Is the spike in violent crime in New Orleans enough to cause an exodus of city dwellers to the suburbs of Jefferson, St. Bernard, or St. Tammany?
WWL talked with lifelong New Orleanian and Professional Consultant Greg Rigamer about the possibility of sparking another white flight.
"A lot of factors go into decision making. We know that crime is primary, just absolutely primary consideration," Rigamer says. "Everybody wants to be safe, everybody wants to be healthy. Crime flies in the face of both of those."
As a consultant, Rigamer understands trends and what drives them.
"Safety is the primary concern," He says. "Are there statistics that back all of that up? Not really, but it's just common sense, it's primary behavior."
Just taking stock of the current situation, Rigamer knows that many people are considering a move.
"You do have a really horrific situation in the city right now," Rigamer explains. "And for people who have choices, who have alternatives, this does not bode well for the city."
In the end, Rigamer says, it comes down to those who have options and resources to make a move and those who have to tough it out.
"You can do all the plans in the world, but you have a fundamental social problem in the city. That's what we really have. We can have more effective policing, more this, more that. Planning is a lot easier than implementation."
So until the plans of the police, the district attorney and the city council start to make a difference, concerns over safety will continue to play a major part in whether a family decides to stay or go.
