Aug 11, 2007

playing tourist in the hood


I had read an article in the paper about the woman who lives here and the shrine she's built to her dead son. He was murdered on the stoop there in 2001, I think.
It's one of several such folk art constructions I've seen.

I didn't realize how close it is to my house, so today I took a trip (in the 109 degree heat index heat) to take a look. Every inch of the place is painted in elaborate patterns. It's really very beautiful.

The city, as dysfunctional as ever, is trying to tear it (and a number of other perfectly fine homes down.)

4 comments:

Silly Monkey said...

Why are they trying to tear it down? Do the people who live there own it?

jason said...

I don't know why. That's the problem with the city. Neither do they.

The article says:

"'The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing,' he said.

Similar frustration appears to be growing as property owners who can't figure out why their clearly repairable -- or, in some cases, occupied -- houses have been cited, fight to make sure their homes don't become piles of rubble.

Since shortly after Mayor Ray Nagin's administration began enforcing the controversial law in March, which has designated hundreds of properties for FEMA-financed demolitions, fair-housing advocates and targeted homeowners have howled over what they decry as haphazard enforcement of the health-threat law, a confusing and inconsistent notification process, and the lack of a clear recourse to save condemned properties. "

Silly Monkey said...

Typical! What a shame!

mrpeenee said...

Sweetie
o no, they can't tear this down. It's art. Quick, go chain yourself to the stoop. She looks like she wouldn't mind, especially if you let her spray paint you with a swirly design on your head. Is this in Bywater? It looks like it, but I know it could be anywhere.

How very sad to hear about the administration actively trying to destory what remains of NOLA's charm. It always amazed me how the halfwits with power there never appreciated what made New Orleans unique and worth treasuring.