For a reporter returning to southern Mississippi after four months away, signs of progress are clearly evident. But seven months after Hurricane Katrina flattened much of Bay St. Louis and Waveland, the pace of reconstruction is maddeningly slow and frustrating to many residents.
It will be many years before life returns to normal in these two small cities on the Gulf Coast, but the steady process of rebuilding should mean hundreds of more housing units will be available over the next year.
And while everyone who calls the area home would prefer that the hurricane never happened, many businesses that have been able to open clearly are doing a booming business. Strong lumberyard sales, for example, are one reason Bay St. Louis sales tax revenues have been higher than expected, although overall city income is still down sharply because Casino Magic remains closed. The casino is expected to reopen by the end of 2006 along with some of its restaurants and its 14-story hotel.
Driving along U.S. 90, the main highway connecting Bay St. Louis and Waveland, it is apparent that many businesses, especially smaller ones, have repaired, rebuilt and reopened. The area is still woefully short on grocery stores, although Wal-Mart has expanded its food selection and appears likely to become the area's dominant grocery outlet for the foreseeable future. The only other grocery store is more than 10 miles away in Diamondhead.
While groceries are a bit hard to come by, the restaurant scene has improved dramatically, as two of the most popular sit-down restaurants have reopened on Highway 90 in Bay St. Louis. Rickey's Bar and Grill was formerly located on Colman Avenue in Waveland, which was wiped out by the storm. Trapani's Eatery was on the waterfront in Bay St. Louis. Both specialize in local cuisine with a heavy emphasis on seafood.
The scope of the hurricane's destruction is still astonishing, and many residents complain of a shortage of available workers, even though the roads are crammed with contractor pickup trucks. One major obstacle is a lack of available housing for employees, which means many workers have to commute from Slidell, La., 30 miles away, raising reconstruction costs.
In the most devastated parts of Bay St. Louis and Waveland, the main change over the past four months is that hundreds of lots have been cleared of debris. But in most of the hardest-hit neighborhoods, only a few homes have been rebuilt to the point where they are livable again.
Housing market slowly stirs
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Jane, once again i must neel and bow...you said it right girl!
andy,booneville ms. (Sent Apr 25, 2006 10:22:56 PM)
To Ada, who said:
My homeowner’s insurance company paid all they are going to pay, so now what?
File a supplemental claim. We have and my insurance
company responded.
R., BSL (Sent Apr 27, 2006 5:57:00 PM)
Speaking of Fema I think they stink my insurance only paid 1800 dollars for over 5000 in damages and im on a fixed income and a widow and no help in sight. Fema gave me the run around, they said fill out the forms so I did they said apply for loan if I was turned down they would help well I was turned down because of low income and Fema turned me down again I want to kow WHY. I applealed 4 times with the same result and I have tarps on my rood right now and more leaks, what is Fema doing with all that money they collected??? I dont kow what to do.
Jerri Cooper Chunchula Alabama (Sent May 23, 2006 4:32:39 AM)
i just got back from biloxi/ocean springs and was devistated myself at so much distruction. I was born and raised in Biloxi, one block off the beach. I recognized nothing from my childhood. I could hardly believe it! I love Biloxi and O.S., still have much of my family there. It is hard for me to accept the fact that FEMA is thinking about taking the trailers back....where will the people go?? Taking them back will only create one more BIG problem....homelessness, for the second time.
Bush, you putz.....lets get it together and take care of our own people
theresa ettinger, memphis,tn. (Sent Jun 23, 2006 10:10:02 AM)
Everyone continues to be in my prayers. I grew up in Biloxi right next to the coliseum and then again near the AFB. My dad still lives in Waveland and was one of the very few that had insurance to cover rebuilding his house. I can bring maps up of where I lived in Biloxi and the houses have blue roofs on them. I don't even know if the friends i had there are still there.It upsets me to hear of the way everyone was treated in Ms. after the hurricane. I have been thru many hurricanes when i lived in Biloxi growing up and every time we would come home after the fact we always thought our home would be destroyed. It hurt my heart to see my home town get destroyed. i would show my daughter pictures off the t.v. and say that is where i went to school or that is where we used to live and to then tell her that it's not there anymore or try to think if it is there.To stand in front of the t.v. and witness the aftermath of the hurricane made me cry.All you can do is to pray for everyone that the hurricane has touched. Be strong, Be safe and remember GOD will always provide and it's ok to cry also.
SW,South Carolina (Sent Mar 13, 2007 3:54:09 PM)
I just want to let all of you on the coast to know that you are still in the prayers, and hearts of those in other parts of the country. I am living in oklahoma city, and I am praying for healing, for you, your home, and loved ones.
Amber, Oklahoma City, Ok (Sent Apr 25, 2007 12:05:20 AM)
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