Two years after Hurricane Katrina, large swathes of poorer New Orleans remain desolate. In a bid to help the poor return, the US government has outlined a controversial plan to bulldoze some of the city’s most notorious housing projects and replace them with “mixed” housing. But critics say the plan echos a racist attitude, with the aim to scatter residents.

Christopher Grimes, the FT’s New York-based correspondent and a southerner, returned to New Orleans for the first time since the hurricane. He was greeted by signs of storm damage but also resilience. In this slideshow he tells how residents are struggling to reclaim their city but divided housing plans are leaving many in limbo.