New Orleans Winter Service Trip

Heidi Bramson, Taafoi Kamara, Laura Norris, Jennifer Allard, Michael Oldham, Amber

Harris, Genevieve Birkby, Kerry Shannon, Joel Palmer, Anna Dolinsky

We would like to acknowledge: The MPH Program Office Our faculty sponsor: Dr. Holly Grason Additional faculty sponsors:

Dr. Lynn Goldman & Dr. Norma Kanarek

HurricaneKatrina

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Flood

New Orleans, LA

Population: 484,674 Post-Katrina Estimates:

181,400 in the city Jan. 2006, 160,000 relocated

Over 1,000 deaths directly related to Katrina in LA

The Lower 9th :

Pre-Katrina: 14,008 people, 4,820 households 98.3% African American, 0.5% Caucasian, 0.5%

Hispanic Highest rates of black home-ownership in the

country—59% Of the 117 schools in Orleans Parish, only 25 have

reopened Hit hardest by flooding, and no government

population data is available post-Katrina

Poverty Census Data 2000

Lower 9th, immediately after Katrina

...and when we visited

RALLY and ACORN

R.A.L.L.Y. Foundation

Founded in October, 2005 by Dr. Nancy Mock, a Tulane Associate Professor in Public Health

Created to monitor and evaluate the impact of recovery efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina

Trinity Christian Community

HistoricTremé Surveys

Focus Groups

• Central City Focus Group

• Trinity Christian Community

Americorps Focus Group

ACORN: Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now The nation's largest community organization

of low- and moderate-income families 850 neighborhood chapters in 100 cities

across the United States Canada, Dominican Republic, Peru

ACORN’s Katrina Relief Work Re-claiming Lower 9th Ward Homes House gutting Rehabilitation Work Continuing Community Advocacy and

Community Organizing

Public Health Impacts

Access to Health Services

In 2004 only 47% of Louisiana's non-elderly had employer-sponsored benefits and 21% of the non-elderly population were uninsured.

Of the 10 full service hospitals in NOLA, only 4 have reopened since Hurricane Katrina. Only half of the health care professionals have returned to the area

FEMA trailer parks and access to care

Mental Health Impact

Both residents and first-responders affected Increased rates of of PTSD, depression,

substance abuse, chronic stress, domestic violence

Complicated by limited access to care and deficits in trained professions who have returned to the area

SAMHSA

Flood Waters

Variety of water conditions Most affected regions had elevated levels of E.Coli,

lead, arsenic, chromium, and other VOCs Region has 54 former toxic waste dump sites, some

of which may have been compromised EPA tests suggested that many on the toxic

chemicals were below what is considered to be “immediately hazardous”, what about long term effects?

Hazards of Clean-up

Physical injuries Disposal of hazardous waste Mold growth-long-term effects unclear Air quality concerns from demolition “Katrina Cough”

Oil Spills

6 major, 4 medium and 134 minor spills totaling 8 million gallons.

Spill at Murphy Oil Company Plant totaled more than 25,000 barrels of oil.

3.8 million gallons recovered, significant amounts evaporated, were dispersed in water sources, 100,000 washed onshore.

Reports of possible affects to shellfish population

Lower 9th Ward Pre-Katrina: A Community of Vitality and Social Activism 1st deep-South school district to open its all-white doors

to black children (1960, School McDonogh #19, St. Claude Avenue)

Variety of community/social service agencies: Lower Ninth Ward Neighborhood Council; Total Community Action's Lower Ninth Ward Head Start Program ; Lower Ninth Ward Housing Development Corporation

60 percent of the residents in lower 9th Ward were homeowners, compared to 46 percent home ownership in the rest of New Orleans

Displacement

Displacement:

Who: Working Poor Black Elderly Disabled Single Mothers

Pre-Katrina: 65% Black 1960-2000:

37% to 66% Black 97% of increase

descendants of New Orleanians

Post-Katrina:Return Rate for Black New Orleanians 30%

Homeowners

Lower 9th: 80-85% African-American Home Ownership

Low cost of living: 2nd and 3rd generation homes

20% return rate Gas and water only turned on

in October, 2006 “Do not Bulldoze” gut homes: $4000.00 Keep yards kept

How do you re-build a city that plans for economic revitalization and both secure the housing rights of residents?

Eminent Domain: Business interests in Industrial Canal.

Mayor Nagin’s 17 member planning commission: 10 powerful business owners, 5 are real estate developers.

Kirk v. City of New Orleans (Dec. ‘05)

City planned on bulldozing approx. 2,500 homes without owners consent or a court hearing City: dangerously unstable homes Plaintiffs(homeowners in Orleans Parish) contend:

-involvement in the demolition process-compensation-flawed inspection process-many of the homes in 9th ward

1.13.06 – settlement:-reasonable time period for notice of demolition-written notification to last known address-toll-free number for residents to inquire about their home-Times-Picayune notice for 3 consecutive days and notice on City of New

Orleans website-process for residents to challenge demolition

http://www.advancementproject.org/press_releases/2006/011306.html

Rebuildingtheninth.org Urban Planning Report: January 2007 Cornell, Columbia, Univ. of Ill. http://www.rebuildingtheninth.org/

230 household surveys 3,500 properties assessed 400 businesses assessed 27 parks, public facilities, street conditions

Over 80 percent of Ninth Ward's structures "suffered no terminal structural damage“

Most can meet new flood zone reqs. b/c built on piers. Re-building can be cost-effective

Anderson V. Jackson 6.27.06 Class-action lawsuit Plaintiffs:

approx. 5,000 displaced families of “The Big Four” Housing Dvlpts.: Lafitte St. Bernard C.J. Peete B.W. Cooper

• Defendants: US Dpt. Of Housing and Urban Dvlpt. (HUD)/ Housing Authority of NO (HANO)

Feds delayed move-in date, stopped repairs, and admitted demolition.

Feds: mold and structural damage mixed-income plan for public

housing Renters:

Leases Rent hike Vouchers insufficient (utilities)

Mixed-Income history in New Orleans: built by private developers;

not public housing St. Thomas: 1510 families

> 100 families, Wal-mart

New Mixed-Income Plans:costs and reach according to LA Housing Finance Agency Lafitte:

demo and rebuild fewer units: $100 mil.+

overhaul: $85 mil. repair: $20 mil.• St. Bernard: demo and rebuild fewer units:

$197 mil. overhaul: $130 mil. repair: $41 mil.• BW Cooper: demo and rebuild fewer units:

$221 mil. overhaul: $135 mil.

• Lafitte:

850 families > 410; 154 low-income

• St. Bernard:

1400 apts. > 595; 160 low-income

• B.W. Cooper:

1546 apts.> 410; 154 low-income

• C.J. Peete:

723 apts. > 410; 154 low-income

Judge: 4 key points for trialTimes-Picayune 2.9.07

# of units ready for lease Type of repairs needed for damaged units # of tenants who want to return:

Approx. 1200 have already returned where allowed 90% of families in Lafitte surveyed by HANO want to return

“Inadequacies” of voucher program

Blanco just asserted support of re-opening public housing where possible

Public Health Students in Action

Free Medical Care for Uninsured

Organized by NOLA Department of Health, funded and staffed by Operation Blessing, Remote Area Medical, federal/state/local agencies and NGOs.

3,900 people provided with medical, dental, optical, and behavioral health care (including HIV testing and counseling). 700 patients seen each day. Lines began forming before dawn, even in pouring rain.

Patients given flash drive with their medical records as part of research on healthcare information portability.

HIV Testing and Referrals

NOLA Mayor’s Office on HIV Policy and Funding did not know about Health Recovery Week one month before the event!

2 agencies provided VCT. 160 people tested, 2 diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

Everyone who tested got a flier with referral to legal services hotline - free legal counseling to prevent discrimination, identify potential legal problems.

Outpouring of Volunteers

Estimated number of US volunteers in the Gulf Region to date:

575, 554

The Red Cross

In the two weeks after storm, the Red Cross dispatched over 74,000 volunteers, providing shelter to 160,000 people and dispensing 7.5 million meals

By most recent counts, the Red Cross has deployed more than 244,000 volunteers (95% unpaid) and provided: 346,980 comfort kits 205,360 clean up kits 68 million snacks and meals 596,810 health contacts 826,590 mental health contacts

Corporation for National and Community Service

Over 35,000 national service volunteers have worked with federal, state, and non-profit organizations in the rebuilding efforts

Provided over 1.6 million service hours

http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/newsroom/katrina.asp

Many more groups involved… 21,595 gallons of water purified by Southern Baptist Convention

volunteers

22,000 survivors received free medical care from Episcopal Relief and Development

10,000+ college students spent Spring Break volunteering in the region

350 “built in a box” houses sent by Habitat for Humanity

http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/katrina_volunteers_respond.pdf

Help is still desperately needed: Thousands of homes remain to be rebuilt Hundreds of thousands of volunteers needed

for gutting, skilled labor, health services, mentoring,…..

Extensive list of almost 50 organizations working in the Gulf Coast: http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/katrina_volunteers_respond.pdf

Job opportunities

NOHD divisions: school-based health, healthcare for the homeless, WIC, nursing services.

Louisiana Dept. of Health job search for public health positions: disease intervention specialist, PH epidemiologist.

Louisiana Public Health Institute: Clinical program manager, school health.

See list of 50 organizations working in Gulf Coast

ACORN Ongoing On-line Donation Drive