Some Areas Still Struggling After Katrina

Hurricane Katrina The 4th anniversary of Katrina is Saturday. Some folks in Bayou La Batre are still having trouble.

by Chad Petri

Published: Fri, August 28, 2009 - 7:33 pm CST Last Updated: Fri, August 28, 2009 - 7:40 pm CST

Becky Barbour surveys the empty lot where her home used to sit. These days she still lives in this FEMA trailer.

“Last four years have been a nightmare to me,” she says sadly. “I've been through everything a person can go through.” Becky says living here is a challenge. Despite the daily struggle, and what she says is an impending eviction, she wants to stay.

“I'm not going nowhere, I’m going to stay right here because it's mine, this is my land and that's my trailer,” says Barbour. Members of the South Bay Community Alliance say there are still many unmet needs in Bayou La Batre, chief among them is housing.

“There's not enough funding to help, there's not enough funding to help families that's lost their homes,” says Alliance President Paul Nelson. Elsewhere, some homeowners say they need their homes elevated.

“I'm in a flood zone and when it rains I can't get out my house if another storm come like Katrina I won't have nothing,” says homeowner Rosie Robbins. She says she’s been on a waiting list for financial aid since 2005 and hasn’t gotten funds to raise her home.

“Where the money at that's what I want to know, because everyone's house around here needs to be elevated,” asks Robbins. Members of the South Bay Community Alliance and Alabama Arise, two community groups, are using this weekend's Katrina anniversary to highlight some problems left over from the storm. Alabama Arise will have a tour of areas affected by Katrina starting at nine tomorrow morning, 8/29/2009, on Rabby Street West.

Please note: Bayou La Batre officials were unavailable for comment on this story. It is Friday, their offices are closed and calls were not returned.

For information on the South Bay Community Alliance you can call Paul Nelson at 251-442-5213. For more information on Alabama Arise, Zack Carter can be reached by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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Anonymous1967 Says:

Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 2:19 pm

Ohh yeah, the Red Cross money. I had such gready co-workers that I couldn’t take off because they asked before I did and our names both started with “T” We didn’t have coverage. I had a pair of flip flops, a pair of shorts, a tee-shirt and three pair of hospital scrubs to wear…and no food, no money..didn’t realize the storm was going to be that bad and didn’t get any cash from the bank. We ate freaking sardines and drank hot orange soda for three days. But…...we are alive and we do have a home…cry me a handful…get over yourselves

Anonymous1967 Says:

Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 2:00 pm

First of all, let me say…I’m a widow with two children. My home flooded during Katrina and I lost everything. I did live in a FEMA trailer for approximately two years. I took out a loan, my contractor took every dime of it (nice christian man i went to church with). Right Angle Construction if anyone would like to know. I was left with a shell..literally..exterior walls and a roof. i have rebuilt my home from paycheck to paycheck. I still have only one functioning bathroom, and no molding, and lots of odd things….but i did it. I took help when I could get it and begged for it when I couldn’t. It’s horrible…but there is no reason to be in a fema trailer at this point. There was money out there…..I got some to get me over the hump…we had to have clothes, shoes, towels, pots, pans, etc…..and took out an SBA loan for the rest. Quit crying and pick yourself up….if a widow with two kids and a thieving contractor can do it….SO CAN YOU!!!

Noooo sympathy here

bamagirl2009 Says:

Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 12:00 pm

I have all the sympathy in the world for those who suffered loss during Katrina. But it’s been over 4 years - you have to pick yourself up and get busy doing for yourself sometime. The bank is closed and the train left the station. Time to chart out a new course of action. Past time for the Government to cut the umbilical cord and force people to do something to help themselves.

sheltiedad Says:

Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 1:03 pm

Great1 & dew26m - You’ve hit the nail on the head, but I doubt we would ever see that on the news. Might offend some of the bottom dwellers living off us taxpayers, and that might hurt ratings. Too much anger in the ghetto and they might start looting their own neighborhoods.

sheltiedad Says:

Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 12:58 pm

The entitlements should have ended after a specific time. The woman saying “whey the money at” is probably a pro at milking the system. Four years and still seeking free money, I guess Katrina brought a free money tree to her yard. Most honorable people would have worked and repaired their property, rather than sit back and wait for the taxpayers to free up another round of assistance

BamaBob Says:

Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 9:27 am

Interesting and a little convoluted.

angrymom72 Says:

Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 8:56 am

Ok I am just going to say it. I am a single mother that was living in South mobile county when Katrina hit I had six feet of water in my house lost everything because I could not afford insurance. Today i am doing great and not feeling the effects of Katrina. Why? Because I did not sit around waiting on everyone to take care of me and my 2 yound kids I got up went back to work and I am still working. I got some help from FEMA but 10,000 for everything you had is not much. I had to wait on money from red cross becasue I could not get thru because others who lost very little of nothing wanted new TV’s and rushed to get that money why I was cleaning and securing place to live. I do not get any government help and have not since about 3 months after the storm. SO GET UP OFF YOUR LAZY BUTTS STOP TAKING FROM EVERYONE ELSE AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR OWN FAMILY!!!!!

Great1 Says:

Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 8:31 am

Wish WKRG would do a story about that hard working citizens being tired of providing for the lazy no load losers.

really-doe Says:

Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 8:26 am

4 years later… these people should have made better provisions by now. There is NO excuse to still be wanting government assistance when the rest of us have put in the hard work and sweat to get back on our feet. PURE LAZINESS! Oh and “Where da money at”?... The HARDWORKING taxpayers are WORKING for it right now and guess what?... WE ARE TIRED OF PAYING YOUR WAY! It is beyond time to cut these leeches off.