New Orleans of Future May Stay Half Its Old Size

[Herman Munster]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/us/nationalspecial/21orleans.html?hp&ex=1169355600&en=4d31d664dff7172b&ei=5094&partner=homepage

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 20 — The empty streets, deserted avenues and abandoned houses prompt a gnawing question, nearly 17 months after Hurricane Katrina: Is this what New Orleans has come to — a city half its old size?

Over and over, the city’s leaders reassure citizens that better days and, above all, more people are in the future. Their destiny will not merely be to reside in a smaller city with a few good restaurants and curious local customs, the citizens are told.

But some economists and demographers are beginning to wonder whether New Orleans will top out at about half its prestorm population of about 444,000, already in a steep decline from its peak of 627,525 in the 1960 Census. At the moment, the population is well below half, and future gains are likely to be small.

“It will be a trickle based on what we know now,” said Elliott Stonecipher, a consultant and demographer based in Shreveport, La. “Low tens of thousands, over three or four or five years, something in that range. I would say we could start losing people, especially if the crime problem doesn’t get high visibility.”

[msongs]

1. ehtnic cleansing American & Republican style nt

[Warpy]

2. I know a lot of people who came here say they're never

going back. The few who are have large extended families who are also going back.

They just say there's nothing left for them and no way to rebuild it.

NO is going to lose the character it had. It's just going to be a make-believe place, set up for tourists and the wealthy.

[lyonn]

3. A Walt Disney New Orleans, Sad and disgusting.

Yet with those running Homeland Security and FEMA what would one expect ---- anything good? It is like bush's war on the world, what could go wrong has gone wrong.

[Robbien]

4. Exactly like the Tsunami hit areas in India/Indonesia

The natives are moved away far from the beaches and shorelines where new hotels and luxury resorts are being built.

[pitohui]

5. this is for the best

if we believe in global climate change, it's nuts to have vulnerable people living in this city, the only people living here should be people who work in essential services and their support, such as the port, refineries, and so on -- and these people should be compensated handsomely so they can afford the insurance, extra repairs, safe vehicle for regular evacuations, and hurricane resistant changes to their homes

louisiana had the lowest mobility of any state before the storm, i've known people who had never left the state who were shocked to find that they could get better jobs with better pay and have better lives elsewhere, why should they ever come back?

we would like to get out ourselves but my husband's work is very specialized, so here we sit

the people who got out are the lucky ones, if you have any alternative, why live in a place where you can expect to see all you have destroyed every 40 years -- and quite possibly much more frequently than every 40 years now that we have global warming of the gulf of mexico waters combined with the peak of the atlantic hurricane cycle

you are not doing anyone any favor to encourage them to return here, i've helped friends get out and find better jobs/homes elsewhere, i only wish i was able to do the same for myself

the nation does not appreciate the work done by our ports, refineries, and industries, so frankly, i think everyone who can should clear the area until such time as people are fairly compensated for the nuisance of living here

as for the fantasy that developers are going to buy up new orleans and make it a resort, that was a big lie from day one, the newspaper recently did a big feature on the real estate market pointing out that the developers did not come, even donald trump after all his bold promises of $200 million is off opening a new condo in honolulu instead, screw them all, no one was ever willing to put any investment into this city, so why should anyone live here if they can get out?

sorry for the rant

virtually everyone i know has already left and won't be coming back and i'm happy for them, they're better off elsewhere