Comments on: Conflicted http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/ Life in the Flood Zone Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:55:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Uptown Agitator http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157240 Uptown Agitator Sat, 22 Dec 2007 06:52:28 +0000 http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157240 For the conflicted, uninformed, outside agitators and other interested parties, Ice-T gives a brief history of New Orleans public housing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcCXqit4oEM For the conflicted, uninformed, outside agitators and other interested parties, Ice-T gives a brief history of New Orleans public housing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcCXqit4oEM

]]> By: Anthony http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157218 Anthony Sat, 22 Dec 2007 03:50:33 +0000 http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157218 Actually it looks pretty much like New Orleans is getting some money to fix up the deplorable condition of its public housing and get people to a place where they can participate in the economy. Actually it looks pretty much like New Orleans is getting some money to fix up the deplorable condition of its public housing and get people to a place where they can participate in the economy.

]]> By: Benn http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157187 Benn Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:07:45 +0000 http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157187 Sounds pretty much like the blueprint used by disaster capitalists as laid out in Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine. Sounds pretty much like the blueprint used by disaster capitalists as laid out in Naomi Klein’s Shock Doctrine.

]]> By: mominem http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157175 mominem Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:51:10 +0000 http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157175 I just listened to the interview, nice job. I think you captured the situation well. Who was the guy? He said at on point I think the the Federal Government had taken over the Police Department and the Schools. While that might be a good idea, I don't think it's actually true. I just listened to the interview, nice job. I think you captured the situation well.

Who was the guy? He said at on point I think the the Federal Government had taken over the Police Department and the Schools. While that might be a good idea, I don’t think it’s actually true.

]]> By: Sean http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157171 Sean Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:38:11 +0000 http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157171 celcus: Thanks for your insight. Which building did you work on? In terms of the expense of additional resources, that is another question. For example, what I read is that HANOs documents show that Lafitte could be: - repaired for $20 million - overhauled for $85 million - estimate for demolition and rebuilding many fewer units will cost $100m I have not seen the HANO documents first-hand so I can't verify these claims. celcus: Thanks for your insight. Which building did you work on? In terms of the expense of additional resources, that is another question.

For example, what I read is that HANOs documents show that Lafitte could be:
- repaired for $20 million
- overhauled for $85 million
- estimate for demolition and rebuilding many fewer units will cost $100m

I have not seen the HANO documents first-hand so I can’t verify these claims.

]]> By: celcus http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157164 celcus Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:46:31 +0000 http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157164 to answer Sean: "Wouldn’t it had been possible to restore the existing structures as mixed income facilities?" Yes, but... It is no slam dunk. The cost really would be more than building new, and it could conceivably take longer than new construction. The Can company was generally a wide open warehouse space, and easily converted, not like the projects at all. I worked on a renovation a decade or more ago of one of the developments...turning mostly abandoned one and two bedroom units into four bedroom units, creating handicap accessible units, etc. The layouts are dated and based on the standards and lifestyles of the 1930's. The size of many rooms does not meet the building code, and has not met them for decades. The plumbing dates from about the same time period and the electrical is equally unusable. The interior wall are all masonry, with embedded concrete column which greatly limit what can be done. The lead based paint and asbestos issues are not exaggerated either. In short, renovation is as daunting a task as new construction. That does not mean it could not or should not be contemplated, only that there needs to be a good reason to justify expending the additional resources. to answer Sean: “Wouldn’t it had been possible to restore the existing structures as mixed income facilities?”

Yes, but… It is no slam dunk. The cost really would be more than building new, and it could conceivably take longer than new construction. The Can company was generally a wide open warehouse space, and easily converted, not like the projects at all.

I worked on a renovation a decade or more ago of one of the developments…turning mostly abandoned one and two bedroom units into four bedroom units, creating handicap accessible units, etc. The layouts are dated and based on the standards and lifestyles of the 1930’s. The size of many rooms does not meet the building code, and has not met them for decades. The plumbing dates from about the same time period and the electrical is equally unusable. The interior wall are all masonry, with embedded concrete column which greatly limit what can be done. The lead based paint and asbestos issues are not exaggerated either.

In short, renovation is as daunting a task as new construction. That does not mean it could not or should not be contemplated, only that there needs to be a good reason to justify expending the additional resources.

]]> By: doctorj http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157160 doctorj Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:31:48 +0000 http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157160 I was on the fence for a longtime also, but I also agree the council decision was the right decision. I want to have a better New Orleans. I don't aprreciate the tactics these outsiders have employed in their protests. They got the media they wanted though, but they hurt the city in the process. Of course to them, that wasn't important. I was on the fence for a longtime also, but I also agree the council decision was the right decision. I want to have a better New Orleans. I don’t aprreciate the tactics these outsiders have employed in their protests. They got the media they wanted though, but they hurt the city in the process. Of course to them, that wasn’t important.

]]> By: dangerblond http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157157 dangerblond Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:11:57 +0000 http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157157 Great interview, Bart. All your points were well stated. I especially liked the part about the source of all the distrust people have in HUD and HANO. It ain't over until we see what we end up with. Great interview, Bart. All your points were well stated. I especially liked the part about the source of all the distrust people have in HUD and HANO. It ain’t over until we see what we end up with.

]]> By: Alan Gutierrez http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157156 Alan Gutierrez Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:00:37 +0000 http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157156 The out of town protesters, the housing advocates, have done so much to isolate the public housing residents from the rest of us New Orleanians who are facing many of the same challenges as public housing residents. Anyone trapped on the Road Home can sympathize with the public housing residents when they talk about mismanagement, indifference and shady contractors. There was an opportunity to bring people together around a message of competent, accountable government. There still is. But it leadership does not come from the tattooed and pierced Pacific Northwesterners who put themselves forward for arrest and confrontation. The out of town protesters, the housing advocates, have done so much to isolate the public housing residents from the rest of us New Orleanians who are facing many of the same challenges as public housing residents. Anyone trapped on the Road Home can sympathize with the public housing residents when they talk about mismanagement, indifference and shady contractors. There was an opportunity to bring people together around a message of competent, accountable government. There still is.

But it leadership does not come from the tattooed and pierced Pacific Northwesterners who put themselves forward for arrest and confrontation.

]]> By: Anthony http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157152 Anthony Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:33:19 +0000 http://b.rox.com/2007/12/21/conflicted/#comment-157152 She blew kisses at a woman who called her the devil. Stacy demonstrated that she wasn't going to be intimidated by people who were there to disrupt the meetings. She blew kisses at a woman who called her the devil. Stacy demonstrated that she wasn’t going to be intimidated by people who were there to disrupt the meetings.

]]>