Rebuilding « Gentilly Girl- a part of the 99%

November 4, 2007

ChatUsHome Alert!: By Nov. 6– chance to get reform of FEMA elevation allowances for Lousiana homeowners

Filed under: Federal Flood,FEMA,Katrina,Levees,Louisiana,New Orleans,Our House,Rebuilding — Tags: Federal Flood, FEMA, Gulf Coast, Katrina, Levees, Louisiana, New Orleans, Our House, Rebuilding, Road Home — Morwen Madrigal @ 3:23 pm

For those who have been following the news concerning rebuilding along the Gulf Coast post-hurricanes/Federal Flood, you might know that Mitigation Grants were being awarded that would aid folks in rebuilding safer and with less cost to the Nation in the event of another disaster.

We were awarded an ICC Grant for mitigation of our dangers by us raising the house to above the Base Flood Elevation and in accordance with the newest flood depth maps provided by the ACOE two months ago, but FEMA had to consider a way to allow those of us who have already done the necessary work to be re-imbursed for workÂ done prior to their October announcement.

FEMA is now in the process of amending it’s procedures and policy since the situation down here has taken too long and many of us decided that we didn’t wish to hang out and wait for the funds to be disbursed. We decided to work on our homes and do the right thing. We are rebuilding NOW.

CHAT has just alerted us to FEMA’s upcoming procedural changes, but as usual, FEMA didn’t give much of a lead time on these changes, and that’s were we need you to help. Please visit CHAT and send their message to the Feds by Nov. 6th.

This is vital to folks’ rebuilding efforts. Many people here in New Orleans, with the promise of these Grants have moved forward on getting back into our homes and businesses, but unless some of the rules are changed, we will never see those monies. If the latter proves to be the case, those of us who showed initiative in rebuilding will be shorted many dollars that were promised to us all because of forgotten procedural rules on the part of the Federal Government’s part.

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November 1, 2007

Trash Talk…

Filed under: Crime,Eddie Jordan,Nagin's Minions,New Orleans,NOLA Politics,Racism — Tags: Crime, Eddie Jordan, Nagin's Minions, New Orleans, NOLA Politics, Politicians, Racism, Rebuilding — Morwen Madrigal @ 3:07 pm

I’ve been waging a battle with the garbage collectors over the last two months here in slum-lord land. Two weeks ago an “official” can was delivered to our real home in Sugar Hill (and our contractors are there and they are armed), but I have not received a city-sanctioned can for the hovel that we currently reside in. (And yes I will have to buy another can for my rentals since we don’t have two street numbers, but we own half a block.)

Here’s some accounts.
I’ve called many times to get an official can for this rental, but to no avail. Now the “workers” won’t pick up my cat litter bags (must be the 25# rule thanks to our City Council members in April). They took the lid off my trash can two weeks ago in a pouring rain and now it is a Superfund Site. I have two bags of litter on my stoop that the “boys” can’t find the energy to throw into a truck.

So this is the result of contracting with minority-owned businesses? Satellite tracking for garbage cans? A 25# limit on trash weight? Trash cans that can hold 120#s easily, but it will exceed the weight limits?

(Yeppers, here comes the tirade, but do remember that I am Black and White, Creole if you please, and everything else that percolates in New Orleans outside of the Asian folks. I only take the side of the common person… the Commons so to speak.)

So we have a Black-based administration making contracts with “minority-owned” businesses for City services. First off, if the majority of the populace in New Orleans is Black, how does a Black-owned business become “Minority-owned”? How is it that we as citizens are paying twice the amount we used to pay for garbage removal and then we find out that anything above 25#s is not acceptable to be taken from our curbs?

Betts and I pay to have the debris removed from our home from our rebuilding. This stuff is not storm material, but the trash from making the place right. This is a cost that we accept because we do strive to be good citizens (unlike the folks that filled our dumpsters with their crap that they weren’t willing to pay to be removed. Yes… my Black relatives.) That amounted to $450 a pop from our purses, and no “Thank You” from the majority in our neighborhood that “used” us.

Still, we will continue to be good neighbors on our part. That’s just how we are.

So where the fuck am I going with all of this? There are basically two kinds of people in this world: those who only can “see” that which is colored or has the same thought-process they live by, and the rest of us who are part of the polyglot society that this Republic was founded for.

We, the polyglot culture, evaluates folks on their character, not skin color, religion (I’m sadly lacking here, but I have my reasons) or philosophy. People are people, and we have to live with each other in this world. Let’s play nice, okay?

Here in New Orleans we have the chance that most places will never have: we have to rebuild our homeplace. The populace of this place must remove the Race-blinders and embrace the all that is trying to rebuild this area. (Well fuck the gang-banger/crack assholes and the White money-pigs) What we do here and now determines the Future of our Nation. This is the proving ground. This is where America learns it’s next lesson.

This place is where the Future begins, and all of us here have a front-row seat. WE DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF AMERICA. We here in NOLA, at this point in time and space, control the destiny and path of a Nation. Never doubt that one kids. This is the place where the Social Contract comes into play, and it’s up to all of us to reaffirm our support of what this country is to be… black, white, yellow… doesn’t freakin’ matter. We are all equal in the One’s eyes.

So how did I get from a shitty trash contract to this pronouncement?

It is time here to end the Negro Administration of the City. Black, White, Asian and Creoles need to become the moving force in this area. No more Class-warfare, no more Race crap. This is all of our homes and lives, and it’s time that all of us take control of our city. I “see” the possibilities, I know that we are capable, but I doubt the courage of conviction…

Prove the old Swamp Witch wrong darlin’s. Let’s create the New World.

And meanwhile we must deal with the mess that our disgraced Negro D.A. left us concerning his Racist actions.Â (Once again my relatives disgust me.)

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October 25, 2007

More House Repairs…

Filed under: Gentilly,New Orleans,Our House,Rebuilding — Tags: Gentilly, New Orleans, Our House, Rebuilding — Morwen Madrigal @ 7:17 pm

Now that the gang is working on the structural aspect of the house I’ve started taking photos of the repair work.

Many floor joists had to be replaced because of rotting from the top edge (leaky plumbing for years). We couldn’t see it from below once the house was raised, but when the botch-job flooring from the previous owners was ripped up, almost half of the joists had to be replaced. It’s fine by me since I don’t relish falling through the floor when I’m on the potty, and I damn sure don’t want the pool table crashing onto the garage floor (“Oh the Humanity!”).

The rafters are being replaced and properly tied into the old portion of the house. How the place survived with this incompletion I do not know, but it’s getting fixed now.

Next week the slab will be poured and the string-walls built. Rebar ties all of this together with the pillars and creates a great foundation for the place. The front staircase also goes in at this time, and all of the lower area will be able to handle up to a 300 mph wind blast. (Plumbing and electrical starts during the week too.)

These guys are amazing in how fast and accurately they are working. Their attention to detail is fantastic considering how many changes are happening inside the house and their thoughtfulness when it comes to our living in what will be a very easily managed home is laudable (Just have to keep them reined in concerning costs. *rolls eyes*). We are also replacing the windows and cutting down on the total number of them in order to be able to add storm shutters for more protection.
The Pool House is almost finished, and the other cottage will be functional near the end of the year. The back deck (imagine a courtyard with a 12′ wide mezzanine surrounding it) is going to be so tres kewl! It’s reminding me of some places in the Quarter in look and feel. I just need to get back into the house so I can rebuild the courtyard at my leisure in order to restore the old ambiance of the place, and that can’t happen until the boys are done.

The front yard is going to hold four driveways (two for us and two for our tenants), so we’ve decided on doing the remainder as a rock garden. The drainage to the street will also be improved by putting in a pipe and filling in the ditch so the yard stops eroding into the storm drains.

It’ll probably be late Spring before I can start rebuilding the side yard, but that’s the breaks. I won’t be able to put in the new trees until next Fall now, so we get to ponder more on what we want this part of the compound to be like.

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October 11, 2007

House Update #1-

Filed under: Louisiana,New Orleans,Rebuilding — Tags: Louisiana, New Orleans, Rebuilding — Morwen Madrigal @ 6:56 am

I’ve spent the last two afternoons hangin’ with “Da House”.Â Mainly this is to monitor progressÂ on the repairs and answer questions,Â but also to use my spurs when I need them (Wishlist: Black-leather bustier, black-leatherÂ mini-skirt, a cattle prod and whip…. and oh yes, six inch black pumps.)

Today I was surprised to see Ray coming up the ladder to where the house stands now. ( one year ago he led volunteers to help us started getting the place cleaned out.) He was down because he and his crew, and the Aribi Wrecking Krew had cleaned out so many houses, but very few were actually being rebuilt right now. (one is a few blocks away from our place) He needed to know that something was happening for the better for all for their work. Hopefully what we are doing will aid others in coming home.

I was showing Ray what improvements we were making to become more self-sufficient, and then he remarked that the poor can’t afford what we are doing. I felt stunned. Yes, we are borrowing these funds from the SBA, and yes we do have to live for 30 more years to pay this stuff off, but we are lucky in that we can do that.

I’ve spent all evening thinking about what can be done for those who cannot pull off our scenario (Me Disabled and she normal Middle-Class). The only solution I can see is that Foundations and Corporations are the only way to fund the projects that can provide the improvements we are utilizing in order to survive the Post-Flood world here to those who do not have our capabilities.

There are a couple of geo-thermal projects going on in the Lower Ninth. There’s some Solar activity there too. and there is Brad Pitt’s project for many homes in the area, but it’s not enough.

So I guess tonight what I’m asking is that you all contact the many foundations around to help in this matter.

This is the only avenue I have currently.Â I don’t have links or anything else. I’m asking you to search and find donors for this project. I can’t do it right now, I am busy with our poop.

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October 8, 2007

A Light On In City Hall?

Filed under: FEMA,New Orleans,Rebuilding — Tags: FEMA, New Orleans, Rebuilding — Morwen Madrigal @ 5:15 am

I’ve spent the last several days pretty much bedridden and completely physically ill. Never has my body experienced this kind of pain and malaise (and I’ve has some really bad scrapes with med probs in my life)… then “Eureka!”, there was the brilliance not far away: The light was shining ON CITY HALL.

I have recovered fully, and I trust this symbolic gesture means that the City will finally use the rest of the damn funds given by FEMA to do even more important projects NOW!

(Actually I healed up on my own because it was my first major attack of nerves and PTSD. Betts called me a piker for having held out against it so long. “Just must stay centered… de-stress and find a hobby outside of the rebuilding. Sheesh! We are going out for drinks tonight.)

UPDATE: Saw the new City Hall sign last night… I like babies, I really like it.

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October 3, 2007

Is This My World?

Filed under: Carpetbaggers,Corporate Business,Corporate Capitilism,Crime,Federal Flood,FEMA,Katrina,Levees,Louisiana,Neo-Fascism,New Orleans,Racism,Rebuilding — Tags: Carpetbaggers, Corporate Business, Corporate-Capitalism, Crime, Federal Flood, Katrina, Louisiana, Neo-Fascism, New Orleans, Racism, Rebuilding — Morwen Madrigal @ 8:39 am

Here.

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September 26, 2007

If What Kind of Locality Defines Us as a People…

Filed under: Community Planning,Fools,New Orleans,New Urbanism,Rebuilding — Tags: Community Planning, Fools, New Orleans, New Urbanism, Rebuilding — Morwen Madrigal @ 5:11 pm

… then head thyself to this great discussion. It is hilarious, insightful and damning of how Modern American building and architecture in their hubris, especially over the last sixty years, have created a living Hell we call Suburbia. Watch the whole video… the last five minutes are very important as the discussion turns to what this truly means to us as a Culture.
Much like the Humid Haney, this is why I live in New Orleans. Spending over three decades away from my hometown, most of the places I lived were soulless, deadening… non-Human. There is no “Sense of Place”… no sense of connection with anything or anyone. Here I’m a citizen. In this place I feel connected with my neighbors and friends. New Orleans is a Real Culture, and I revel in that.

The thing is: all of what is good here will die if we let the demons of the Past that fled towards their Suburbia attempt to recreate the schlock that defines the suburbs in our city. It is a dead end, and our souls are in peril if it happens.

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September 24, 2007

House Raising Mitigation Grants Coming?

Filed under: Drainage,FEMA,Louisiana,New Orleans,Our House,Rebuilding — Tags: Drainage, FEMA, Louisiana, New Orleans, Our House, Rebuilding — Morwen Madrigal @ 1:41 pm

News from the T-P. It looks as if the Hazard Mitigation Grants will be here later this Fall.
Sounds like good news for folks desiring to raise their homes, but there seems to be a catch:

“Deckert said he applied to the state-run Road Home program for federal aid to rebuild and raise his home in New Orleans’ Lakeview neighborhood. But since the mitigation grant he expected to get got tied up in the squabble between the state and feds, he used his rebuilding money to raise his house. He doesn’t think he should be penalized for trying to get on with his life.

“It’s frustrating,” said Deckert, who lives in a government trailer in front of an unfinished house now raised 9 feet off the ground. “If you took care of it because you couldn’t wait any longer, because you can’t fix your house until the foundation is fixed, you’re screwed.”

It looks like Betts and I are screwed too. We were awarded the $30K grant, but then the squabble between the State and FEMA held off the delivery of the money until the Fall. We couldn’t wait that long to get back into the house… it took 10 months to get the thing raised anyway from the day we made the down payment.

My fucking depression is not getting better over this news.

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September 19, 2007

House Is Secured

Filed under: Aside,New Orleans,Rebuilding — Tags: Aside, Rebuilding — Morwen Madrigal @ 2:38 pm

The pic is a little blurry, but I was standing in the mud field of the front yard. Next week will see the start of the finishing of the place. (Yeppers, I’m ordering fixtures and all right now.)

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