I worked in the Quarter for the better part of two years. The criminals are criminals; the transients are part of the character of the area. Where else in the world do you have a mix of movie stars and millionaires living alongside musicians and artists working hard to survive?

As hard as he tries, the Quarter is still in New Orleans. White washing it may make it more appealing to moneyed types and tourists, but it comes at the cost of turning the Quarter into a shell of what it once was.