HOME is a project about my home town of Lake Charles, LA. On August 29th, 2020, it was hit by Hurricane Laura, a once in a century category 4 storm. Several months later, I documented the damage that remains. All of the photos here were taken between November 30th and December 15th 2020.
We lived in these apartments for several years. while I was in high school. They had tons of issues, but my mom chose them because they were in a good school district.
"UNSAFE BUILDING. DO NOT OCCUPY" signs of squatting were present everywhere from a lack of government action.
I peeked in an attempt to understand what was lost. It felt like a violation and certain units are secretly occupied as people are desperate for housing.
An auto body shop with the walls ripped clean off.
The break room of the auto shop exposed
The top half of a local tv station antenna broken off
The antenna in the previous photo visible through this building where the roof was ripped off.
A hair salon on Lake street missing its roof
The roof on the ground behind the building (taken on a different day)
A shot of the damage inside. This section looks to be the waiting area
I can't quite remember the name of this business, but that part of the very damaged part of the facade used to be a big MAYTAG logo
A church on Prien Lake Road
This building had a tarp on the roof from Hurricane Laura, but got hit hard again by Hurricane Delta.
What we're forced to leave behind says a lot about the severity of a situation
The pumps were intact, but the building of this gas station was completely gone when I came here.
Fat Daddy's never came to be. It's sad thinking about the person setting out to start the restaurant. Their hopes and optimism vs what has happened since.
Something felt odd about seeing this bed still perfectly made
In this plaza, the lights or electrical system were damaged and even now they're still using these gas powered lights in the parking lot.