Six months after Katrina, clean-up work was slowly progressing in Bay St. Louis and New Orleans, and rebuilding is in the planning stages. HCN held workshops throughout the month of January 2006 and the first week of March to assist owners of damaged historic homes. In New Orleans, seven structures were initially identified, and thirty-five participants each devoted a week to the difficult and dirty job of cleaning out flood-soaked materials. In addition to filling our own projects to capacity, we referred several hundred other eager volunteers to alternative projects in the region. Many students gave their spring break or took time from classes to help with the effort.
Of the seven structures we initially slated for work, three were completely cleaned out by workshop participants and are ready for rebuilding. The first to be completely gutted and cleaned was the Trevigne House in the Seventh Ward. A volunteer workshop leader worked with Barbara, the owner, to draw up a plan of action, and the clean-up work Barbara had started was completed by the group of HCN participants within a week.
Volunteers then moved to the Holy Cross section of the  Ninth Ward to help Stacy Rockwood complete clean-up of her c.1894 modified shotgun house. Stacy had been working on her own for several months and greatly appreciated the two weeks of hard work volunteers undertook to prepare her house for restoration.
HCN partnered with the Southern Foodways Alliance to take on the daunting task of cleaning out Willie Mae Seaton’s double shotgun, a combined residence and restaurant. HCN brought expert Rob Cagnetta to begin the work, which was set up in five three-day weekend sessions. Over fifty SFA volunteers pitched in the first three weekends and under Rob’s guidance completed the clean up and gutting of damaged materials.
 On the remaining two weekends, approximately twenty-five volunteers moved on to help clean Dooky Chase’s restaurant under the guidance of retired New Orleans preservation carpenter, Howard Howze.
The Michon House, just a block from the Rockwood House, was cleaned by another volunteer group, and Rob Cagnetta offered the owner needed advice on rebuilding. The Saloy House was cleaned by a professional crew and, as with several of the other houses, awaits the City’s decision on the required raising of houses prior to rebuilding. HCN was able to put Mona Lisa Saloy in touch with architects volunteering through Architecture for Humanity, who will provide drawings for the restoration work free of charge.
The Dobard House was evaluated and found to be seriously damaged when its frame was twisted by flood waters. It is doubtful that this house can be saved. The Calhoun/McCormick Studio and Home was, unfortunately, a complete loss. To add insult to injury, original cypress posts that were being saved to use in rebuilding were stolen from the site. Architecture for Humanity has taken on this project, which will result in a new home and studio for the Calhoun-McCormicks.
 Our hardworking volunteers were so productive that HCN was able to assist with two additional structures. The Oreine House in Ponchatrain Park dates from the 1950’s. The owner worked alongside volunteers providing stories and humor along with a crayfish dinner cooked in the yard.
In March, a group of friends congregated in New Orleans to help with the Mars residence and corner store in the Seventh Ward.
 In one week, this group of nine cleared large appliances from the store, removed damaged materials, treated the structure for mold, re-hung historic bead board walls, primed the exterior clapboard and worked on designs for adaptive reuse of the store space. The former corner grocery will become the new office of the Neighborhood Story Project.  This was a very satisfactory close to this series of New Orleans workshops as the Neighborhood Story Project was a key partner in HCN’s efforts to provide assistance in hurricane-affected historic neighborhoods.
Work in Bay St. Louis has been more difficult as almost half the town was demolished. Volunteers from many organizations have been assisting with clean-up, and four of the six houses identified by HCN have received either assistance from various groups or their owners have worked hard on their own. The “Monkey” House, the Merhten House, the Monti House and the Aderer House are all largely cleaned out and owners are slowly beginning to rebuild. Much depends on insurance companies making payments. The need for donated materials and professionals to lead volunteers in conservation work is ever present.
 Bay St. Louis residents requested that HCN volunteers assist with saving valuable historic materials – such as cypress doors, heart pine flooring, etc. – from the huge piles of debris created as the tidal surge crushed numerous homes. With guidance from David Reynolds and the Green Project, twenty-five participants worked over a five-week period to sort and stack a great deal of historic and newer materials for use in rebuilding. For three weeks, HCN  volunteers worked near the corner of Washington and Hancock Streets where the remains of a number of houses were deposited by waves. The half-standing remains of the Reynolds house stands at this corner.
The last week of January and the first week of March, volunteers moved to nearby properties to recover materials from near-collapsed structures before the bulldozers arrived to finish the demolition.
 We thank those donors who made generous contributions to HCN's hurricane-relief effort. Once building regulations are finalized and additional funding for materials is secured, HCN intends to schedule workshops in both areas to help with the restoration and rebuilding process.
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