Visiting New Orleans (Metairie, Arabi: houses, live, dangerous)

[ukwoman]

Originally Posted by WestbankNOLA

Its a percieved vs. real situation. The lower 9 is not the safest place in the city, but it isn't as bad as it's made to be. My advice would be to just be street smart and use common sense. We really need people who are willing to help rebuild. The main problem with the 9 post-K I believe is that the area is largely deserted making anything that happens easily unoticable. If you come just stay close to the group and act as you would in any other larger city except give off that "I'm afraid someone might rob me" look (it could instantly make you a target). The 9th Ward is not the best place but I think I'd rather stay there then some parts of Central City or the Iberville .

If you do decide to come, Good luck and be safe. Just realize that New Orleans is a city with a crime problem as well as many other problems and she is in the long process of trying to sort things out. It's like going through puberty 300 years too late. We really need people like you to come and help with the recovery process so I hope that nothing I said frightened you away.

Stay aware of your surroundings
Be vigilant
Use common sense
Make a difference

oh no, we are definitely coming, we really want to help rebuild, but I just wanted to know what to be prepared for.

Thank you so much for all of your information and I will definitely be careful. I'm really looking forward to coming!

[domino]

Originally Posted by summer grace

I've heard from my friend who lives in Metairie that the 9th ward had bad crime before Katrina, she said it was the murder capitol of the murder capital. She said it was wiped clean with the destruction during Katrina, so there's less crime now I gather. She said nobody wanted to go in the 9th ward before Katrina, much less after- these are her exact words. I've never been to New Orleans though.

People who have never been to New Orleans should not spread hearsay about New Orleans. If you are staying with a group and with a sponsoring church you should be just fine. The 9th ward is largely deserted.

[WestbankNOLA]

Originally Posted by domino

People who have never been to New Orleans should not spread hearsay about New Orleans. If you are staying with a group and with a sponsoring church you should be just fine. The 9th ward is largely deserted.

Sadly people in the city do the same. I hear people from East Jeff and Uptown make statements about the 9th Ward and the East being warzones when in reality they stay 2 blocks riverbound from hell.

I don't see myself living in the East but most of it is actually nice with the exception of the strip close to the I-10 and some areas off of Read and Crowder. Thankfully though perceptions like this have kept the city from turning into overdevelopment like Metairie or Harvey, but then again the city could use the tax dollars and the East is set up for that type of development.

[summer grace]

I was just quoting what she told me, I did say I hadn't been there. My friend lives in Metairie and has her whole life, it's her view not mine, I was quoting her view word for word as expressed in writing to me, that's what she told me in 2006, not recently. I agree that having never been there, I have no opinion on the 9th ward one way or the other, I wouldn't know. So, I guess I was just spreading hearsay, but it wasn't my own hearsay. I apologize.

[projectmaximus]

Originally Posted by domino

People who have never been to New Orleans should not spread hearsay about New Orleans. If you are staying with a group and with a sponsoring church you should be just fine. The 9th ward is largely deserted.

That wasn't hearsay. It was her friend's first-hand opinion. And I think grace made it very clear these were not her words.

Anyway, I'm only responding because your defensiveness turned me off a little, but I can certainly understand why you might be sensitive about what you perceive to be misconceptions. I come from a city with a very similar (and I too feel undeserved) reputation, so I can empathize.

[summer grace]

I highly encourage anyone to visit N.O and rebuild, actually and am so happy that's what the original poster decided to do- I think it will be a very enjoyable experience for her. I love N. O- just see my other posts. I think it's a very friendly and great place, from what I know from my friend and I LONG to visit or even live there. If only I lived in NOLA, instead of IA where people aren't very friendly. I truly love New Orleans, never doubt it.

[ukwoman]

Originally Posted by summer grace

I highly encourage anyone to visit N.O and rebuild, actually and am so happy that's what the original poster decided to do- I think it will be a very enjoyable experience for her. I love N. O- just see my other posts. I think it's a very friendly and great place, from what I know from my friend and I LONG to visit or even live there. If only I lived in NOLA, instead of IA where people aren't very friendly. I truly love New Orleans, never doubt it.

You'll get there sometime!

I am really looking forward to rebuilding! I am sure there's lots to do!

[Drouzin]

UK, the 9th ward was a war zone pre-K. It was a premo area for drug dealers. After Katrina the tiger turned into a kitty cat. Most of the drug dealers didn't own homes in the area, they rented or lived with relatives. The population that have returned to that area are, for the most part, decent people who are enjoying the loss of the drug dealing thugs in their community.

You will find the people there welcoming and appreciative because you are a volunteer. They are so thrilled to have their homes worked on. As for your personal safety, I wouldn't wander about at night, and during the day, if you want to take a walk, take someone with you. During the day, the place is as safe as walking the Quater, at night in spots it can be a bit shady. Not a horrible neighborhood like it used to be, the only place I would be really concerned about would be the area at the foot of the St. Claude bridge, and that would only be at night. During the day it's okay.

[Loralcb]

Let me say that I do commend you for your efforts. After Katrina, we had people from all over the U.S. come to help out our non-profit organization (in Livingston Parish). We were so appreciative and words cannot express what it meant to us for people to give of their time, money and supplies to help the many families that we serve as they moved into our area.

I agree to be aware of your surroundings at all times and stay with a group.

[domino]

Originally Posted by projectmaximus

That wasn't hearsay. It was her friend's first-hand opinion. And I think grace made it very clear these were not her words.

Anyway, I'm only responding because your defensiveness turned me off a little, but I can certainly understand why you might be sensitive about what you perceive to be misconceptions. I come from a city with a very similar (and I too feel undeserved) reputation, so I can empathize.

Her friend's first-hand opinion . . . you don't know New Orleans. Most people who live in Metairie have spent little if any time in the Ninth Ward. Metairie is David Duke country, so they tend to denigrate the minority majority population in New Orleans, and would have no reason to go to the Ninth Ward.

And look up the definition of hearsay, because the posting qualifies.