Gulf Coast Trip 2007

The Slow Road to Recovery ...

Our good friend and
Cobourg Habitat Exec,
Cathy Lyons,
reports from Biloxi

We just returned from working in Biloxi, Mississippi which is a 90 minute drive from New Orleans, Louisiana. On the last day, we visited the areas in New Orleans where we helped to build 11 months ago (Dec 2006).

Musicians Village has expanded but I’m sorry to say that around the Spain St. house, the movement is much slower and the neighbourhood looks just as rough – maybe more because there are more people living in there now, some in houses that don’t look a whole lot different than when we were there. The house beside ‘our’ Spain St house is finished and the vacant lot on the other side has a HFH house framed exterior walls only so far.

Miss Isabella was most thrilled to meet us and happy to know that our names are etched on the studs of her walls.

She loves her Spain St. house--- in fact she was getting Christmas decorations out when we arrived unannounced. She moved into her home in July.

We didn’t get to meet Mr. Mike (Musician’s Village ) because we weren’t bold enough to knock.

Biloxi is still in stages of rebuilding and will be for a long time. It was then and remains an area of need. It was the area hit by the eye of the hurricane and was pretty much flattened by the 12’ surge and 35’ waves of water that went with the storm. I also remembered film footage of Bobby Kennedy talking about children right there in the US of A starving, literally with distended stomachs and the children were from Biloxi Mississippi. The same wonderful southern culture – y’all, all y’all…………the slow and relaxed pace of gentle people.

And different than New Orleans where the flooding did most of the damage, ruining all infrastructure of the areas where water stood for weeks. There is more hope (generally) in Biloxi. Part of that might stem from the way that the city and state approached the devastation and rebuilding plan – housing looks like it was the priority over tourist attractions, many of which are still closed and trying to figure out how they will be rebuilt. And the major employers who are the casinos, rebuilt thus providing jobs and income to many of the residents – albeit mostly low paying jobs but the same steady income that the families knew pre-Katrina.

The Habitat for Humanity affiliates along the Gulf Coast are building at 10 times the rate and greater than they were prior to the hurricane but the progress overall – support from 3 levels of government and action on claims with insurance companies – is dismal. I took some pictures of New Orleans but not too many of the destruction anymore because much of it hasn’t changed from when we last saw it. Still along the Gulf Coast there are 12,000 FEMA trailers in use – probably many occupied by more than one family group. And that count wouldn’t include the families living in other areas waiting to return.

And – we had 80^oF sunshine all week and the bunk houses had showers within and were heated and air conditioned, although we used neither while there because the temp was very moderate. Bunk beds this time---- not those fold up cots. Food was warm and tasty and lunch provisions included sandwich meats, veggies, fruits, snacks and drinks. It was another great trip.

HALLOWEEN IN BILOXI

READ ABOUT PREVIOUS TRIPS
[ Thibodaux, LA  - April 2006 ] [ Musician's Village, LA - December 2006 ]