One of the most well-established squats in New Orleans is Termite Haus, an abandoned house in the 9th Ward that has been substantially re-built by homeless kids.
They say it’s on the corner of Termite and Vine because when the kids took possession, the floorboards were crumbling from termite infestation and half the house was covered with Cats Claw vines.
When I came to visit, the joint was bustling. On the front porch, two people were refinishing an old ball-and-claw-foot bathtub while inside the house a few other people were positioning green and purple tiles on the floor of the new bathroom. They’d scavenged all of these materials from other crumbling houses and derelict construction sites.
The place has a sense of humor too.
Underneath the house is a bicycle storage rack and workshop.
