New Homes Built in New Orleans As Some Residents Start to Return
While progress to restore the city has been slow, the construction of new neighborhoods throughout the devastated area promises to provide the spark needed for the region's revival.

The Gulf Coast, Still Wrecked, Grapples With Insurance Suits
Thousands of Mississippi homeowners are suing their insurers saying they were denied compensation for destruction post-Katrina. The cases will affect the scope of Gulf Coast rebuilding and the availability of disaster insurance there.

Demand for Commercial Space Remains Robust in Baton Rouge
The Louisiana capital city region is still benefiting from the aftereffects of Hurricane Katrina, where businesses snapped up office and warehouse space and an estimated 235,000 evacuees initially sought refuge.

KB Home Gets Set to Build Houses in New Orleans Area
The company is the first large publicly traded home builder to start construction in the city, nearly 10 months after Hurricane Katrina. Obstacles include an uncertain profit outlook and a shortage of building supplies.

New Urbanist Leader Draws Up Plans For Rebuilding New Orleans
Several large neighborhoods in the city are pushing ahead with developing their own reconstruction plans, and Andres Duany is weighing in with his ideas.

Home-Insurance Premiums Increase Across the U.S.
The hurricanes that ravaged the Gulf Coast last summer are beginning to wreak havoc on homeowners' coverage in states far removed from where the storms hit.

In New Orleans, Ridding Homes of Mold is a Big Job
Gutting houses is one of the hottest occupations in the Katrina zone as thousands of flood-damaged, moldy residences keep construction workers busy.

Mississippi Senator Sues Insurer Over Katrina Damage to His Home
The action against State Farm adds Trent Lott's potent voice to the Gulf-recovery campaign. Insurance companies cite a provision excluding damage caused by floods to deny many claims.

Architectural Theft Adds Insult to Injury in New Orleans
New Orleans has begun to see evidence of architectural pilfering of valuable Victorian-era building materials. Police suspect out-of-state work crews are the source of much of the looting.

Good Intentions: A Katrina Family Tries to Start Over in Minnesota
When two women opened their home to eight people displaced by the flooding, they hoped to help them build a new life in a very different setting. That proved much more difficult than anybody expected.

New Orleans May Bulldoze At Least 50,000 Houses
Local officials are trying to determine which homes and other buildings in the city cannot be saved and map out its reconstruction effort.

Katrina Causes Prices for Homes To Diverge Along the Gulf Coast
Hurricane Katrina is driving real-estate values both up and down, depending on where you are along the coastline.

A Mother of Six Gets A New Life in Minnesota
A family displaced by Hurricane Katrina receives a generous offer from a stranger in Minnesota.

Marriott to Reopen a Majority Of Its Hotels in New Orleans
The lodging giant says it will reopen 12 hotels in the Big Easy beginning Nov. 1. The news could bolster the notion that the city is rebounding faster than predicted.

Housing Tax Credit May Be Answer for New Orleans
As rebuilding in the Gulf Coast begins, there is talk about funding the massive undertaking by sharply expanding the federal tax-credit program, but some say this may produce dense concentrations of poverty.

New Orleans Mayor's Plan For Casinos May Be Swamped
Ray Nagin's proposal to turn much of the central city into a gambling district faces hurdles involving changes in state law and exclusive casino rights now controlled by Harrah's.

Memphis Bets on Growth Despite Negative Statistics
This western Tennessee city is a major transportation hub, but the real-estate market is weak. It is too early to tell if the region will benefit from an influx of Hurricane Katrina refugees.

Two New Orleans Landlords See Opportunity in Apartment Building
Two Big Easy investors were considering selling their property before Katrina hit. Now, despite damage that will require $4.5 million in repairs and cleanup, they see new potential in it.

Hurricane Mortgage Relief May Come at a Price
Banks are suspending mortgage payment requirements to aid homeowners affected by Hurricane Katrina, but the payments are deferred, not forgiven, and borrowers could face higher payments later.

Real-Estate Speculators Seek Opportunity
Investors are trying to grab Katrina-damaged homes at a discount, as owners of intact houses seek top prices.

Scaling Back New Orleans
Should the future New Orleans be downsized? 'Colonial Williamsburg' and other controversial models are pondered.

Home Insurance: Adjusting to Disaster
Adjusters are fanning into the Gulf Coast to determine how much money storm victims will receive.

New Orleans Officials Criticize Contracts
City leaders are frustrated that the federal government has hired companies without their input.

A Town of Fishermen Fears for Way of Life
Officials vow to rebuild a Louisiana fishing village despite residents' doubts.

The Seller's Dilemma: Is Now the Time?
Homeowners trying to pick the right time to sell are grappling with new questions spurred by Katrina.

U.S. Names Five Firms to Build Housing
Bush administration has hired five private contractors to build emergency housing in storm-ravaged areas.

Paying for Flood Damage Looms as Big Challenge
Insurers, policyholders and regulators debate who will shoulder the enormous cost of Katrina's destruction.

Can Rebuilding Create a Better New Orleans?
Civic leaders, real-estate developers and government officials are discussing plans to build a better city.

Old-Line Families Escape Worst of Flood
New Orleans's monied, mostly white elite is maneuvering to control the city's recovery.

Commercial Ports Begin to Reopen
Ships, docks and barges along the lower Mississippi River are stirring again with cargo.

Parts of New Orleans Weathered the Storm
Some areas of the city might be in better shape than feared.

Mounds of Mud Shroud Towns
A thick coating of muck will make restoring northeastern Louisiana's coastline difficult.

Investor Is 'Bullish' on New Orleans
A developer surveys the damage to the buildings he purchased before Hurricane Katrina.

Baton Rouge Real Estate Becomes Hot Property
The metropolitan area is growing rapidly as displaced business owners and residents vie for space.

New Orleans Braces for Mold, Fungi and Decay
The cost and time needed to rebuild the Big Easy will determine its future look.

Housing Needs Offset Katrina Hotel Losses
Relief workers and evacuees are filling rooms outside the hurricane disaster area.

New Orleans to Survey Damage to Its Port
The port of New Orleans remains shut off from ocean shipping.

When Floodgates Fail to Hold Back Water
Part of at least one of New Orleans's levees gave way, submerging the central city.

When You Live By a Levee
A former commander with the Army Corp of Engineers discusses the mounds of dirt designed to keep floodwaters at bay.

Insured Losses Could Hit $26 Billion
Hurricane Katrina could be one of the costliest storms in U.S. history.

Heating Bills to Rise In Wake of Hurricane
Katrina is pushing up prices of natural gas, electricity and heating oil.

What Do You Need When a Disaster Strikes?
These gadgets can help save what you value in an emergency.

Flood Coverage for Costly Homes
Insurers are introducing new policies designed to better protect high-end homeowners.

Many Hit by Flooding Don't Have Insurance
Thousands of homeowners and small businesses affected by Katrina may have to pay their own rebuilding costs.

Look Back in Claiming Losses from Katrina
Taxpayers can take deductions on damage on their 2005 or 2004 returns.

Preparing Your Home For a Hurricane
The damage caused by Katrina is a powerful reminder to get ready for storm season.

Can New Orleans Bounce Back?
A look back at four U.S. disasters suggests that cities usually rebound from devastation.

The Next Deluge: Refugees Flee Coast
More than a million people are in need of shelter.

New Orleans Businesses Look to Nearby Cities
Companies in the Big Easy rush to find new locations, as well as temporary housing for their employees.

Gulf, River Shippers Scramble to Do Business
Federal officials are struggling to determine how soon hurricane-ravaged harbors can be repaired.

Katrina Dealt Bad Hand To Coastal Casinos
Mississippi's floating casinos suffered severe damage in the hurricane.