Boy, summer. watching many folks leaving for the summer (or longer), 95, 96 degree heat every day starting at around 11 am, the worst drought in the city in 111 years, tough news almost every day. The latest: The city and federal gubments have decided to tear down some of the public housing complexes. Loaded subject here, but I am going to try to give my (and other) feelings here ...

New Orleans public housing has a checkered history like so many other cities; high crime, less oversight all the time, etc. It is a common conversation in many circles to hear how "they should all be torn down."
Here's what I am thinking:

No other community exists for the low-income resident near the main service jobs (French Quarter, Garden District and CBD). No other community will be built for the low-income resident of these complexes where they can continue to live and work near bus routes — since at the same time, RTA has informed the public that most bus lines will stop running in the next month — no money.

"Mixed income developments" as they have proposed for the areas have not added homes, just subtracted them for lower income people here in New Orleans (St, Thomas 2004).

The almost 8,000 people that resided in public housing before the breaks are totally out of luck. No entity is working for them. How do they arrive at tearing down good housing before they decide where these institutionalized poor (institutionalized by the same body of decisonmakers) people have another place to go?

I say provide good housing; have you been in one of the apartments in Lafitte, for instance? I have, and it was in better shape than apartments I have seen in other areas. More garbage piles up and more things are broken and thrown out of windows on Frat Row on Broadway Avenue. I point that out to show that any group that is not empowered or allowed to make decisions themselves are capable of lowering their own quality of life. Empower them. Let them have control of the money and decisions.

Wonderful people recently started a project called Neighborhood Story Project, where high school students are chosen, mentored and aided to write books about their block. These books came out a year or more before the levee breaks. One of the five was called The Combination and was written about the Lafitte Projects. Amazing work from young author Ashley Nelson, who makes you understand the tragedy, humor and camaraderie of the life there. Yes, hard, but her community nonetheless.

Read it. Understand why local musician Kermit Ruffins spends part of Fat Tuesday BBQing and handing out free food at the Lafitte — probably because he feels the community and wants to contribute.