Ain't A Damn Thing Has Changed

[Trae]

Mark F. Barnes said this:

Had a closing on a drilling company we are acquiring in New Orleans yesterday, I took over Big Giant Drilling so the name will now change to GoldBridge Drilling Inc. and become a subsidiary of GoldBridge Energy LLC my new company. And afterwards decided to go for a drive before heading back to see what progress is being made in the Lower 9th ward area. I was really amazed to see it is still in terrible shape. It looks like Katrina may have come through a couple of months back instead of over a years. They are working on cleaning up but it is a long way off from being close to completion. I took some photos of the area as I drove through.

Well, here are the photos:

This is the Lower 9th from the highway before I exited off the ramp.

As I drove in they were working clearing vehicles

The further in you drove the worse it got, they have made progress clearing the edges, however the inner section of the lower 9th are still horrific.

One of the cleanup guys told me that this was the symbols put up by FEMA rescue workers. He told me the number on the bottom meant 5 people died in this house, makes you really think. The smell is still awful, sthis area will be a long time coming back.

[sarcasm]At least the Superdome is Complete[/sarcasm]

What is going to happen to the Lower Ninth Ward? I don't think anyone would move back there after seeing what happens when it floods bad. Is it just going to become a large Memorial Park?

[The Tot Pack]

wow.. the media (and it seems politicians) have abandoned this area..

its sad..

i wish people would not forget..

but they do.

:\

[912]

This thread probably belongs on the Louisiana page. Anyway.........

No money, and even less desire for people to rebuild there is what we're seeing. Look for large developers to snatch up the land cheaply, and develop it.

[monsoon]

What has killed this area is the fact the insurance companies have gotten out from having to pay for the damages.

[Pillsbury]

^ I couldn't believe the way Allstate tried to screw pretty much everyone in that area over.....actually, I work for a damage law firm!!! Yes, I can very much see how Allstate would pretty much refuse to pay on valid claims given that they are the worst insurance company on earth......

[Clobber]

^ I couldn't believe the way Allstate tried to screw pretty much everyone in that area over.....actually, I work for a damage law firm!!! Yes, I can very much see how Allstate would pretty much refuse to pay on valid claims given that they are the worst insurance company on earth......

Did they make a legal argument to avoid it, or was it the result of a political pass?

[erm1981]

^ I couldn't believe the way Allstate tried to screw pretty much everyone in that area over.....actually, I work for a damage law firm!!! Yes, I can very much see how Allstate would pretty much refuse to pay on valid claims given that they are the worst insurance company on earth......

That is a dam fact about Allstate. I "had" car insurance with them and they put me in a different category insurance wise just because i had a rock chip my window and i had a comprehensive claim. That is totally wrong. How can you prevent a rock from hitting your window. Geico was 500 dollars cheaper. So i can understand why Allstate didnt want to pay out house insurance either.

[dimebag1980]

^ I couldn't believe the way Allstate tried to screw pretty much everyone in that area over.....actually, I work for a damage law firm!!! Yes, I can very much see how Allstate would pretty much refuse to pay on valid claims given that they are the worst insurance company on earth......

I've never had Allstate not ante up on any claim I've had with them. They've always come through.

That said, however, I've never had a claim the size of some of these Gulf Coast claims. I guess for small claims they're not so bad, but when you really need them, you're up the bayou without a paddle!

[breaux]

Sorry, that area needs to be abandoned. It's too far below sea level.

I am firmly of the opinion that certain areas need to be abandoned. The emphasis ought to be on rehabilitating the housing stock in higher parts of the city and selling those to underprivileged homeowners who have demonstrated that they will make a commitment to live there. Homeowners aren't the problem and those who are willing to make a committment to the city should be of the highest priority, be they rich or poor.

Without a comprehensive long-term strategy, the recovery in New Orleans is going to take a long time. If I was the President I would force New Orleans and Louisiana, along with the brightest urban planners in the WORLD to come together and make a strict plan that the federal government would oversee.

Unfortunately, only finger pointing, race-baiting and turning a quick buck seem to motivate anyone at any level.

Also, the universities in New Orleans (Xavier, Dillard, Tulane, Loyola, UNO and even LSU) ought to be given a lot more authority, at least to develop plans (as should UL and McNeese in the Rita zones). At this point everything is too highly political.

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting this Trae.

I guess Blanco can only do so much.

[UptownNewOrleans]

Good lookin out on the pics. What's taking so long for the 9th Ward to get cleaned up? Uptown got back to normal in a heartbeat but it's like the city forgot about the 9th Ward Ridiculous

[Puddinhead]

Sorry, that area needs to be abandoned. It's too far below sea level.

We're all really interested in hearing and respecting everyone's opinion, of course, but (respectfully)........

.....you should check a topographic map or maybe the FEMA flood zone maps before speaking with quite so much authority on the subject. Most of the Lower Ninth Ward (ALL of it south of Claiborne Ave., in fact) is in Flood Zone B, 0 to 5' above sea level...the same Flood Zone and elevations as the French Quarter and Uptown, the so-called "Sliver on the River". Zone B is designated "Not prone to flooding" by the federal flood insurance program, and flood insurance is not required to get a mortgage loan. The rest of the Lower Ninth Ward is in Flood Zone A2, with Base Flood Elevation (BFE) listed at -1.5'. For comparison, just about all of east Jefferson Parish north of Metairie Rd./West Metairie is in Flood Zone AE with a listed BFE of -3.5'. Far lower in elevation than is almost all of the Lower Ninth Ward. Of course, since the flood walls on the Industrial Canal toppled and the levees along the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet and the Intracoastal Waterway crumbled while those protecting Jefferson Parish held we (thankfully) didn't get to see what Metairie and Kenner looked like under 10-15' of Lake Pontchartrain, as we did for the Lower Ninth. Or the 5' that sat in my house in Gentilly (right on the "border" between a Flood Zone B and Zone A7 [-1']) courtesy of the breaches at the London Avenue Canal.

http://www.nola.com/katrina/pdf/southshore...ew%20Orleans%22

[Pillsbury]

Did they make a legal argument to avoid it, or was it the result of a political pass?

They made a legal argument that the claims were too oppresive for them to be forced to continue policies in that area---which is a violation of Louisiana law. Allstate is the insurance company which pioneered a computer program which basically awards damage settlements based on set criteria. Awards issued by Allstate are routinely lower than those issued by Geico, USAA, Travelers or even State Farm. Allstate also routinely tries to get out of policy agreements, often forcing holders to sue them in court, where Allstate's attorneys inundate the other side with so much paperwork that a lot of law firms refuse to handle Allstate claims.

I've never had Allstate not ante up on any claim I've had with them. They've always come through.

That said, however, I've never had a claim the size of some of these Gulf Coast claims. I guess for small claims they're not so bad, but when you really need them, you're up the bayou without a paddle!

Very true. On small claims, such as property damage, Allstate will normally pay the fair market value. When you get into larger claims where there is a larger gray area, Allstate is a difficult company to deal with.

[nola17]

This is so ridiculus. Its over a year later and they are still moving debris and cars out. Personally I feel as if the city, state, and federal gov. are trying to avoid the repairs of the ENTIRE CITY because of the cost. They should have built our levees correctly and the we wouldn't even have this forum!!!!!

If the goverment doesnt want to do the work, then GIVE US OUR DAMN MONEY!!!!! Well do the work ourselves.

[Trae]

It is real amazing looking back on these photos seeing run-down homes where people use to cook and make meals. Cars that were under 10 feets of muddy, waste water. Markers on homes showing how many were dead inside still there. And seeing the stairs, where just 24 months ago, would be leading up to people's homes, now have no doorstep to lead up into.

Honestly, I think a national park in observance of these needs to be put here. Maybe layout footprints of where homes were. I don't think this area is habitable anymore. Condos wouldn't work here, either.