The Seventh Ward is a large and diverse area, starting on the River at a point on the triangle formed by Esplanade Avenue (and then the line turning north and extended along Bayou St. John Ave.) and Elysian Fields Avenue, and extending north past Dillard University all the way to the Lake. In this area of New Orleans, Neighborhoods, not the Ward, determine the demographics.
The writer of the material copied in the British papers seems to be bigoted in his attitude towards Whites, and only marginally familiar with the 'seventh ward'.

The Seventh Ward area on the River, Marigny Neighborhood, is 72% White.
To the north is the typical "Seventh Ward Neighborhood," extending north to Agriculture Ave.; 94% Black, 1/3 of houses owner-occupied. This is part of the area of which Azizi talks. (For comparison, houses in the Ninth Ward are 57% owner-occupied).
To the north and west is the Fairgrounds Neighborhood, 70% Black, about 44% of houses owner-occupied.
The St. Bernard Neighborhood is just north of Fairgrounds, 98% Black. Only 17% of housing is owner-occupied. Interstate 610 (State 90) had already damaged this area.
To the east is the Dillard Neighborhood, 88% Black, but 60% of housing owner-ocupied.
Filmore Neighborhood, to the North, is more mixed, 57% Black, 86% owner-occupied.
Topping off the Seventh Ward, Lake Terrace and Oaks Neighborhoods, to the North bordering Lake Ponchartrain, are 72% white and 95% owner-occupied.

A lot of data here, but important; areas with high owner-occupancy are more likely to stay in the hands of the people of the 'hood.'

Now the JOKERS, which at the moment happens to be FEMA, and Federal rebuilding of the walls, levees and other protection. Residents are in limbo until at least late Spring.
New Federal flood maps are scheduled to be released later this year. These maps will tell residents whether- or how high- to rebuild their damaged homes. The Commission land use panel wants preliminary maps as soon as possible, but FEMA prefers to wait until the maps are finalized (some prelim. info. may be released in April-May).

If owners rebuild now, all they have as a guide are the current required elevations, which may be substantially changed when new maps are released. Federally guaranteed Insurance will depend on these maps.
If owners choose to rebuild following current requirements, and another flood comes, FEMA could rule them 'victims of repetitive flooding', and force them to raise their homes.
When will the models for levees, walls, pumps and drainage canals be complete? Not until well into the next hurricane season.
And then there will be the arguments and negociations and politics and---

What will owners of rental property do? Will they sell or rebuild and repair? Neighborhoods with low ownership may have a hard fight ahead.
Some of this information here: www.nola.com, The Times-Picayune, article on new flood maps and regulations, specifically http://www.nola.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news-4/113730870342020.xml

Demographics and Neighborhood data, start with: Seventh Ward Neighborhood