In very slow response to housing after the hurricane, FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, made 120,000 trailers available to families in need. In 2007, there were about 45,000 families still living in FEMA trailers. As of June 2010, the number had dropped to 860 families. In March 2010, FEMA sold 100,000 of the trailers at auction. How there was so much wastage. FEMA noted the units were not to be used for long term housing and cautioned the trailers posed a potential health hazard because of high formaldehyde levels.
In 2009, New Orleans had an estimated 519,000 jobs about 16 per cent less than was counted before Hurricane Katrina. Reconstruction within the greater New Orleans Community has regained over half the population of the city's 73 neighborhoods, which is great. Optimism seemingly is high that the rebuilding process finally on track. Seventy per cent of New Orleans residents said they were confident that the rebuilding process is on track and two in three residents said their lives had returned to normal.Many thought that the city would never rebuild. I have never been to New Orleans but you would have thought that this would take only two years but yet it’s good that there finally is a rebirth within a very unique place where the food and culture of New Orleans is not comparable to any other state. Although there is still much to do and the recent oil spill has not helped matters, New Orleans has seemingly for the most part rallied together and truly rebuilt a tremendous place. However, I still maintain that there was so much waste of tax payers monies and the time that it took with the response was something that I have never seen. I almost felt that the government at the time was going to just sit on the fence...
Well actually for a good two years they did. But finally there is a rebirth due to several factors, one of which was truly done by citizens and alternative organizations. And New Orleans certainly can stand proud as they really rallied and rebuilt on there very own to a large extent. As far as FEMA goes, if you recall the original head of FEMA was best friends with George Bush. Thereafter he admitted that he had no qualifications to run the organization. Such a pity of what happened within the first few years, but now the city is alive and seemingly returning back to norm and then some.
George Clooney brought a lighthearted touch while accepting a special Emmy Award for a rather serious subject:
"It's important to remember how much good can get done, because we live in such strange times where bad behavior sucks up all the attention and press. And the people who really need the spotlight: the Haitians, the Sudanese, people in the Gulf Coast.. Pakistan, they can't get any.
I thought maybe there was a way to combine the two. I have offered to go to the south Sudan and have a wardrobe malfunction, but it was pointed out to me that I'm 49 and the consensus was that it would just be upsetting and kind of sad. When the disaster happens, everybody wants to help, everybody in this room wants to help, everybody at home wants to help. The hard part is seven months later, five years later, when we're on to a new story. Honestly, we fail at that, most of the time. That's the facts. I fail at that. So here's hoping that some very bright person right here in the room or at home watching can help find a way to keep the spotlight burning on these heartbreaking situations that continue to be heartbreaking long after the cameras go away. That would be an impressive accomplishment.Thank you."
