In 2018, I moved to Violet, Louisiana, from New Orleans. Violet is in the middle of St Bernard Parish – one of the fastest-growing county/parishes in the country before Hurricane Katrina. A fifteen-minute drive gets you to the Jackson Barracks and the border of New Orleans. A few miles in the other direction drive, and all roads end in water.
It is getting harder and more expensive to live in the area. Beyond the flood wall, land has been lost and people transitioned from permanent structures to RVs that can be moved inland during storms. Most of the industries on the water have taken a hit and most of the current generation has left family businesses.
Despite the hardships, there is a thriving, diverse community.
