Americans are loosing New Orleans

New Orleans residents are excited and worried about what rebuilding their city may entail. The Bring Back New Orleans Commission is preparing to publicly present its recommendation for rebuilding the city and fears are rampant that some residents will not be allowed to return to some areas, or that neighborhoods will be closed if they do not repopulate in a certain amount of time.

Rhonda Johnson says, "It's very unfortunate that we have to live like that." Johnson’s neighborhood was one of the areas heavily flooded following Hurricane Katrina.

She continues, "Every day in fear of someone knocking on my door and saying, 'Well, your neighbors are not coming back, your neighborhood is not coming back, we're going to have to take your home from you. You're going to have to leave.'"

The commission, created by Mayor Ray Nagin in September, is comprised of local business leaders and over the next few days will begin to make suggestions to the mayor and city council on rebuilding, according to AHN.

Mel Legarde, co-chair of the Bring New Orleans Back commission, says, "My hope is for a better New Orleans, a better city, a city that is more robust than it was before".

V.Y.