Hurricane recovery slow

• By JOE GYAN JR.
• Advocate New Orleans bureau
• Published: May 13, 2008 - Page: 8A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Significant and visible progress has been made in the physical recovery of south Louisiana since the 2005 hurricanes but the human recovery is “far from complete,’’ a report by the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps warned Monday.

The nonprofit agency recently surveyed nearly 2,200 residents of Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Calcasieu and Jefferson parishes and found that only a third consider themselves mostly recovered from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, while merely a quarter of Orleans residents put themselves in that category.

Even across areas that showed greater recovery, a majority of affected residents indicated they have not reached a complete state of recovery.

Many residents, even some with higher incomes, are still reporting hardships in meeting basic household needs, Louisiana Family Recovery Corps Chief Executive Officer Raymond Jetson said in releasing the survey results to the Baton Rouge Press Club.

“No group of people has faced an easy or immediate process to rebuilding their lives. For many, recovery remains a continuing journey rather than a destination to which they have arrived,’’ the report — “Progress for Some, Hope and Hardships for Many’’ — stated.

“The collective future of Louisiana is tied to the way in which we continue to approach recovery, particularly human recovery. The voices of people, our people, are shouting loudly to all that can hear. Are you listening?’’ the report asked.

Despite significant financial investments for post-storm recovery from both public and private sources, the survey found that nearly all affected residents believe there are not enough services available to help them in their recovery.

“Moreover, many indicate that of the services available, most are not targeted towards the true needs of impacted residents,’’ the report noted.

The survey found the single most critical barrier cited by affected residents to their recovery is “access to money — to fix houses, to pay for basic needs like utility bills, or even to merely obtain a level of stability in their lives.’’

Jetson said a large portion of residents also listed help with managing stress and depression as a needed service.

“Our people are saying to us that the impact from an emotional perspective is dramatic, profound and has not been adequately addressed,’’ the former state representative said.

The residents of Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Calcasieu and Jefferson parishes the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps surveyed between late February and early March also lived in those parishes at the time of the storms.

Jetson said if the surveyed residents are struggling to recover, he can only imagine how rough it must be for residents still displaced by the storms.