post Katrina- anyone live out there??

hrd2imgn

I was wathcing a special on St. Bernard Parish, a town outside New Orleans. It was discussing the towns efforts to rebuild after Katrina. It also showed how FEMA has totally been inept and has no clue, or concern for that matter, as to what it is like there and how there 100 page reqest forms, absolutely stupid cleanup policies, and puny trailers they gave people to live in on a "short term" basis that have become their homes long term due to all the aformentioned BS.

Anyone live down there, and it is really that big of a cluster fuck? I think our government totally shit on the people of our country affected by the storm, and still days continue to go on without anyone in Washington seeming to give a shit, or want to even listen. The hoops these poor people have to jump through to have any semblence of a normal life again is just plain ridiculous.

I really want to know what it is like down there, no media spin, from the people who are suffering and dealing with the load of shit they called relief.

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

my situation/observations:

i lived there pre-Katrina and I've been staying in Mississippi since the storm. I was sub-leasing a house in midcity that was flooded with all my stuff inside. I was bummed but at least FEMA was there to help me out, right? Right?

oh hell no! Since I was just subleasing I wasn't eligible for any help. They said I hadn't proved I lived there, even though I presented them with plenty of evidence. They said if they could contact the woman i was subleasing from they would help me. She moved to New York and as far as I know vanished off the Earth with money she owed me, but to my knowledge FEMA never made any attempt to contact her. I fought with them on the phone and at their office for months but they never bothered to investigate my situation, only sending denial letters. To top that off they sent me a letter saying I was trying to scam them and they wanted their emergency money that I got right after the storm back!! I told them to go fuck themselves and I haven't communicated with them since. So I guess I'm one of the thousands of people they are threatening to prosecute. Luckily I had my parents to prop me up for awhile until apartments started coming available again in MS and I went back to an old server job once power and water got turned on.

One of my neighbors here in MS still has a FEMA trailer since his roof was blown off, but I know they have lived in the house for months if not longer. I'm pretty sure they use the trailer as an extra room, so they might be scamming the system. I suspect many people who still have these trailers are doing the same, but many are probably still waiting on insurance money.

I think largely its a state issue, though, and Louisiana has failed miserably. Having lived in both MS and LA, I would say that MS has definately had better leaders and recovered more quckly. The LA and new orleans government is hopelessly corrupt and incompetent, and they have been slow to force insurance companies to pay what they owe. City council members are constantly being arrested for bribery while the city does nothing to help its people. Its really quite pathetic. Glad I dont live there anymore.

Most of east New Orleans is still in total darkness at night except for a few scattered houses, trailers and apartment complexes. All the big stores like the mall and wal-mart are abandoned. Its weird to drive through there. Feels very post-apocalyptic. Most of those people have moved away and arent coming back. The rest of New Orleans is pretty much fine and the gulf coast is recovering pretty well, this time with better building codes.


I think the whole disaster had more of an effect on me than I realized until recently. But I've finally got my shit together and I'm moving to Houston for a new job and a new life. And I have definately learned that when the shit hits the fan, you can only rely on yourself, and maybe your family if you're lucky.

So fuck FEMA!