Mayor Ray Nagin Causes Problems AGAIN

Jean

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I am no fan of this guy and I have absolutely no respect for him. I hope he isn't re-elected. All of his bad decisions have cost so much money...plus I don't even want to think about the pain he has caused so many people because of his bad decisions during and after Katrina.

(From Drudge Site)

New Orleans Mayor Blocks FEMA Trailer Park

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-04-05-10-33-24

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Mayor Ray Nagin suspended the construction of FEMA trailer parks in the city after a confrontation between federal workers and homeowners who were outraged that a government trailer park was being built inside their gated community.

With an election three weeks away, Nagin sided with the residents of Lakewood Estates, a community of spacious homes in the city's Algiers section, and suspended the nearly completed trailer project there and similar projects elsewhere in New Orleans.

The Lakewood Estates trailer park was meant to house 34 single women and their children who were left homeless by Hurricane Katrina, but area residents complained it was too close to their homes. The neighborhood association also sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency seeking a permanent injunction against the project.

FEMA officials said they were surprised by Nagin's decision, especially since he had approved the Algiers trailer site months earlier, FEMA spokesman Darryl Madden told The New York Times. All the necessary building permits had been obtained, Madden said.

The city may have to reimburse the federal government $1.6 million if FEMA is not allowed to finish building the trailer site, Madden said Tuesday.
(More at link)
 
I've been reading various NOLA bbs forums, and apparently crime is back in the city big time since the end of the free hotel rooms. Apparently the displaced thugs that have returned (or never left) have relocated to the previously largely white, middle-to-upper-middle class neighborhoods of Uptown and the Marigny. Carjackings, rapes, muggings and home invasions/burglaries are starting to be a regular event. And there are complaints that cops aren't answering 911 and that quality of life complaints are being ignored (i.e. reports of large groups loitering, drinking & playing loud music on street corners). There are also complaints that the local news is downplaying the problem as well. If you want to get a idea of what is going on, go to the Times-Picayune's website (www.nola.com) and click on their forums. The ones marked for local politics, crime, and rebuilding are full of the usual trolls and stuff, but there is also some interesting info discussed there that you won't see anywhere else.
 
And what's the deal with him running for re-election anyways? Within weeks of the hurricane, he buys a house in the Dallas area and moves his family there. I thought he'd be moving there once his term was up. But evidently not, since he's running for re-election.

BGG, or anyone else "in the know," know what his story is?

And back to the issue at hand...so they're all crying how FEMA screwed things up so bad...they're ready to bring in more help...and the guy and the locals are screaming "not in my back yard?!" Oh this is just rich. :banghead:
 
DEPUTYDAWG said:
And what's the deal with him running for re-election anyways? Within weeks of the hurricane, he buys a house in the Dallas area and moves his family there. I thought he'd be moving there once his term was up. But evidently not, since he's running for re-election.

BGG, or anyone else "in the know," know what his story is?

And back to the issue at hand...so they're all crying how FEMA screwed things up so bad...they're ready to bring in more help...and the guy and the locals are screaming "not in my back yard?!" Oh this is just rich. :banghead:
All I know is that Nagin used to be an executive for Cox Cable before running for mayor. Maybe they should start calling him "The Cable Guy".
 
Jeana (DP) said:
Maybe the trailers weren't chocolate. :D

LMAO...

Across the Hurricane Katrina-ravaged city, many voiced their displeasure with the mayor's Monday remarks at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day speech. One Web site even began peddling T-shirts showing Nagin with a top hat along with the caption "Willy Nagin and the Chocolate Factory."
 
Maybe putting temporary trailers in what we all already know is a hurricaine zone as well as an area with still very damaged levy's isn't a really great idea?
 
Amraann said:
Maybe putting temporary trailers in what we all already know is a hurricaine zone as well as an area with still very damaged levy's isn't a really great idea?
Amraan....Algiers is on the West Bank of New Orleans which is across the Mississippi River. This area did not sustain nearly as much damage as the city itself. I don't think it got much, if any, flooding....most of the flooding, I believe, came from the levys along Lake Pontchartrain.
 
czechmate7 said:
Amraan....Algiers is on the West Bank of New Orleans which is across the Mississippi River. This area did not sustain nearly as much damage as the city itself. I don't think it got much, if any, flooding....most of the flooding, I believe, came from the levys along Lake Pontchartrain.


While its true that the West bank didnt recieve alot of flooding, there WAS damage there (my friend lives there). Truthfully, I agree that there should not be trailers just for safetys sake--the west Bank got lucky that is all.
 
czechmate7 said:
Amraan....Algiers is on the West Bank of New Orleans which is across the Mississippi River. This area did not sustain nearly as much damage as the city itself. I don't think it got much, if any, flooding....most of the flooding, I believe, came from the levys along Lake Pontchartrain.
Maybe it did not flood "as much" but... flooding is not the only source of damage during a hurricaine, the area did get flooding just not to the degree of other places. WInd can wipe out a trailor pretty damn fast and we are projected to have another bad season.
And lets not pretend that during less then a year of clean up and destruction when the largest effort was made towards finding homes and getting supplies, that New Orleans has planned a great evacuation for the next time.
Plenty of damage still exists in all areas and even those dwellings not damaged could easily be weakend to the point that the next caine will topple them.

It really doesn't seem like some great idea to put a bunch of trailors there.
 
Where do you want the people who can't live in their wrecked homes to stay, then, as they work to rebuild?
 
What in the world is the matter with those rich folks anyway? Sounds to me like they are living like snug bugs in a rug in their big houses but they have no concern about the moms and kids that have no where to live? How could they get any more self centered? I think that is horrible and I hope that what goes around comes around and what they sow they reap. The most important thing right now is housing for the people who lost their homes. Those selfish people should be ashamed of themselves....I'm sure they aren't though. As long as they have a place to live then their world is 100% alright.
 
Nothing is the matter with these people.

This is not about racism IMO.. or the homeowners being "rich"

SO many elements into play here.
These are not "manufactured homes" these are litterally trailors that in no way shape or form will be safe when another hurricaine hits.

Those homeowners in many instances are probably still trying to fix their homes.
There is only so many contractors and equiptment and supplies available.

As for where these women will live..
Certainly if they had wonderful jobs they would not be in this situation.
Its safe to assume that most are working lower end jobs.
I think its also safe to assume in light of the damage not many of these jobs are still available.
Realistically why even put these women in an area where they will have little oppurtunity for employment and potentially in danger of another hurricaine?

Also it is worth mentioning.. and anyone who has ever seen a Fema trailor park can attest to this...
It is not going to be just a bunch of young single mom's and their toddlers..
Its going to be their boyfriends etc.
We all read enough here of these things to know what statistacally is going to be going on.
SO lets not pretend otherwise. The drugs and domestic abuse etc.
These are not the upper ends of society folks. In the time since the Hurricaines with Fema's assistance those that would make a better life for themselves most likely already have.

Honestly as a homeowner do you want this in your neighborhood?
If you did then you would buy a house at a nice cheap rate in some run down crime ridden area.

I am not saying that these people do not deserve a place to live or help (which they have been getting since Katrina hit)
I am saying that those homeowners deserve to not have their neighborhood turned into hell and their children in danger due to increased crime.
 
Amraann said:
Nothing is the matter with these people.

This is not about racism IMO.. or the homeowners being "rich"

SO many elements into play here.
These are not "manufactured homes" these are litterally trailors that in no way shape or form will be safe when another hurricaine hits.

Those homeowners in many instances are probably still trying to fix their homes.
There is only so many contractors and equiptment and supplies available.

As for where these women will live..
Certainly if they had wonderful jobs they would not be in this situation.
Its safe to assume that most are working lower end jobs.
I think its also safe to assume in light of the damage not many of these jobs are still available.
Realistically why even put these women in an area where they will have little oppurtunity for employment and potentially in danger of another hurricaine?

Also it is worth mentioning.. and anyone who has ever seen a Fema trailor park can attest to this...
It is not going to be just a bunch of young single mom's and their toddlers..
Its going to be their boyfriends etc.
We all read enough here of these things to know what statistacally is going to be going on.
SO lets not pretend otherwise. The drugs and domestic abuse etc.
These are not the upper ends of society folks. In the time since the Hurricaines with Fema's assistance those that would make a better life for themselves most likely already have.

Honestly as a homeowner do you want this in your neighborhood?
If you did then you would buy a house at a nice cheap rate in some run down crime ridden area.

I am not saying that these people do not deserve a place to live or help (which they have been getting since Katrina hit)
I am saying that those homeowners deserve to not have their neighborhood turned into hell and their children in danger due to increased crime.

Actually, most of the people living in trailers in NO right now are city and state employees, like cops, firemen, teachers, etc. who also lost their homes or their homes are currently unfit to live in due to mold. I personally know two people living in FEMA trailers right now. One is a lawyer, the other is a computer consultant.

One of my neighbors is from NO. She returned to NO after Katrina and was working as a waitress for pretty good money, but the housing shortage was so severe and the health problems so extreme (she had mold growing IN her nose) she had to leave again.

And having lived in NO for 10 years--yeah, it's ALL about money and race. Never forget that about the city.
 
Amraann said:
Maybe putting temporary trailers in what we all already know is a hurricaine zone as well as an area with still very damaged levy's isn't a really great idea?





----------->>>Well it might work if they are all put on floatation devices.

New experiment just construct entire cities on HUGE, REALLY big Rafts. Would solve any shortage of available real estate lots.

Nagin obviously does not know that the entire world is watching 'him', doing his dumb act, each one supercedes the previous one. Just my humble observation.

========Edited to add a brain phart. Why don't WE (meaning our government in action ?) Build 'apartment SHIPS, like the love boat sorta, to house evacuated people off shore until clean up is finished and housing is ready. We could call it The U.S.S Noah's Ark Disaster Housing #1 #2 and on to include the entire fleet. Or something like that.

This would solve two problems, one being reduction of number of people who show up in another city and stake claim to being a displaced person. It would also keep all the evacuated folks in one place so that documentation could be handled on board with trained government staff there already - the term sailors might work here.


.
 
BillyGoat,


The article itself stated that most of the people would be single mothers and their children.
That is why my ref. to that.

Why not use a State park? I know that Fema after 2004 Huricanes looked into using State Parks in FL.

According to the article this site was to hold 34 trailors.


According to this link:
http://www.enlou.com/places/stateparks.htm

LA has several state parks with camping, which means spots already set up for RV's easily a trailor could be put there instead.
Already water and power. Playgrounds for the kids.
For that matter several of the parks have cabins.
Why not use those?
 
They are using State Parks. Bayou Segnette for one. And I think Fontainebleau and St. Bernard as well. They are still closed to the public. It is free of charge for them to stay there. All Texas, Georgia and Alabama State parks were open to evacuees. As well as an empty Air Force base in Montgomery, Alabama, for a very limited time.

Here in Alabama we are seeing one issue with the parks. Most of them are pretty rural and of course transportation is a problem. Hard to find a job with no car and no way out of a place. Buses do not run in parks. There have been volunteers to come bring them to a certain area and they use public transportation from there, IF it is provided in that city. Many do not have public buses. Add in no child care and the job hunt has been harder, not to mention if you find child care, the time you have to spend taking the child there, then to work with no car or no public transportation. It's not impossible, but is very hard!

Our Churchs have proven to be invaluable in setting up times to pick up and drop off folks. Some charge a nominal fee for gas etc and even do weekly shopping trips.

It seems the ones left are single mothers with small children. Child care is very hard to find. Esp with no proof of vaccinations, no birth certificate and no social security cards. And the state of La is slow in sending some of that. They've had massive requests and are about 4 months behind in some cases. It has to be a nightmare dealing with all of that, on both sides.

Then there is this,
Those who cast absentee ballots in the April 22 mayor's race will be reaffirming their status as Louisiana residents who owe state income tax if they earned money, even if that money was earned out of state.

My poor beloved city of New Orleans just keeps getting the shaft because politics can't get their noses or fingers out of every slice of pie, esp if it will line the pockets of some jerk.

So, they live in these trailors, try to get their lives back from 400 miles away, want to have a say in their state and get slapped for it.

I won't mention the stupid red tape that is in nearly every one of my statements about New Orleans these days. :doh:

Believe me, unless you are there, you have no clue how messed up it really is!
 
Amraann said:
BillyGoat,


The article itself stated that most of the people would be single mothers and their children.
That is why my ref. to that.

Why not use a State park? I know that Fema after 2004 Huricanes looked into using State Parks in FL.

According to the article this site was to hold 34 trailors.


According to this link:
http://www.enlou.com/places/stateparks.htm

LA has several state parks with camping, which means spots already set up for RV's easily a trailor could be put there instead.
Already water and power. Playgrounds for the kids.
For that matter several of the parks have cabins.
Why not use those?
If these are single mothers with children, that doesn't preclude them being state or city employees, as the city/state was by far the largest employer in NO before the hurricane. And it still speaks to it being a case of race/money re the reactions of the people who didn't want the trailer park in their neighborhood.

And as for State Parks--you're joking, right?

Most state parks are nowhere near places where kids could go to school easily, much less decent groceries, etc. And if you don't have a car, you're screwed. Not to mention the permanent damage that sustained human encampments can do the the habitat, and the increased danger of wildfires, etc. from having semi-permanent residents in a space that was not designed to accomodate them.

And building a raft city begs the question--where will the sewage go?

The trailers might not be the safest or most stable of housing choices, but it's better than living in a tent or squatting in abandoned property, where the odds of someone accidentally starting a fire and burning down the neighborhood while trying to stay warm/dry is pretty high.

I've been one friend's couch away from homeless more than once in my life, so I have an idea of how tenuous living situations can be. Any port in a storm, indeed. But it's clear that a good chunk of America doesn't truly "get it" because it has yet to happen to them personally.
 
BillyGoatGruff said:
If these are single mothers with children, that doesn't preclude them being state or city employees, as the city/state was by far the largest employer in NO before the hurricane. And it still speaks to it being a case of race/money re the reactions of the people who didn't want the trailer park in their neighborhood.

And as for State Parks--you're joking, right?

Most state parks are nowhere near places where kids could go to school easily, much less decent groceries, etc. And if you don't have a car, you're screwed. Not to mention the permanent damage that sustained human encampments can do the the habitat, and the increased danger of wildfires, etc. from having semi-permanent residents in a space that was not designed to accomodate them.

And building a raft city begs the question--where will the sewage go?

The trailers might not be the safest or most stable of housing choices, but it's better than living in a tent or squatting in abandoned property, where the odds of someone accidentally starting a fire and burning down the neighborhood while trying to stay warm/dry is pretty high.

I've been one friend's couch away from homeless more than once in my life, so I have an idea of how tenuous living situations can be. Any port in a storm, indeed. But it's clear that a good chunk of America doesn't truly "get it" because it has yet to happen to them personally.
Actually NO I am not kidding ... if you had looked at the link you would see those parks all have camping..
I don't know what state parks your talking about?
But my husband is a park manager and your incorrect about constant encampment. Parks that already have camp grounds are prepared for that.
Fema has used Florida parks for such purposes. The areas meant for restoration are not public accessable. As for schools? we have always been very close to our childrens schools while living in a state park.
ANd um ?? School busses???


Furthermore the origianl link to the article on this thread states tha the neighborhood would be fully supportive of the trailors being set up in the much larger lot across the street rather then the very small area they are currently set.
 

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