Just back from New Orleans - This is still an issue!

[Baileymouse]

New Orleans still needs all the help we can give. It's obvious that the money from FEMA and the Red Cross isn't getting to the people who need it.

Many neighborhoods are still decimated. Housing is in short supply, and rents are astronomical because of the shortage. Whereas the French Quarter is virtually undamaged, much of the city still needs real help.

The 9th ward, which was leveled by the flood, can't be rebuilt because the levees haven't been rebuilt. That neighborhood, which was comprised mostly of modest residential houses, is gone. Many of the musicians and tourism workers lived in that neighborhood. It's nice that so many of the hotels have reopened, but they can't find workers because people can't afford to live in New Orleans.

I wish I had enough time and resources to go down there and actually help with rebuilding. It was freezing while I was there, and my heart broke for the number of people who are still homeless. One cold morning I went up to Cafe Du Monde for coffee, and I saw a gentleman sitting alone. A group of people at the next table called him over, and said they had seen him sitting there for the past couple of days. They asked him if he were a relief worker. Indeed, the guy was down there for the rebuilding effort. The others all moved their chairs to allow him to sit, and bought him another cup of coffee.

Imagine what could be accomplished if we could send the National Guard in to help with the rebuilding effort! We spend so much money & time rebuilding in other countries, and we need that help here at home.

So please, keep the people of New Orleans in your prayers. They still need massive amounts of help.

[Saphire]

So much of the effort is now being done by volunteers. My DS is heading down there for his Spring break to help with rebuilding. Dozens of students from his college will join together with other Boston area colleges, and New Orleans will have a steady flow of young men and women ready to work this Spring. And that is just from our area. This is happening all over the country!

Last year his group gutted and renovated one home and built another in Mississippi, all in one week. So much of the work is slowly and quietly getting done by people like them. I am not sure what the government is doing, but I know the volunteer system in our colleges and churches is alive and active in helping the rebuilding effort in New Orleans and beyond. :)

[shovan]

BaileyMouse, Thanks for keeping this on people's minds. While some areas are coming back, there is so much to be done. We are losing businesses, even in the French Quarter. People who don't want to leave thier homes are being forced to. We need this country to pay attention.

[LouDisney]

I was crying tonight after watching the Nightly News/Brian Williams. I am so glad that they were down there, getting the word out that New Orleans still needs help from us, from our country. And all the residents on the gulf coast that lost everything from this horrible disaster. As a former New Orleanian, I am constantly putting that word out there.

[Ms Marigny]

Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts. New Orleans is very, very far from being okay or "normal". If it weren't for the kindness of volunteers, we wouldn't nearly be as far along as we are now. It kills me to drive through the city, through the areas that I grew up in, and see it looking not much different than it did right after the storm. It's like part of my identity is gone.

This is a picture of a house across the street from me:
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k23/Lorie3631/PictureorVideo062.jpg
This picture was taken last week, almost 18 months after Katrina. The house was a two-story house (a raised basement) and collapsed sitting in the floodwaters for weeks after the storm, falling into the house next to it. This is the view I see from my window every morning, a constant reminder of how very far from normal we really are. I wonder how long I will have to look at this, how much longer I can stand to look at it.

This isn't the ninth ward, but another residential area in the city. The media concentrates mostly on the ninth ward, but in reality a very large percentage of the residential areas were damaged and look like this.

So thank you again to all of the volunteers who give up their time to helping us- we need all of the help we can get.

[Camping Cat]

This picture was taken last week, almost 18 months after Katrina. The house was a two-story house (a raised basement) and collapsed sitting in the floodwaters for weeks after the storm, falling into the house next to it. This is the view I see from my window every morning, a constant reminder of how very far from normal we really are. I wonder how long I will have to look at this, how much longer I can stand to look at it.


Please hang in there! It's got to get better someday! It HAS to! I live on the West Bank, which got off relatively easy, but one of the lasting effects of the storm has been ongoing depression. What else could be expected when the people of our city are confronted with exactly the same picture you are confronted with every day. It makes me sick when I hear how few people have actually received Road Home money even after all this time.

I have lost a few neighbors already. One neighbor lost his job due to the severe cutbacks at the University where he worked and moved to TN with his family. Another couldn't get over her depression and sold her house and fled to Baton Rouge. Another neighbor's daughter and family have had enough of living in their FEMA trailer and are looking for a home in BR also. It's so sad that people who came home and thought they were going to stay have given up and thrown in the towel.

It makes me feel so good to read posts like those in this thread. Where would we be right now if it wasn't for the wonderful people of this country? Forget the government! It's the volunteers that have made any differences we see in our city. A friend of mine who lives in Waveland, MS just played host to one of the volunteers who helped them so much after the storm, when they were living in a tent in their back yard for almost a month after they came home and were gutting their house. He brought his wife down to meet some of the wonderful people he had met while he was here and my friend had them to dinner. What a great ending to their story.

[TimeforMe]

So much of the effort is now being done by volunteers. My DS is heading down there for his Spring break to help with rebuilding. Dozens of students from his college will join together with other Boston area colleges, and New Orleans will have a steady flow of young men and women ready to work this Spring. And that is just from our area. This is happening all over the country!

Last year his group gutted and renovated one home and built another in Mississippi, all in one week. So much of the work is slowly and quietly getting done by people like them. I am not sure what the government is doing, but I know the volunteer system in our colleges and churches is alive and active in helping the rebuilding effort in New Orleans and beyond. :)

Thank God for people like your son. You should be very proud of him. My heart goes out to those in New Orleans and I wish the government would do more than they are.

My son is interested in attending Tulane so we will be visiting there in April. I already feel a *kinship* to the people that live there. I wish you all the best.

[Saphire]

Thank-you, TimeforMe! I am indeed so proud of him and the other college students giving up their time (and money!) to help. My DS just told me they are heading to the 9th ward and staying in Gentilly, LA. Boston College students will join with Northeastern students the first week of March. The experience last year changed my son, and he is so anxious to return. Best wishes to you and your son in his college search! :)

[heatherlynn444]

saphire- thanks and hats off to ppl like your son! people thnk that just b/c we had mardi gras that everything is ok! my parents are small business owners and lifetime residents. (i used to be :sad2: ) and they are really *still* struggling to get by. they filed for unemployment for months and months and had to take out a huge SML to pay his employees. things are far from normal and very sad. m yparents come up to mississippi (they have a house here) and vist me and DH almost evey weekend b/c they HATE being down there in the sadness. I wish more people like the ones on this thread were more aware that the city is still struggling to survive! :sad1:

[Amlee]

I just got back from NOLA this afternoon. Let me just say the French Qtr was business as usual.

BUT!

North of there is a whole other story. I can't put into words how things look down there. I'll have my pictures up some time tomorrow. But even they don't do it justice.

[heatherlynn444]

what happened to the pics I posted?:confused3

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Being you were just there what do suggest we can do? What would be the most effective? Please let me know.

I have to say I am guilty of reacting in the beginning but then I slowed down:sad1: when it wasn't so visible in the press.

[Amlee]

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e342/AmleeParker/New%20Orleans%20Feb%202007/100_2165.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e342/AmleeParker/New%20Orleans%20Feb%202007/100_2164.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e342/AmleeParker/New%20Orleans%20Feb%202007/100_2162.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e342/AmleeParker/New%20Orleans%20Feb%202007/100_2156.jpg

[Amlee]

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e342/AmleeParker/New%20Orleans%20Feb%202007/100_2166.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e342/AmleeParker/New%20Orleans%20Feb%202007/100_2168.jpg
Check out the water line!

[Amlee]

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e342/AmleeParker/New%20Orleans%20Feb%202007/100_2173.jpg


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e342/AmleeParker/New%20Orleans%20Feb%202007/100_2172.jpg


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e342/AmleeParker/New%20Orleans%20Feb%202007/100_2174.jpg

[cara76]

Being you were just there what do suggest we can do? What would be the most effective? Please let me know.

I have to say I am guilty of reacting in the beginning but then I slowed down:sad1: when it wasn't so visible in the press.


Pray

Write your representives to make all of them realize that New Orleans and the Gulf Coast needs help still. Get them to force FEMA to do it's job and force the insurance companies to be fair and do the right thing. Get them to provide the funding and mandate the Army Corp of Engineers to build levees that will do their job next time and not fail . New Orleans as a city and Louisiana as a state have no control of the levees and the repairing of them, it's all federally mandated and right now Congress has only mandated they go back to Pre Katrina standards and conditions.

Most of all, come visit. Spend some time there, help out our local economy by staying there and spending money. Don't stay at a big chain hotel, stay at one of the smaller bed and breakfasts where the owners are still struggling to survive, eat at our local resturants who need the business.

[Amlee]

Most of all, come visit. Spend some time there, help out our local economy by staying there and spending money. Don't stay at a big chain hotel, stay at one of the smaller bed and breakfasts where the owners are still struggling to survive, eat at our local resturants who need the business.


The one thing we were repeatedly asked over the weekend, was if we were coming back for Jazz Fest? Store workers and just locals walking the streets would ask us that.

[heatherlynn444]

yes please come visit! it shows people care! and yes, definately, Pray for the city and the leaders of the city.

also, there are many church groups/other groups that still on a regular bases come down and help out with many different ghings, both in NOLA and on teh gulf coast. get hooked up with a great group. its also a great way to meet new people who ahve the same things in common with you. the desire to help others! :thumbsup2

[TimeforMe]

Thank-you, TimeforMe! I am indeed so proud of him and the other college students giving up their time (and money!) to help. My DS just told me they are heading to the 9th ward and staying in Gentilly, LA. Boston College students will join with Northeastern students the first week of March. The experience last year changed my son, and he is so anxious to return. Best wishes to you and your son in his college search! :)

Right back at ya! And you just made up my mind for me to do the Katrina tour with him when we go. I think it's important for him to see it firsthand. By the way, Northeastern is also on the "short list" for him. Is that where your DS goes? How does he like it?

[Saphire]

Hi again, TimeforMe. My DS attends Boston College and loves it. Northeastern is an excellent University as well. My sons have known many students from high school who have attended or attend now, and they are all happy there. Their Co-op program is awesome, as I am sure you know. Good Luck!

[bop28]

We are going down to the Tennessee Williams Festival at the end of March, and I would like some ideas as to where to eat. We would love to avoid the very touristy places and visit the cafes that the locals eat in. We aren't interested in the high end restaurants. One thing that we will try to do however, will be the Tea @ the Windsor Court hotel. Has anyone done that? Where can you get good breakfast pastries and coffe besides the Cafe Du Monde? Where is the best oyster bar that doesn't over charge. Are there any 'must do' places? Any help will be great!!:) :wave2:

[Ms Marigny]

We are going down to the Tennessee Williams Festival at the end of March, and I would like some ideas as to where to eat. We would love to avoid the very touristy places and visit the cafes that the locals eat in. We aren't interested in the high end restaurants. One thing that we will try to do however, will be the Tea @ the Windsor Court hotel. Has anyone done that? Where can you get good breakfast pastries and coffe besides the Cafe Du Monde? Where is the best oyster bar that doesn't over charge. Are there any 'must do' places? Any help will be great!!:) :wave2:
Are you staying in the Quarter? A lot of the local hangouts aren't in the Quarter, but you can still find a few- Port of Call (hamburgers), Petunia's (good crepes), Gumbo Shop (touristy, but I do like their food), and Clover Grill (diner-esque...very humorous place). There are also many cafes just outside the Quarter in the Marigny- Marigny Brasserie, La Peniche. I've never done the Tea at Windsor Court, so I can't help you there. As for a local place with good pastries, go to Croissant D'Or on Ursulines- good French pastries and coffee. Casamento's on Magazine has good oysters on the half shell, but they are Uptown- I love that place! If you want to stay in the Quarter though, you can go to Acme Oyster House for their oyster bar. Hope you have a good time while you're here! :cool1:

[bop28]

Are you staying in the Quarter? A lot of the local hangouts aren't in the Quarter, but you can still find a few- Port of Call (hamburgers), Petunia's (good crepes), Gumbo Shop (touristy, but I do like their food), and Clover Grill (diner-esque...very humorous place). There are also many cafes just outside the Quarter in the Marigny- Marigny Brasserie, La Peniche. I've never done the Tea at Windsor Court, so I can't help you there. As for a local place with good pastries, go to Croissant D'Or on Ursulines- good French pastries and coffee. Casamento's on Magazine has good oysters on the half shell, but they are Uptown- I love that place! If you want to stay in the Quarter though, you can go to Acme Oyster House for their oyster bar. Hope you have a good time while you're here! :cool1:

Yes we'll be mostly in the Quarter. We're very excited and a bit apprehensive at the same time, (considering all they went through and the local crime rate!)
Your suggestions sound wonderful, and you are the second person who recommended Croissant D'Or. Do you know anything about a place called Napoleon Cafe?
Thanks so much! :wave2:

[Ms Marigny]

Oh, don't be apprehensive- the best thing people can do for us is to come and visit! :) We need tourist dollars so the city can still pick up my trash (and rebuild the city, haha)! As for the crime rate, yep, it's scary, but it's largely in the residential areas, so scarier for me and not so much for you. Just use your big-city street smarts and stay in the busier areas, etc- there is heavy police presence in the Quarter to help keep the tourists safe. Napoleon Cafe- do you mean in the Napoleon House? If so, a good friend of mine worked there for years and years- and yes, I do recommend it! They have a very good Reuben there.

Oh, I forgot- you can pick up a muffuletta from Central Grocery on Decatur and eat it while sitting on the Moonwalk looking at the river- nice way to spend an afternoon!

[cara76]

I agree with Mrs. Marigny LOL I would say Deanies for seafood, there is supposedly one in the quarter, I wouldn't know we go to the one by the lake in Bucktown, which you could catch a cab to it for about $40 bucks round trip.

There are no pastries at Cafe Du Mone they are benigets, fried dough with powered surgar on top, they are one of my favorite things. :rotfl:

[shovan]

I have to agree with Ms. Marigny on Central Grocery's muffalettas & eating on the Moonwalk looking out on the River. Classic New Orlean's afternoon. I also agree with her recommendation on Acme Oyster House. Try the chargrilled oysters there, they are great! Their prices on oysters is about the best you'll find.

I've had tea at Windsor Court & it was wonderful! We had a girl's outing to celebrate a neice's engagement. We had the whole deal with the caviar, salmon canapes & champagne. The scones with the "clotted" cream were to die for. Everything they served was soooo good! I was surprised as to how much food they brought out. It seemed to just keep coming! Le Salon at Windsor Court is also really beautiful. I think you'll love it.

Have Fun!

[DisneyMomx7]

My son is leaving for New Orleans tomorrow with this college (Seton Hall) Habitat for Humanity group. I've been a little nervous because we hear so much talk about crime there but I'm glad he spends his Spring break doing Habitat every year!

[TheBeadPirate]

I agree with Mrs. Marigny LOL I would say Deanies for seafood, there is supposedly one in the quarter, I wouldn't know we go to the one by the lake in Bucktown, which you could catch a cab to it for about $40 bucks round trip.

There are no pastries at Cafe Du Mone they are benigets, fried dough with powered surgar on top, they are one of my favorite things. :rotfl:

Deanies in the Quarter did not reopen.:sad2: And there is a Napoleon Cafe down at Chartres and Bienville. Not tried it, but I agree with Mrs Marigny the Napoleon House is wonderful. The Orleans Grapevine on Orleans is a good "local" bistro (only open for dinner though) and wine bar. And Yo Mama's burgers are good too....some very interesting combinations.

Anyone looking for a great trip- French Quarter Festival is coming up in April. A weekend of fabulous food booths and music stages set up all over the French Quarter and riverfront-all within walking distance!:cool1: And VERY family oriented!

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Pray

Write your representives to make all of them realize that New Orleans and the Gulf Coast needs help still. Get them to force FEMA to do it's job and force the insurance companies to be fair and do the right thing. Get them to provide the funding and mandate the Army Corp of Engineers to build levees that will do their job next time and not fail . New Orleans as a city and Louisiana as a state have no control of the levees and the repairing of them, it's all federally mandated and right now Congress has only mandated they go back to Pre Katrina standards and conditions.

Most of all, come visit. Spend some time there, help out our local economy by staying there and spending money. Don't stay at a big chain hotel, stay at one of the smaller bed and breakfasts where the owners are still struggling to survive, eat at our local resturants who need the business.


Thank you & I will keep praying. If you know of any B&B's please post them.

[cara76]

Really Deanies didn't reopen? WOW, I didn't know, it's still listed on their website. We go to the one in Bucktown because it's about 6 blocks from the house, we never eat there either, we always get take out :rotfl:

[bop28]

:wave: I have a couple more questions for you guys from NOLA if you don't mind.:)

I was thinking there were free Streetcars you could take around the city, specifically the St. Charles st. Streetcar. Is that correct?
And, where can we go to hear real Jazz without paying an arm and a leg?
Thanks for all your help!

[Ms Marigny]

:wave: I have a couple more questions for you guys from NOLA if you don't mind.:)

I was thinking there were free Streetcars you could take around the city, specifically the St. Charles st. Streetcar. Is that correct?
And, where can we go to hear real Jazz without paying an arm and a leg?
Thanks for all your help!
The streetcars aren't free (there were for a short time post-K)- it's $1.25 each way. And the St Charles line isn't up and running yet (damaged in the big K). The Canal St line is running though and you can take it to either the cemetaries or City Park.

What do you consider real jazz? Do you mean more traditional, like Dixieland? Or do you mean the Brass Band get-your-groove-on kind of stuff? If you want to hear the more traditional jazz, Preservation Hall is a good place to go, but there is a cover charge, which varies by who's playing, I think- check out their website to see what's up. And if you want to hear an awesome Brass Band, the Rebirth plays on Tuesday nights at the Maple Leaf on Oak St- this is Uptown though, so you'd have to catch a ride there. You should check out nola.com too- good source of info there also. I'm not sure where else...hopefully someone else can make some suggestions here...:confused: I get my fill of jazz during Jazz Fest, and I don't do the nightlife thing too much anymore...:joker:

[bavaria]

I have two upcoming visits this spring, and was last there in the fall of 2006. I hope that things are getting easier for all of you.

Having travelled extensively in the Gulf States in 2006, as I posted elsewhere I think that it is something that everyone in your country should see. Sadly, without the regular media coverage I suspect that many Americans don't realize that the devastation still exists....

[TheBeadPirate]

The streetcars aren't free (there were for a short time post-K)- it's $1.25 each way. And the St Charles line isn't up and running yet (damaged in the big K). The Canal St line is running though and you can take it to either the cemetaries or City Park.

What do you consider real jazz? Do you mean more traditional, like Dixieland? Or do you mean the Brass Band get-your-groove-on kind of stuff? If you want to hear the more traditional jazz, Preservation Hall is a good place to go, but there is a cover charge, which varies by who's playing, I think- check out their website to see what's up. And if you want to hear an awesome Brass Band, the Rebirth plays on Tuesday nights at the Maple Leaf on Oak St- this is Uptown though, so you'd have to catch a ride there. You should check out nola.com too- good source of info there also. I'm not sure where else...hopefully someone else can make some suggestions here...:confused: I get my fill of jazz during Jazz Fest, and I don't do the nightlife thing too much anymore...:joker:

There's also Fritzel's and Maison Bourbon, both clubs on Bourbon St. Neither has a cover. I like Fritzel's more but it's small and can get kinda crowded depending on who's playing. But they have Beck's dark on draught!:goodvibes

[cocoswife]

Hi!!!

The whole family is heading to New Orleans for FIL Tulane's 50th year graduation reunion in May. DH's aunt still lives there and we are well aware of the devastation, she lost her job (company went bankrupt) after Katrina. Last time we were there (right before Katrina), we stayed at the Hyatt next to the Superdome, which I know was totally destroyed. This time we want to stay in the French Quarter at a B&B or at a smaller hotel. We will be needing at least 5-6 rooms, Can you recommend a place for us?

:)

[Ms Marigny]

I haven't stayed at either of these, but I've heard good things about the Place D'Armes and the Dauphine Orleans- hope this helps!

[cocoswife]

Thanks!!:flower3:

[MALE*RN*777]

Me and other Volunteers from Maryland's Operation Life Line

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/MALERN777/OpeartionLifeLine4.jpg

Me and the other Medical Staff Volunteers from MD with our Brave Military Protection the Arkansas Army (Keep safe boys). Outside Lincoln Elem School where we had our clinic.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/MALERN777/TeamBravo.jpg

[shovan]

Me and other Volunteers from Maryland's Operation Life Line

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/MALERN777/OpeartionLifeLine4.jpg

Me and the other Medical Staff Volunteers from MD with our Brave Military Protection the Arkansas Army (Keep safe boys). Outside Lincoln Elem School where we had our clinic.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/MALERN777/TeamBravo.jpg

I remember passing by there & seeing y'all out there! That was a really tough time. We really appreciate all of the help from great people like you! Thanks again!!!!

[cara76]

Me and other Volunteers from Maryland's Operation Life Line

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/MALERN777/OpeartionLifeLine4.jpg

Me and the other Medical Staff Volunteers from MD with our Brave Military Protection the Arkansas Army (Keep safe boys). Outside Lincoln Elem School where we had our clinic.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/MALERN777/TeamBravo.jpg

Thank you for all your help and everything you've done!

[Villain Dude]

Me and other Volunteers from Maryland's Operation Life Line

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/MALERN777/OpeartionLifeLine4.jpg

Me and the other Medical Staff Volunteers from MD with our Brave Military Protection the Arkansas Army (Keep safe boys). Outside Lincoln Elem School where we had our clinic.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/MALERN777/TeamBravo.jpg


It brings tears to my eyes when I see the kindness of strangers ... you are truly Christ like when you volunteer to help so many. If it were not for people like ya'll, this whole area would be in almost chaos. We can't rely on any form of government from local to the feds ... monies and help are always promised but the results are not there.

Kindness of volunteers has made me realize that there is still hope for us on the Gulf Coast. To see kids give up spring break to clean up and restore the area is amazing. I am so proud to be from the New Orleans area, however, I'm prouder that I'm American and my fellow citizens care what happens to us.

God bless all of ya'll who helped in any way ... you can put your head on your pillow at night and know that you have helped people in more ways than you can imagine.

Enjoy life,

-Chuck

[MScott1851]

Me and other Volunteers from Maryland's Operation Life Line

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/MALERN777/OpeartionLifeLine4.jpg

Me and the other Medical Staff Volunteers from MD with our Brave Military Protection the Arkansas Army (Keep safe boys). Outside Lincoln Elem School where we had our clinic.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/MALERN777/TeamBravo.jpg

God, this brings back memories for me, as well...

I work for Tenet Healthcare, we had three hospitals in N.O. that had to be evacuated after Katrina. A group of us made turnaround trips to transport patients out after they had been airlifted from downtown hospitals. I couldn't eat or sleep well for weeks afterward, I cried at the drop of a hat, it was the most heartbreaking thing I had ever experienced. Watching it on TV was horrible, but being there was a new brand of hell. I seriously don't know how my colleagues who were working when the storm hit sustained themselves for the week to follow. I would have had a complete and utter breakdown.

We just returned yesterday from New Orleans, DH was covering the NCAA tournament, and a large group of us went down. Bourbon Street was lively, thanks to the huge influx of basketball fans, but there were still remnants everywhere. Boarded up windows, businesses still closed. Seeing the Hyatt still closed shocked me. I was doing okay until one of the reporters that used to work with DH (who has since moved back to N.O. to work at her family business) took us on a tour. We went to the midcity area, Gentilly, Upper Ninth Ward, and then she took us over the drawbridge into the Lower Ninth Ward. I cried for two hours...seeing the empty houses falling in on themselves, the FEMA markings with how many bodies were found still on the houses, the piles of garbage lining the streets. I honestly don't see how St. Bernard Parish will recover from this.

I did notice in other parts of town that re-building seems to be moving right along, though. We met a guy who had bought a house for $40,000, had it jacked up, and was planning on renovating. He was estimating at least $100,000 in repairs, but the whole neighborhood was in the midst of a little construction boom. I honestly think that this area will be much better and safer place now, because the people buying these houses will have so much money and love invested in them, and pride in their city. It's just such a long, long way from now....