Author: Karen Gadbois
- About Karen Gadbois
- Karen Gadbois co-founded The Lens. She now covers New Orleans government issues and writes about land use. With television reporter Lee Zurik she exposed widespread misuse of city recovery funds and led to guilty pleas in federal court. Her work attracted some of journalism's highest honors, including a Peabody Award, an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award and a gold medal from Investigative Reporters and Editors. She can be reached at (504) 606-6013.
Creeping concrete: Is anyone paying attention at City Hall?
$166G in taxpayer loans, yet council member's property still a wreck
Nine-month deadline passes, but councilman's property shows little evidence of generous government support.
Two council members continue work stoppage
More reporters than City Council members attended today’s non-meeting of the city’s legislative branch, which again was stymied by the absence of Jon Johnson and Cynthia Hedge-Morrell.
A blog reborn: The 'heritage' that gave rise to The Lens
Newcomers to this site may not be aware that before there was The Lens there was a blog called Squandered Heritage. With help from a wee band of fellow zealots, I devoted Squandered Heritage to the task of chronicling the parlous state of the built environment in New Orleans post-Katrina, with particular attention to the city’s priceless residential architecture.
NOAH contractor changes plea to guilty; stole post-Katrina federal funds for blight removal
Head to take at-large seat immediately — even though it costs her a shot at 2 full terms
Despite $200,000 in recovery grants, Treme mansion faces demolition
Whether a Treme house gets demolished or purposely dismantled -- in spite of the city's stop-work order -- it's clear that thousands in rebuilding money isn't saving an architectural gem.
