Mardi Gras Can't Hide Lingering Devastation

Feb. 20, 2007 — -- Mardi Gras celebrations are in full swing in New Orleans' French Quarter today, but not far from the party entire neighborhoods still lie in ruin -- virtual ghost towns following Hurricane Katrina.

Eighteen months after Hurricane Katrina hit, almost 50 percent of New Orleans' population still hasn't come home.

Vera Triplett, a resilient New Orleans native, has moved back and rebuilt her home with her family.

"I really want to see my city come back as diverse as it was before. Steeped in history and jazz and food and art and all of the things that New Orleans was really known for," Triplett said. "My future here is a long one. I plan to stay here."

She has optimism even though the most basic services are lacking.

Before Katrina, there were more than 2,000 doctors serving the city; today, there are just more than 500.

Similarly, before the hurricane, 128 public schools were operating; today only 56 are open.

"We have to talk about a decrepit education system," said City Councilman James Carter. "We have to talk about a terrible economic opportunity situation in this city."

After Katrina, an estimated 4,000 New Orleans businesses are still closed, and with them more than 100,000 jobs have disappeared.

For residents who return to rebuild, the social and economic challenges are daunting.

"It really is not an easy place to live. So I think that would be my fear, more than fearing that they wouldn't come back at all, fearing that they will come back and then be discouraged and again, leave," Triplett said.

While the statistics paint a bleak picture of New Orleans, signs of hope are beginning to emerge. Throughout the city, there are people fighting to keep the spirit of the the Big Easy alive.

Edward Blakely, a professor of urban planning, has been appointed to head the rebuilding and revitalization project of New Orleans.

Despite best efforts, 62,000 families are still living in temporary trailers erected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. For so many, the long road home has barely begun.

"You know, we're here almost two years later and we have had very little progress in any real substantive way," Triplett said. "If you go to the next block down there, there's nobody there. The block after that, there's maybe one person there. It's not because they don't want to be home -- simply can't do it by themselves. It's difficult. So you know, where is my country?"