I'm going to build houses in New Orleans, any advice from people who have done this?

I am going with my UU church to build houses in New Orleans. I'm excited but I want to be prepared emotionally and physically. I know many churches and organizations go down to lend a hand... does anyone have any advice, pragmatic or otherwise, for me?





Many thanks.I'm going to build houses in New Orleans, any advice from people who have done this?
Thank you for helping!!





You may not be prepared for the scale of the disaster. Katrina was the strongest storm ever recorded to strike North America and it wrecked an area of about 90,000 square miles (larger than Great Britain). The storm killed at least 1600 people, destroyed about 250,000 homes and businesses, plus left more than 500,000 people long-term homeless. New Orleans alone suffeed at least $200 Billion in damage.





In contrast, the recent fires in CA affected an area of about 700 square miles, killed about 7 people, destroyed about 1000 homes, and the total damage was estimated at $1 Billion. I really feel for the people who died or whose homes burned, but the long-term effect on CA will be minimal. It will be years before LA and MS recover from Katrina. You will be in NOLA but try to visit Mississippi. Much of the MS coast still looks like Hiroshima after it was bombed with a nuclear weapon.





To use another comparison, about 200,000 buildings were destroyed in London (a much larger city) by German bombs %26amp; rockets during six years of war (1939 to 1945). Katrina did that to New Orleans in a morning.





Things won't be as physically difficult as you might fear as there has been huge progress in the past two years. You can drink the water, the electricity %26amp; phones work, services like the post office, hospitals, schools, police/fire/EMS are operating, and restaurants, stores %26amp; shopping centers are open.





Municipal services like street cleaning %26amp; trash collection collapsed after Katrina. Those services were fully restored in late 2006 and it is no longer an issue.





Regarding crime, New Orleans isn't even in the top 25 ';most dangerous American cities';: http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/30/real_est鈥?/a>





Just use the same common sense necessary in every major city in the world and there is little chance you will be a victim of anything except a need to visit the gym after you get home.





You don't say when you will be here. New Orleans has mild weather from late October to early May and the city stays green all year most years (rarely freezes and almost never snows). We pay for the mild winters with hot, humid summers. July and August can be especially brutal, so be careful working in the heat if you are here during that time.





You are welcome to write if you need more information.I'm going to build houses in New Orleans, any advice from people who have done this?
If you are coming before Feb dont bring any winter clothing .. none ..





you'll sweat your @ss off.








.. and thank you for the help
Thanks to you and your UU group for all you do while you are here. We truly appreciate it! Everything Barry said is true, and things are definitely better now, so you won't be getting the worst views of the devastation....but we still have a long way to go.


Check the weather reports for our area before you leave...we do get some cool weather (tonight its in the 40's and some areas will see freezing temps) but, overall our weather is milder than most of the country. Bring insect repellent and work gloves and clothes you don't mind retiring..thanks again!

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