The good part, and miracles in their own right, is more out of towners are coming here to live and help. So many people from out of town fell in love with helping people here, just like we saw in animal rescue. The city becoming more populated from former residents moving back... they are 'predicting' that, but it has not happened as of yet. We have had a surge of immigrant workers move here from Texas and Mexico... they are the only people you can find to do much-needed manual labor for $10 an hour. The only industry that is coming back is tourism... the hotels, and the restaurants are back. Restaurants may not stay open all hours anymore, because they cannot hire enough people to man a second shift... but they are pretty much back at about 75 percent. The French Quarter and the Garden District are surreal in that they for the most part look like Katrina is distant memory.
Small business and light industrial businesses still not back near where they were, about at 10 percent.
Utilities have gone up by about one-third (only in Orleans Parish), homeowners insurance has more than tripled, rents have doubled (if you can find a place to rent particularly with a pet), car insurance has doubled due to 300,000 vehicles lost in Katrina, and property taxes have tripled to try and make up for the missing residents. Mail service is at about 70 percent... don't get it every day and I'm not in a flood zone, just started getting catalogs and newspapers....our first since Katrina!
Phone service is still not available everywhere, same for water and electricity. New cell phone service has risen 500% because of landline difficulties. Another skyrocking statistic is suicide and demand for mental health services... suicide up 600%. Crime, particularly murder, is way up... in deserted areas where drug dealers are claiming new territory before the old drug lords come back to town. Prisoners waiting for prosecution for murder are being released because the criminal justice system is so slow (which just started up again in
November last year) in Orleans Parish. Jefferson Parish is having crime problems because there is slim pickings for robbers and muggers in Orleans, except for the French Quarter, and so many people now live in Jefferson. The Quarter is way up on murders and muggings because the population is there and relatively unprotected.
Habitat for Humanity is the largest construction 'company' in Orleans parish, yet they are under criticism from the outside world because out of 31 million collected for Louisiana, only 15 million has been spent. But HFH claims it is because the process of building, i.e. permits, inspections, is so slow here because of low staffing and tangled red tape, which is certainly believable having firsthand experience in trying to rebuild just the rear of my house. HFH has built 1000 houses so far in Louisiana Katrina zone, most of them in Orleans Parish. The faith-based organizations, even those from out of state, still play a huge role in providing services, including food and housing, for many people 'stuck' in Orleans Parish. I speak of the low to middle incomes whose homes are gone and are over age 70 and cannot move because they cannot afford to move or have no where to go.
Forgive me if I sound depressing, it is depressing. Our only 'up' is the shelter and what we are doing for animals... we have people come from other volunteer groups, like AmeriCorps and ReliefSpark, and they can't wait to work at the ARNO shelter because it makes them feel so up and good about helping... there are so many now homeless people we are helping with their pets so they can keep their pets, some of them live under the expressways because there is no place else for them to go on limited income. Still doing reunites, very heartwarming and you find new unexpected Katrina stories from their caretakers.
So keep talking about mircles happening... I need to know they will continue to happen, even though I have seen my share of miracles for one lifetime. Christine, you and the people you have associated with, constantly perform miracles for us finding us food, which you know I share with as many needy groups and shelters as I can in Louisiana and Mississippi.... have to keep those karma credits coming in!
ARNO just needs some miracles so we can continue for the animals still left homeless, whether rescues or strays, we are the only group in the Louisiana parishes still involved in rescue on the ground. Animal control facililities can only answer complaints with low staff and most of those 'green.' Surrender rates are up 60-75% in outlying parishes all the way to Lafayette, LA because of housing shortages that allow pets.
Big miracles are the life-changing effects Katrina has had on those who have now devoted their lives to helping others. Some more good news, not necessarily miraculous, is we have spay/neutered over 3000 animals since March 06, and we could double that with a funding source.
Please keep asking for miracles for us, guys. Before Katrina I was best at making 'miracles' for others... it is so much more difficult because we are living the need, not just experiencing a need.... it is tough going and I do believe in miracles, I just hope I haven't used up our share.
Best,
Charlotte Bass Lilly
Exec. Dir. / ARNO
504.522.0222 desk
504.522.0239 fax
http://www.animalrescueneworleans.org
504.571.1900 rescue line 24/7
'working together to rescue one-by-one until there are none'
To Donate to CAP's Hurricane Relief effort go to our "Needs" page .
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