Longs See Katrina Devastation First Hand during Housing Conference

Jacksonville, FL (December 8, 2006) Two residential housing veterans of Clay County recently had the opportunity to give a helping hand in the massive restoration efforts still under way in New Orleans.

Linda Long, office manager for JA Long Builders, along with her husband John Long, the founder of 30-year-old company, joined other volunteers in a project to assist the Preservation and Restoration Authority of Orleans Parrish.

Linda, who has served on the Clay County Housing Finance Authority for the last two years, was among hundreds of officials from throughout the country attending a conference sponsored by the National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies held in New Orleans in late November.

The work with the restoration project came after the three-day conference. Linda says two bus loads of conference attendees came out for the project.

John and Linda spent the day scraping paint off a single shotgun house in the Holy Cross area of the Ninth Ward to prepare it for painting. The restoration group had been working to reclaim historical older homes in the area, built between 1870 and 1930, before the devastation caused by flooding from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

During the conference, Linda toured the area of worst flooding (up to 16 feet) where 30 people died in a nine square block area with houses on 30 foot wide lots. John said its now just an open field with streets and small piers without any kind of tie down.

"You’re not prepared for what you see," Linda said. "Downtown looks normal, but when you go out to the Ninth Ward there’s hardly anyone living there. It looks like it would be a dangerous place to be after nightfall."

"Even though the French Quarter looks normal, the "street people'" artists and performers' are largely still gone," John said. "The only crowded venue we saw was Harrah's Casino. And all tourist business restaurant and hotels are complaining of being understaffed. At this late date, most flooded neighborhood businesses have to advertise on banners that they have reopened."

"In the Ninth Ward, most of the piles of debris have been hauled away after drywall interiors have been stripped by earlier volunteers," John said. "Many scattered total loss houses still straddle adjoining lots, partially demolished and awaiting total demolition."

JA Long Builders is based in Orange Park and has been a custom builder in the First Coast since 1970. A family-owned business founded by John Long, the company has built a reputation for quality, personal service and unique home design – constructing custom homes in some of the most prestigious neighborhoods and communities including Fleming Island, Eagle Harbor, Eagle Landing, and the Jacksonville Golf and Country Club. For more information, contact 904-264-3073 or visit www.jalong.com.

Media Contact: Ron Whittington (904-563-0402)