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| Hurricane Katrina's legacy 10 years on - a whiter, more gentrified New Orleans | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| It has been ten years since Jennifer Hill and her mother were “evacuated” from New Orleans and flown to West Virginia. | It has been ten years since Jennifer Hill and her mother were “evacuated” from New Orleans and flown to West Virginia. |
| Apart from a hurried, anguished trip to collect her belongings a few months after Katrina devastated their city, she has never been back. | Apart from a hurried, anguished trip to collect her belongings a few months after Katrina devastated their city, she has never been back. |
| But next week – days after the 10th anniversary of the storm – she is to pay a visit with her fiancee, a chance to show him the sights of the place where she grew up. | But next week – days after the 10th anniversary of the storm – she is to pay a visit with her fiancee, a chance to show him the sights of the place where she grew up. |
| “When we first got to West Virginia we were in shock. There was a time when we wanted to let things sink in, while we were waiting for things to become normal,” Ms Hill, a social worker with a masters degree, said from the city of Huntington. | “When we first got to West Virginia we were in shock. There was a time when we wanted to let things sink in, while we were waiting for things to become normal,” Ms Hill, a social worker with a masters degree, said from the city of Huntington. |
| Jennifer Hill will visit for the first time in ten years | |
| “We assumed we would be back in a few months. But we were treated so badly by the people [dealing] with New Orleans, it did not feel like they wanted me to return.” | “We assumed we would be back in a few months. But we were treated so badly by the people [dealing] with New Orleans, it did not feel like they wanted me to return.” |
| Ms Hill’s story has been repeated thousands of times, across the length and breadth of America. Hundreds of thousands of people left the city, either by their own means or else evacuated by the authorities. Across the region, around 1.5m were displaced, the largest such move of people since the 1930s Dust Bowl depression. | Ms Hill’s story has been repeated thousands of times, across the length and breadth of America. Hundreds of thousands of people left the city, either by their own means or else evacuated by the authorities. Across the region, around 1.5m were displaced, the largest such move of people since the 1930s Dust Bowl depression. |
| Eighteen months after the storm, the population of the New Orleans, which had stood at 454,000, was down to 210,000. Today, the population has recovered to around 80 cent per cent of its original number. | Eighteen months after the storm, the population of the New Orleans, which had stood at 454,000, was down to 210,000. Today, the population has recovered to around 80 cent per cent of its original number. |
| Experts say the city’s black and white populations returned at different rates. White people returned more quickly, while black people returned at a slower but steadier pace. | Experts say the city’s black and white populations returned at different rates. White people returned more quickly, while black people returned at a slower but steadier pace. |
| Research by sociologist Catrina Graif, of Pennsylvania State University, on a group of low income black women who were evacuated, showed the majority ended up living in higher-income communities. Many chose to stay away. | Research by sociologist Catrina Graif, of Pennsylvania State University, on a group of low income black women who were evacuated, showed the majority ended up living in higher-income communities. Many chose to stay away. |
| That has had implications. Before Katrina struck, New Orleans was 67 per cent African American: today the percentage stands at 59 per cent. There are around 80,000 fewer black people than in 2005. | That has had implications. Before Katrina struck, New Orleans was 67 per cent African American: today the percentage stands at 59 per cent. There are around 80,000 fewer black people than in 2005. |
| The shift has been felt profoundly in neighbourhoods such as Bywater, a formerly working class black neighbourhood long famed for its live jazz music, which has become a fashionable place for young white professionals to buy property. | The shift has been felt profoundly in neighbourhoods such as Bywater, a formerly working class black neighbourhood long famed for its live jazz music, which has become a fashionable place for young white professionals to buy property. |
| Lee Meitzen Grue, a poet and fiction writer sometimes described as the poet laureate of New Orleans, has lived in the Bywater for decades. | Lee Meitzen Grue, a poet and fiction writer sometimes described as the poet laureate of New Orleans, has lived in the Bywater for decades. |
| Volunteer crews rescue a family from their home (AP) | |
| Ms Grue, who is white and aged 81, said since Katrina struck the neighbourhood had become increasingly gentrified. Rents and prices had gone up, traditional shops such as the St Roch market had become corporatised, lower income people had moved out and the area had become whiter. | Ms Grue, who is white and aged 81, said since Katrina struck the neighbourhood had become increasingly gentrified. Rents and prices had gone up, traditional shops such as the St Roch market had become corporatised, lower income people had moved out and the area had become whiter. |
| “Music is part of the city. But now there are people moving into this neighbourhood and complaining about the music,” she said, standing on the balcony of the wooden home she has lived in since 1971. | “Music is part of the city. But now there are people moving into this neighbourhood and complaining about the music,” she said, standing on the balcony of the wooden home she has lived in since 1971. |
| “These days people are joking that it’s too white for the white people.” | “These days people are joking that it’s too white for the white people.” |
| Elizabeth Fussell, a professor of population studies at Brown University, said low income people who left faced tougher challenges in returning. There was less rental property available, which puts rent ups, businesses had shut, and government pay-outs benefited people who owned their own homes more than those who rented. | Elizabeth Fussell, a professor of population studies at Brown University, said low income people who left faced tougher challenges in returning. There was less rental property available, which puts rent ups, businesses had shut, and government pay-outs benefited people who owned their own homes more than those who rented. |
| “There are are a lot of low income people in New Orleans and the correlation between being black and being poor is very strong,” she said. | “There are are a lot of low income people in New Orleans and the correlation between being black and being poor is very strong,” she said. |
| She added: “People who got rental aid got the same money where they moved to. It made no sense to return because you could rent a nicer, larger apartment in Houston or wherever. The incentive for low income people was to stay outside.” | She added: “People who got rental aid got the same money where they moved to. It made no sense to return because you could rent a nicer, larger apartment in Houston or wherever. The incentive for low income people was to stay outside.” |
| A vehicle makes its way through a flooded street from the overflowing Grande Lagoon, Florida, as Hurricane Katrina passes over (AP) | |
| The Independent first interviewed Jennifer Hill ten years ago in the days after the storm struck, when she and her mother were stranded with more than 20,000 people amid the filth and horror of the city’s Superdome. | The Independent first interviewed Jennifer Hill ten years ago in the days after the storm struck, when she and her mother were stranded with more than 20,000 people amid the filth and horror of the city’s Superdome. |
| Since four days earlier there had been no running water, no working toilets, and no air conditioning. Ms Hill and her mother were part of a small group who had found a piece of white sheet to protect them from the raging sun. | Since four days earlier there had been no running water, no working toilets, and no air conditioning. Ms Hill and her mother were part of a small group who had found a piece of white sheet to protect them from the raging sun. |
| One night a man who had allegedly attacked a woman and her child was beaten to death by a mob just yards from where the group was sitting. His blood still stained the floor. | One night a man who had allegedly attacked a woman and her child was beaten to death by a mob just yards from where the group was sitting. His blood still stained the floor. |
| The Superdome, the home of the New Orleans Saints American football team, had been the officially designated shelter for those unable to leave the city. But on the evening of 2 September 2005, the National Guard was not letting the people leave. | The Superdome, the home of the New Orleans Saints American football team, had been the officially designated shelter for those unable to leave the city. But on the evening of 2 September 2005, the National Guard was not letting the people leave. |
| “You can’t go in there. They’ll tear you apart,” a young white National Guard trooper carrying an automatic weapon, had told this newspaper. | “You can’t go in there. They’ll tear you apart,” a young white National Guard trooper carrying an automatic weapon, had told this newspaper. |
| Evelyn Turner, waits with the body of her common-law husband, Xavier Bowie, following the Katrina disaster (PA) | |
| He was, of course, wrong. People were angry, frightened and bewildered. But the vast majority were peaceful, and desperate for means of help to get message out to their loved ones. | He was, of course, wrong. People were angry, frightened and bewildered. But the vast majority were peaceful, and desperate for means of help to get message out to their loved ones. |
| “I still have bad days,” Ms Hill said of her memory of that time. “Every anniversary still hurts. It still comes out. Even though my life has worked out, it was not my choice.” | “I still have bad days,” Ms Hill said of her memory of that time. “Every anniversary still hurts. It still comes out. Even though my life has worked out, it was not my choice.” |
| Like most of those who were evacuated, Ms Hill and her mother had no idea where they were going. As it was, she said while the life and culture in Huntington – which has and overwhelming white population - was different to what they had known, they had been surprised by the warmth people had shown. | Like most of those who were evacuated, Ms Hill and her mother had no idea where they were going. As it was, she said while the life and culture in Huntington – which has and overwhelming white population - was different to what they had known, they had been surprised by the warmth people had shown. |
| “I miss the food, I miss the access to food and culture, the neighbourhood feel, the the music, Mardi Gras, and also the international community,” she said of New Orleans | “I miss the food, I miss the access to food and culture, the neighbourhood feel, the the music, Mardi Gras, and also the international community,” she said of New Orleans |
| “Here things are very different. In New Orleans there are bars open 24 hours a day. But people here are rooted. Their arms were outstretched for here.” | “Here things are very different. In New Orleans there are bars open 24 hours a day. But people here are rooted. Their arms were outstretched for here.” |
| All of this was in stark contrast to the vibe she got from those in New Orleans in the months after Katrina. She ran into problems with her landlady and her employer. | All of this was in stark contrast to the vibe she got from those in New Orleans in the months after Katrina. She ran into problems with her landlady and her employer. |
| She said: “I felt like I was in love with someone but that they were in love with me. I cannot get over that hurt.” | She said: “I felt like I was in love with someone but that they were in love with me. I cannot get over that hurt.” |
| The evacuation scattered people all over, to each of the 50 states. | The evacuation scattered people all over, to each of the 50 states. |
| Sabrina Montana and her husband took five years to get back to their home in the Lower Ninth Ward. She said she believed the authorities had little interest in helping the poor, only in ensuring attractions such as the French Quarter – which suffered very little damage – were operating as quickly as possible. | Sabrina Montana and her husband took five years to get back to their home in the Lower Ninth Ward. She said she believed the authorities had little interest in helping the poor, only in ensuring attractions such as the French Quarter – which suffered very little damage – were operating as quickly as possible. |
| When they first left the city they spent a night at a government evacuation centre at Lake Charles. In the shower she met an elderly woman with whom she swapped phone numbers. | When they first left the city they spent a night at a government evacuation centre at Lake Charles. In the shower she met an elderly woman with whom she swapped phone numbers. |
| “A few days later she called me. She was in Alaska,” she said, her voice straining with emotion. | “A few days later she called me. She was in Alaska,” she said, her voice straining with emotion. |
| She said every year, on the anniversary of the storm, she lit a candle and set if on the waters of Lake Lake Pontchartrain. This year she will do the same. | She said every year, on the anniversary of the storm, she lit a candle and set if on the waters of Lake Lake Pontchartrain. This year she will do the same. |
| “What Katrina showed me was that people from around the world brought our city back,” she said. “My disappointment is accepting that I love this country but the system in place does not let it love me back.” | “What Katrina showed me was that people from around the world brought our city back,” she said. “My disappointment is accepting that I love this country but the system in place does not let it love me back.” |
| Ms Hill has mixed emotions about her impending visit to New Orleans. | Ms Hill has mixed emotions about her impending visit to New Orleans. |
| Her husband-to-be, David Wells, has never seen the city and she is keen to show him around, to take him to the Garden District, to the church she attended, St Theresa of Avila, and the flat she rented. | Her husband-to-be, David Wells, has never seen the city and she is keen to show him around, to take him to the Garden District, to the church she attended, St Theresa of Avila, and the flat she rented. |
| “I am curious to see what my reaction will be. I think it will be bitter-sweet,” she said. | “I am curious to see what my reaction will be. I think it will be bitter-sweet,” she said. |
| “I miss the atmosphere, there is nowhere like it in the world. But it’s not my home any more.” | “I miss the atmosphere, there is nowhere like it in the world. But it’s not my home any more.” |