The devastation of Hurricane Katrina continues to be felt across New Orleans, including a neighborhood in Lakeview that has been staring at a vacant, abandoned house for the last 16 years.
Brigette Starr, a homeowner in Lakeview, said her neighborhood is throwing a Sweet 16 party for the house in disrepair around the corner, FOX 8 reports. With the theme "Sweet 16 and Never Been Fixed," they are going all out. According to Starr, neighbors will gather together for a potluck, cocktails and dessert, and one neighbor even plans to DJ the party.
"This is New Orleans, and we celebrate everything," said Starr. "Even when we're sad we find ways to celebrate and that's what we really need to do here."
The original homeowner has been deceased for years, and the person responsible for the estate has reportedly left the home is disrepair since it was damaged during the hurricane, according to FOX 8. Several complaints and code violations have been reported against the home, but house remains in the owner's possession.
Since there's little else the neighborhood can do at the moment, they're making the most of it with the party, complete with code enforcement informational boards.
"It's for me, my family, all of our neighbors here that have had to endure life with this blighted property for 16 years," said Starr.
For now, the house continues to sit untouched, boarded up as a reminder of how far New Orleans has come in the last 16 years, and how much work still needs to be done.
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