Speaking of Texas:

Katrina evacuees shift Houston’s identity

Houston (CNN) — A logo painted on the floor of Terrence Gasper’s barbershop says it all: “New Orleans’ finest.”

But this isn’t New Orleans. This is Houston.

Six years ago this month, Gasper and most other New Orleans residents boarded buses, filled SUVs and crammed highways to escape the wrath of Hurricane Katrina.

While the Louisiana city has begun to rebound, its former residents have made an indelible mark on the places they’ve gone — and none greater than in Houston, where as many as 250,000 evacuees landed after the hurricane, according to some estimates

The 2005 hurricane along the Gulf Coast left more than 1,700 people dead and wracked up billions of dollars in damages. Gasper is among the countless New Orleanians who chose to rebuild their lives in Texas after losing their homes, possessions and communities in the storm.

Since then, Gasper has developed a complicated relationship with his adopted city and his beloved hometown. You can’t take the 504 out of him, he says, referring to the city’s area code, but he won’t be moving back to New Orleans anytime soon, either.

“New Orleans is a hard place to live now,” the 34-year-old says. “For the hard-working people who are trying to build wealth and establish themselves, it’s a hard journey — a tough journey.”

Houston is a better place to raise families, evacuees like Gasper say, with better schools and less crime. They believe the economy here is healthier, with more jobs and higher pay. They’re convinced that Houston offers more security against another devastating hurricane.