Why Go There? New Orleans

I’ve written about this impending trip to New Orleans. I knew that it was somehow going to help the residents but wasn’t exactly clear how it worked. I had been told that the most important aspect of our volunteering to go there was it inspired hope.

Until this trip the goal was to assist in gutting the 100,000 properties devastated by Katrina. Gutting a home consist of clearing out all the appliances and possessions, stripping sheetrock off the walls and ceilings and ending with a home composed of framing, base floors, exterior walls and roof. The purpose was to ascertain whether the structure could be rebuilt or needs to be leveled. If the house could be rebuilt, the owner might qualify for “Road Home” funds from FEMA – up $105,000 if not covered by insurance. These funds are outright grants.

Of the initial 100,000 properties, it was estimated at the time of our trip that at least 90% had been gutted. The government had announced that if the residents didn’t immediately return to have their home gutted, in a couple weeks they would be razed. Not all owners could be located – there is no national registry or other means of contacting them other then the media. A few had gotten the word so that represented the bulk of any properties now being cleared.

Our group worked under the direction and coordination of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana (EDOLA). Volunteers come from throughout the country. We met each morning at St. Andrews parish house (near Tulane University) and received our job assignments. During the week I was there, groups came from Atlanta, Chicago, Washington state, Cincinnati, Vermont, and more. Monday I counted about 56 volunteers.

EDOLA has gutted over 800 homes. Other churches had similar programs, Methodists, Unitarian, Baptist, etc. In addition to the churches, Habitat for Humanity is a huge player. And, for those that could afford it, private contractors would clear a home for $5000-$7000 (and I understand the costs would be higher for a complete gutting like ours).

Ours was one of the first groups to start rebuilding for EDOLA. At the end of our week we had a meeting to provide our insights to Katie, the young woman directing all this work. Suggestions such as standardizing the paint color available to the homeowner – white, no crown molding, and limited floor selection to simplify the task and get as many back in their homes quickly and with the least costs. Also better equipment such as more powerful shop vacuums, portable band saw for floor laying, and safer ladders were our feedback.

EDOLA estimated that for $6000 they can hang sheetrock, prime and paint, lay new floors, install basic appliances, and so on – enough for the owner to again live in the home. I think this number is for a small one story (1400 sq. ft.) home. The $6000 is an interest free loan to the owner to be repaid when they receive their Road Home funds, and if they don’t or for some other reason cannot repay, the loan will be forgiven. So the rebuilding begins and I suspect most owners will not be in their homes until sometime next year at the earliest.

There is much more to tell but this blog is already long so will stop now before I overtax my readers.

New Orleans #2

Saturday I leave for New Orleans. Last week I attended the second and final planning meeting. At that time it looked like there would be only 8 or 9 of us going but since then more have signed up to make it 12.

We will travel together in a van, staying overnight in a motel on the trip down and on the return. We will share a room with another to minimize expenses. The van will be towing a trailer laden with our tools and gear.

At the meeting it was expected that we would be engaged in demolition work and talk centered about some of the conditions we would encounter. The work will probably be so hot and dirty that we would be forced to wash our clothes daily - the smell making it impossible to store them for even a day.

Another warning was to never, never open refrigerators. Last year the routine was to tie the door shuts but in one house this couldn't be done due to its position against the wall. As they wrestled the refrigerator from the wall the door popped opened dumping black smelly sludge on the floor. Forcing everyone out of the house to escape the stink.

Last year the crew would gut 1 to 2 houses each day. Tearing out drywall, trashed appliances, carpets, and so on. The trash would be hauled to the curb - sorted into piles (hazardous, appliances, construction waste, etc) which usually resulted in a shoulder high pile of debris stretching across the front of the property. A service then came by and removed the debris - one of the recovery procedures that is working well.

I got an email a few days ago with the good news that we would be doing some remediation work. Installing drywall, flooring, painting, etc. There may be some demo work but if so not a entire week.

I'm now busy planning on the tools I'll take and thinking about packing. I hate packing for a trip because you have to make decisions. So, like any good decision maker, I procrastinate until the day prior. Not all of retirement is fun and games.

Wonder if I should take my AARP magazines? Maybe John can advise.