#durandbuild: in progress

Ms. Durand moved to the Lower 9th Ward as a child and has lived in the neighborhood for 61 years. She bought her house in 1990 and rebuilt/repaired the home in the same spot on Royal Street after Hurricane Katrina.


Ms. Durand called lowernine.org after she noticed that water was leaking into her kitchen from the roof. During volunteers’ repair of the roof, it was discovered that contractors had not fixed Ms. Durand’s roof after Katrina, but rather put a whole new roof on top of a faulty roof. Our work has involved removing shingles, replacing water damaged and rotten wood, and laying paper and new shingles. Ms. Durand reports no more active leaks inside her home. lowernine.org is approximately two-thirds of the way finished putting on a brand new roof, and taking the load of multiple roofs off of the foundation of her Ms. Durand’s home.

  • Roof with brown shingles, some damaged, next to a rusty turbine vent. Nearby building and green foliage in the background.
  • Brown shingled roof with areas of missing tiles, revealing tar paper underneath. A white building and green foliage are visible in the background.
  • A worn and damaged brown shingle roof with several missing shingles, revealing black underlayers.
  • Brown shingle roof with visible damage and missing shingles near the edge. Background shows a lawn, outdoor furniture, and a few trees.
  • Aerial view of a weathered brown shingle roof with several vent pipes against a backdrop of green trees and adjacent rooftops under a clear sky.
  • Two people work on a sloped roof under a clear blue sky. One bends to remove shingles, and the other sits using tools.
  • Two people work on a sloped roof under a partly cloudy sky. One is seated, and the other applies a material.
  • Two people stand on a house roof under construction, covered in underlayment. Nearby, trees and neighboring houses are visible under a partly cloudy sky.
  • Man working on a residential roof with black shingles, surrounded by green trees and houses.
  • A flat rooftop covered with wooden panels under construction on a sunny day. In the background, lush green trees and suburban houses are visible.
  • Rooftop under construction with shingles partially installed. A yellow nail gun and hose rest on the roof. Background shows green trees and neighboring houses.
  • View from a roof under repair with tar paper and debris. A red car is parked on the street. Lush green trees and houses line the neighborhood.
  • View from a rooftop under renovation, showing a red car parked on a quiet residential street. Lush green trees and houses line the street under a cloudy sky.
  • View from a rooftop showing a new, dark shingled roof with a street below. A red car is parked in front of a house with lush green trees on a sunny day.
  • A man in a wide-brimmed hat smiles at the camera while sitting on a rooftop. A woman in denim shorts uses a nail gun on shingles under a blue sky.