Flint Meet New Orleans

I've always thought the economic forces that battered Flint were the equivalent of a natural disaster, a slow-motion hurricane Katrina followed by the flood. Now there's some evidence to bear that out. 

Richard Rainey of The Times-Picayune reports:

Since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has consistently held the unwanted crown of most blighted city in America. That's no longer true, said Allison Plyer, chief demographer for the Greater New Orleans Data Center. A report released by the nonprofit agency on Monday shows that Detroit and Flint, Mich., had a greater percentage of dilapidated housing stock than the Crescent City, a first since the levees failed and drowned the city in 2005. 

The new report estimated that 8,000 properties in New Orleans were repaired or rebuilt between September 2010 and March 2011, leaving around 21 percent of all properties blighted, compared with 27 percent in Flint and 24 percent in Detroit.

Tearing Down Flint on Fox Part II

Thanks to Randy Gearhart, again, for the video.

Tearing Down Flint on Fox

Thanks to Randy Gearhart for passing this along.

Shabby Chic

Photo: Dwight Eschliman of The New York Times

While Flint fights urban blight, Atlanta architects David Yocum and Brian Bell use it as decoration. Must be nice to have the option.