Should we move our population centres inland ?

[Flashermac]

The French Quarter and the rest of the old city are ABOVE sea level. It is just in more recent years that folks decided to build in the low lying areas, parts of which are actually well below the surface level of Lake Pontchartrain! That's where the folks were trapped in their houses and had to be rescued through their roofs.

[chuckwoww]

Flashermac said:

The French Quarter and the rest of the old city are ABOVE sea level. It is just in more recent years that folks decided to build in the low lying areas, parts of which are actually well below the surface level of Lake Pontchartrain! That's where the folks were trapped in their houses and had to be rescued through their roofs.

 

But the French Quarter is mainly bars, restaurants and boutiques. It will survive as a tourist center.

 

I don't know numbers but I bet a lot of those people in the suburbs owe their living to port facilities. Anyway it seems shipping on the river hasn't been interrupted too much.

[Steve]

Per the original topic, I don't think it would work in a captitalist society. Why? Money. Why do california millionaires still build homes on land that may suffer landslides? The view. Ocean views, beach front homes, etc. will always entice some people to brave the elements for it. Some say a view is priceless and apparantly it is by the means we as a society go to get one.

 

My fear for New Orleans are the lost jobs. The companies have to come back. You can only house and feed people for so long. Long term is my worry. There are millions of people who had jobs, albeit maybe not a great one, but at least a source of income and now its gone.

 

What the Secretary of Commerce needs to be doing during this time is talking to the companies that had businesses there and who employed lots of people and getting their sentiments about building back their businesses there. The government may even want to offer some sort of reduced corporate tax for businesses hiring 10 or more people or whatever number. Its small businesses that seem to be the driving force in the economy.

 

What the residents need is a source of future income.

[chuckwoww]

chocolat steve said:

Per the original topic, I don't think it would work in a captitalist society. Why? Money. Why do california millionaires still build homes on land that may suffer landslides? The view. Ocean views, beach front homes, etc. will always entice some people to brave the elements for it. Some say a view is priceless and apparantly it is by the means we as a society go to get one.

 

The reverse is true too. Poor people go where land is cheap. I don't know what the real estate market was like in NO before Katrina but I bet there are some cheap lots for sale now.

 

If the jobs are there people will go back but if it was me I'd be a renter rather than an owner. Until they spend the money on the levee system this could happen again anytime.

[Steve]

Real Estate prices will go back to pre Katrina levels based on one thing. The eternal optimism of humans, espeically Americans. There were people who bolted from Northridge and surrounding areas after the earthquake there. Half a million dollar homes were going for half the price. Now the California real estate market is one of the highest in the country. Those same homes are easily million dollar homes even though we all know another earthquake will come at some point.

 

Look at other areas that get hurricanes a lot like Miami. Their real estate didn't suffer.

 

The smart ones may be the ones that buy the best areas on the cheap and wait for the market to come back.

[chuckwoww]

We'll see. I think big investors will wait to see some major commitment by government before they rush back in and that includes a plan for the wetlands and the levee system. It's not just the poor that like a hand from big brother these days.

 

I don't know enough about the economics of NO but it's obviously a strategic port that is badly needed....plus a center for the oil and gas industry.

 

Hard to put myself in the position of somebody who lost their house. Rebuild? Move? I guess those are the questions they are asking themselves.

[Steve]

With all the negative press, I'm fairly confident will make a substantial financial committment to the area.

 

Depending on my emotional state I'd stay possibly. A lot of those folks there were born and raised in that area and have never ventured far. Where would they go? Especially the poor. They are already unskilled. Leave and go where? With what job skills?

[chuckwoww]

You make it sound like a bribe. Pork barrel politics. Will a Republican government pour billions of dollars into a red state? It will be painful for them but they probably will.

 

Will most ordinary NO residents go back? Probably.

 

Will I be buying property in New Orleans? No. a) My spare cash goes on plane tickets/hotels/beer/pussy. There's better real estate in other places. c) Somebody would call me a carpet-bagger (they're heading to NO again by the way).

[Steve]

hahaha...I omitted the word 'government' when I posted about a financial committment to the state. The feds will put a lot of money into the area. Bush will definitely want to appear generous due to the beating he's getting about his handling of the tragedy. Make no doubt about it. I wouldn't define it as pork barrell. Its needed. With gasoline prices the way they are and the economy still not anywhere near the level it was in the '90s, its still fragile. The unemployment claims reports will be very high when everyone who lost a job due to Katrina files claims. Massive amount of money is needed. Unfortunately some it will find its way to people and companies that shouldn't but I think its in the best interests of the nation to rebuild.

 

If I had the money I'd put put money into New Orleans real estate and use my windfall on beer, pussy, etc. in LOS. ::

[chuckwoww]

chocolat steve said:

hahaha...I omitted the word 'government' when I posted about a financial committment to the state. The feds will put a lot of money into the area. Bush will definitely want to appear generous due to the beating he's getting about his handling of the tragedy. Make no doubt about it. I wouldn't define it as pork barrell. Its needed. With gasoline prices the way they are and the economy still not anywhere near the level it was in the '90s, its still fragile. The unemployment claims reports will be very high when everyone who lost a job due to Katrina files claims. Massive amount of money is needed. Unfortunately some it will find its way to people and companies that shouldn't but I think its in the best interests of the nation to rebuild.

 

If I had the money I'd put put money into New Orleans real estate and use my windfall on beer, pussy, etc. in LOS. ::

 

 

It will be interesting to see how it plays out. My guess is most GOP heavyweights will see it as money down the drain. But they have to appear compassionate. They'll probably just print more money tp pay for it.

 

Going to be some good property deals in New Orleans for sure if you don't mind capitalizing on other people's misfortune.