Over the past 30 days, the number of new building permits filed in the New Orleans metro area more than quadrupled, and the first of thousands of homes destroyed by Katrina finally started being demolished in Orleans Parish. Meanwhile, the most recent population statistics released by the city of New Orleans in March showed that more than 180,000 people now live in New Orleans. However, little or no progress was made in rebuilding many key components of the area's infrastructure and hospitality industry. See the latest numbers on the progress of New Orleans' reconstruction.