Press Release

National Trust and Preservation Resource Center Mark Katrina Anniversary with Update: "One Year Later: Life in New Orleans' Historic Neighborhoods"

New Orleans, La. (August 24, 2006)— One year ago, Hurricane Katrina created what the National Trust for Historic Preservation President Richard Moe called, "not only a terrible human tragedy, but perhaps the greatest cultural disaster in American history." The National Trust and the Preservation Resource Center (PRC) of New Orleans marshaled their resources and turned their attention to the preservation of New Orleans’ historic neighborhoods.

As the anniversary of the disaster approaches, the Trust and PRC will present an update, "ONE YEAR LATER: LIFE IN NEW ORLEANS' HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS." The report highlights progress in the city’s 20 historic districts and includes preservation work undertaken by the Trust and PRC in historic neighborhoods throughout the city.

National Trust President Richard Moe said the Trust's commitment to New Orleans was a natural fit. "While the Trust had never embarked on something of this magnitude before, this was an easy decision for us to make; the scale of the damage to people's homes and the irreplaceable character of New Orleans’ historic neighborhoods called us to action. While we are mindful of the challenges that lie ahead, we believe that the successes of the past year will serve as the building blocks for the future restoration of this beloved, one-of-a-kind American city."

The PRC, the Trust's local partner, has renovated blighted homes for the past 32 years. According to PRC Executive Director Patricia H. Gay, "Most historic homes in this city are in modest, working-class neighborhoods. While we cherish our world-famous districts -- the French Quarter, Garden District and Uptown -- some of the lesser-known historic districts have been home to generations of hard-working New Orleanians and these neighborhoods must be saved."

Some highlights of the report include:

Holy Cross

PRC has been a part of the neighborhood for 15 years starting with workshops and tours and then completing more than 100 home repair and renovation projects. Building on this experience, the Trust and PRC forged a partnership after Katrina called HOME AGAIN! New Orleans to help owners repair and return to their homes.
The Trust and PRC’s “Operation Comeback” program count more than 15 projects between them all designed to bring homeowners back to this portion of the Lower Ninth Ward, which was flooded but remained intact. Partners such as ACORN Housing and Rebuilding Together also play a big part in the neighborhood recovery.
The Holy Cross neighborhood association is finalizing a recovery plan and looking at the merits of green architecture, thanks to the help of numerous universities, consultants and non-profits.
Key challenges: Unnecessary demolitions; overzealous gutting and looting of architectural material; lack of businesses; understaffed Historic District Landmarks Commission; non-existent phone service; undependable water pressure.

New Marigny

A HOME AGAIN! New Orleans house on Spain Street is anchoring a central part of the district, while groups like Rebuilding Together are working with numerous partners to rehabilitate four houses this month with a commitment to rehabilitate more properties through December 2006.
Key challenges: The St. Roch Market, a neighborhood landmark, remains closed, but a number of developers have expressed an interest in restoring this important anchor; the pace of rebuilding is slow with many of the neighborhood’s properties untouched given the low homeownership rate.

South Lakeview

Despite heavy flooding, this neighborhood expects to see 85 percent of its residents return.
Resident participation in the recovery planning process has been high, with the University of New Orleans graduate planning program providing assistance. Along with the wider Lakeview area, South Lakeview has hosted workshops, informational meetings and block parties to keep the process moving forward.
The Trust and the PRC began the HOME AGAIN! New Orleans program in South Lakeview with an Arts and Crafts bungalow on Loque Street.
Key challenges: While there has only been one demolition in the South Lakeview historic district, its character will be affected by the owner-initiated “voluntary demolitions” in the greater Lakeview area, where lots are being combined into large parcels to build “McMansions.”

Broadmoor

After Mayor Nagin’s Bring New Orleans Back Commission challenged New Orleans neighborhoods to prove their viability, the residents of one of the most heavily flooded neighborhoods in the city rallied. Membership in the Broadmoor Improvement Association (BIA) jumped from 200 to 600 as the neighborhood embarked on a detailed process that produced the city’s first comprehensive post-Katrina neighborhood plan.
In keeping with its vision, the neighborhood formed the Broadmoor Community Development Corporation to help steer the area’s rebirth.
BIA’s president, LaToya Cantrell, was honored as a national Preservation Hero by the National Trust and HGTV.
Key challenges: Limited retail activity; the association is carefully monitoring the condition of the city pumping system on which the neighborhood relies.

Challenges shared by all neighborhoods include demolitions, abandoned properties, struggles with public agencies and the private sector, crime, city services, and neighborhood planning.

In addition to projects in New Orleans neighborhoods, the Trust’s work has included many other efforts to assist in the recovery of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Highlights include:

Lobbying on Capitol Hill to secure $40 million in federal funding targeted toward historic properties in New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama. The funding, which will be administered by statewide preservation officers in the affected states, will go a long way toward saving historic properties on the Gulf Coast.
Listing "Historic Neighborhoods of New Orleans" on its 2006 list of the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in America**
Establishing a "Gulf Coast Preservation Fund" which to date has raised over $1.4 million for preservation relief efforts.
Joining forces with Tulane University to host a conference in June that brought together national leaders including First Lady Laura Bush, NBC Nightly News Managing Editor Brian Williams and many others to discuss how the unique culture of New Orleans can be preserved in the ongoing recovery efforts.
Coordinating hundreds of expert volunteers to provide guidance, materials and technical assistance to thousands of property owners in New Orleans and Mississippi.