bad areas, are still the same.
In other words, the ghettos are still ghettos.
And will always will be.