Gwendolyn R.

Hawkins 4426 Annette Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70122-3013

October 4, 2011

Ms. Nicole Hobson-Morris Executive Director Louisiana State Office of Historic Preservation 1051 North Third Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Dear Ms. Hobson-Morris, As Coordinator of the Gentilly Heights/Vascoville Neighborhood Association, it is my pleasure to support the nomination of the New Orleans Levee Breach Sites, at the 17th Street and Industrial Canal, for listings on the National Register of Historic Places. I witnessed the effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the devastating impact of the levee failure on the neighborhoods of the Greater Metropolitan Area of New Orleans. I can attest to the stress the community continues to endure. Listing these levee breach sites would be landmarks of historical importance for the residents and visitors. These sites would also serve as a warning to our country, as well as a reminder of possible repercussions caused by weak construction and lack of maintenance in the future. Major policy changes regarding levees and floodwalls have been implemented not only in Louisiana, but throughout the nation. These breach sites (over 50 others that day) have prompted the passage of the first ever National Levee Safety Act. The National Levee Safety Act calls for a nationwide inventory and establishes a safety program to insure all levee systems protect our neighborhoods. We hope to soon commemorate an event that people all over the world saw on TV. If you have any questions regarding this letter, you are welcome to contact me. Yours truly,

Gwendolyn R. Hawkins Coordinator, Gentilly Heights/Vascoville Neighborhood