A shredded sign stands in front of a hazy view of the New Orleans skyline as seen from Highway 90 near Broad Street in late December, four months after Hurricane Katrina. Today a new advertisement has been built to replace it. But many homes and stores near the overpass are still in states of disrepair. (Top: Gerald Herbert/Associated Press. Lower: Amber Hildebrandt/CBC)

A mangled sign stands in front of a hazy view of the New Orleans skyline as seen from Highway 90 near Broad Street in late December, four months after Hurricane Katrina. Today, a new advertisement has been built to replace it. But many homes and stores near the overpass are still in states of disrepair. (Top: Gerald Herbert/Associated Press. Lower: Amber Hildebrandt/CBC)

Back on Aug. 30, 2005, looters are shown wading through the flood water to nab items from Circle Food Store. Today, the Treme-neighbourhood shop remains boarded up, as are many of the other stores in the immediate vicinity. Area resident William Miller, 39, says it was the only grocery store to serve the neighbourhood. The closest real grocery store is probably a mile or two away,” says Miller, who has a bicycle for transportation. “It’s pretty barren over here. (Top: Dave Martin/Associated Press. Lower: Amber Hildebrandt/CBC)

On Aug. 30, 2005, looters wade through water to nab items from Circle Food Store. Today, the Treme-neighbourhood shop remains boarded up, as are many other stores in the vicinity. Area resident William Miller, 39, says it was the only grocery store to serve the neighbourhood. "The closest real grocery store is probably a mile or two away," says Miller, who has a bicycle for transportation. "It’s pretty barren over here." (Top: Dave Martin/Associated Press. Lower: Amber Hildebrandt/CBC)

National Guard trucks haul residents through flood waters to the Superdome, a shelter of last resort, after their neighborhoods were flooded after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Louisiana Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005. Officials called for a mandatory evacuation of the city, but many resident remained in the city. 2010: Usually home to the New Orleans Saints, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina the Louisiana Superdome ended up housing thousands of evacuees. Here, a present-day view of the Superdome. (Top: Eric Gay/Associated Press. Lower: Amber Hildebrandt/CBC)

National Guard trucks haul residents to the Superdome, a shelter of last resort, after their neighbourhoods were flooded after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, La., on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005. Officials called for a mandatory evacuation of the city, but many residents remained in the city. 2010: Usually home to the New Orleans Saints, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina the Louisiana Superdome ended up housing thousands of evacuees. Here, a present-day view of the Superdome. (Top: Eric Gay/Associated Press. Lower: Amber Hildebrandt/CBC)

Parts of the B.W. Cooper housing project in New Orleans were rendered inhospitable after hurricane-force winds damaged roofs and broke windows and the buildings suffered up to six feet of flooding. About 1,200 units, including the building pictured above, were later demolished. The area is now sitting empty, surrounded by a chain-link fence. Some of the complexes in the demolished section had already been vacant due to redevelopment plans to create less dense, newer, mixed-income apartment buildings. About 300 of the original units are currently in use, said Darrelyn Allen, the housing project manager. The project, best known by its original name, the Calliope projects, was built to deal with homelessness following the Great Depression. Since then, it has gained notoriety for extreme violence. For some, it's seen as a blight on the city, but others have fought plans to demolish the buildings, even clashing with police back in late 2007. (Top: Gerald Herbert/Associated Press. Lower: Amber Hildebrandt/CBC)

Parts of the B.W. Cooper housing project in New Orleans were rendered inhospitable after hurricane-force winds damaged roofs and broke windows and the buildings suffered flood waters almost two metres deep. About 1,200 units, including the building pictured above, were later demolished. The area now sits empty, surrounded by a chain-link fence. Some of the complexes in the demolished section had already been vacant due to redevelopment plans to build less dense, mixed-income apartment buildings. About 300 of the original units are currently in use, said Darrelyn Allen, the housing project manager. The project, best known by its original name, the Calliope projects, was built to deal with homelessness following the Great Depression. Since then, it has gained notoriety for extreme violence. Some see it as a blight on the city, but others have fought plans to demolish the buildings, even clashing with police in late 2007. (Top: Gerald Herbert/Associated Press. Lower: Amber Hildebrandt/CBC)