The American Red Cross estimates that 275,000 homes have been destroyed by Katrina and the flooding that followed in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. More than 1 million people have been displaced, their homes unlivable and likely to be demolished. Rebuilding these homes and helping these families represents a staggering challenge, especially when you attach names and faces to the evacuees.
Having just returned with a relief team from Gulfport, Miss., I witnessed an equally daunting challenge. There is an enormous volume of people living in homes that eventually could be condemned if repairs are not made soon. Most are low-income people who do not have the resources for even modest repairs; many are elderly or in poor health.