I recently visited the Lower 9th Ward section of New Orleans. Never did I expect to witness the damage and destruction that still exists 4 and a half years after Hurricane Katrina hit. It’s really quite hard to explain the feeling when driving through this city. It’s what I would consider almost largely a modern day ghost town. With very few residents living in the homes that are actually visible and not overgrown by weeds and grass. Home after home is clearly not livable with spray painted marks on the front to let authorities know if there is anyone alive inside, if the gas is off, etc. Although the media reports rebuilding is going strong I sit here and can tell you out of the hundred of homes and empty lots I saw maybe 5 homes that were rebuilt.

As you can see from the video I shot below there are very few people in the area and not much rebuilding going on. You have animals running around wild and the total feel of desolation. See the end of the video on how you can help.

http://www.phixation.com/nola/Media/9thward480×272new.m4v

How you can help:

NOLA Habitat For Humanity: www.habitat-nola.org
Make It Right: www.makeitrightnola.org
Acorn: www.acorn.org
American Red Cross: www.redcross.org
Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation: www.louisianahelp.org
Troubled Waters: www.troubledwaters-awakeningminds.org