The images are shocking.
Flood-ravaged and destroyed, the Lower Ninth Ward looked more like a war zone than a neighborhood in the days following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
And the rebuilding proved to be an uphill battle.
“I came back, I would say in 2007 or 2008 and had this built by 2010,” said Freddie Jones.
Jones, a longtime resident of the Lower Ninth Ward’s Holy Cross area, was fast to come back.
He has worked to maintain his home.
“Can you believe it’s been 20 years since Katrina?” Asked WDSU’s Travers Mackel. “Yeah, I’m getting old I know,” said Jones.
But he’s watched as progress in this part of the city has been anything but speedy.
“It’s slow, little too slow. I mean, especially on the other side of Claiborne, you go back there and see remnants of it,” said Jones.
What you don’t see here are a lot of stores, restaurants and shops.
The community is still scattered, and the numbers bear that out.
In August 2005, when the levee on the Industrial Canal gave way—busting due to the weight of water in the canal and flooding the area—the Lower Ninth Ward had a population of 14,000.
In 2023, that number was just over 5,000.
A 65% decrease in people 18 years after the storm. That’s according to stats compiled by the nonprofit Data Center.
As for housing, 20 years ago, the Data Center says there were over 5,600 total homes and apartment units.
In 2023, just over 2,220.
“Unfortunately we haven’t had a whole lot happen here in the Lower Nine,” said Charmaine Marchand.
Marchand was born and raised in this area—a child of the Lower Nine—and she still calls it home.
Marchand is a former state representative.
When Katrina wiped out this area, Marchard was the lawmaker in office representing this community.
“This is where my heart is, this is where I’m gonna be,” said Marchand. “Does your heart break seeing these conditions now?” asked Maackel. “For sure, yeah,” Marchand responded.
So with the eyes of the world watching, why didn’t the Lower Ninth Ward make a comeback?
“Can you put your finger on what the reason is for that?” Asked Mackel. “Some of it has to do with financial opportunities, some a lack of resources,” said Marchand.
For example, some property owners with rentals took the insurance money and never rebuilt.Others took state money and rebuilt in different parishes or communities. Some didn’t have the opportunity to do either, giving up after having to try to navigate too much red tape.
And there’s fallout from all of that.
“The companies don’t want to come because there’s not enough population, and the people don’t want to come because there are not enough services — so it is which comes first, the chicken or the egg, it’s definitely that scenario,” said Marchand.
And then there’s the saga with the Brad Pitt ‘Make It Right’ homes.
The effort started in 2008, with over 100 homes built, but many are falling apart.
Homeowners still in active litigation, seeking millions in damages
“Under the circumstances, Brad Pitt was supposed to make things right,” said resident Robert Greene.
Twenty years after Katrina, the area is still trying to recover.
“It was a jewel then and it’s still a jewel now,” said Marchand.
One that many say just needs to be polished.
And people here aren’t giving up. They know one day again, the Lower Nine will shine.
“It’s up and coming, slow, but we enjoy it,” said Jones.
And soon, Jones hopes others will as well.
READ MORE:The Lower Ninth Ward was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina. 20 years later, people are still rebuilding
