This photograph was taken Uptown on a Garden District street where homes on either side of this home sell at premium prices.  Too often, even in areas of New Orleans that are booming, one sees homes so neglected they appear beyond repair.  I've been thinking about how such a valuable asset gets into this condition.  Of course, sometimes it is inevitable, such as when the home has been owned by the same person(s) for decades and they are without the funds or ability to update the house.  In other instances however, the owner(s) have died without direct decendants and without children leaving the home to a myriad of cousins, aunts and uncles that must be sorted out in a sucession.  Often times, family feuding, ignorance or a lack of will exists between these decedants, especially if there are so many that their share of the pie is too small to bother.  And then, sometimes these homes were boarded up in the 70's and 80's when so many New Orleans fled to the suburbs.  They boarded up and then forgot about the house.  Finally, sometimes these homes ended up wrecked out of a plain old cheapness.  This house had considerable value at one time and it wouldn't have taken much for it to retain at least more value than land value. All that needs to be done is to first secure the roof from leaks.  This is most important because with water damage comes termite damage and then the house is on the road to destruction.  Second, visit the house from time to time to ensure that vines don't overtake it.  Vines, like termites, will destroy a house by invading it and creating openings for water.  After that just minium home maintenence will do.  Your neighbors will thank you and so will your historic home which is trying to survive, but can't do so without your help.