NOLA news roundup

• New Orleans is putting in red-light cameras to target drivers who run red lights, speed through intersections or cut off pedestrians who have the right of way. Based on the driving that I saw, this will probably mean a huge jump in tickets, and I know a few drivers who could get hit by this!
• To provide Category 5 protection to the city, the Army Corps of Engineers is suggesting a government buyout of some of the lowest-lying areas. The Corps missed a Dec. 31 deadline to submit a comprehensive flood protection and coastal restoration plan to Congress, and everyone is upset about that. Add the proposition of government buyouts, and the Corps is (yet again) on a lot of people's bad sides.
• Houses that have been rebuilt have significantly greater value on the market than those that haven't. People are more likely to buy the houses that are fixed than to buy those that have only been gutted and de-molded. It's also interesting that the refurbished homes in the worst-hit places have gained back most of their property value from before the storm.
• People who own houses slated for demolition because they are "imminent health threats" must now receive notification from Mayor Ray Nagin explaining steps they can take to avoid demolition, and an appeals process is now required. Two thumbs up to that.
• New Orleans City Council has asked FEMA to extend the time period when the federal government will pay for Katrina-related demolitions and debris removal in the city. The current deadline is Feb. 29, and the council asked for a one-year extension. I hope they get it.