Men seeking Mrs. Right among the displaced

Rob Phillips hopes to find the woman of his dreams amid the thousands left homeless by Hurricane Katrina.

Phillips, 58, lives in Portland, Ore., and works as a home builder. He's college-educated, prosperous, and races vintage sports cars. But despite his accomplishments, Phillips has never found the right woman. ''I work with male home builders," he said. ''I don't hang out in bars." It's a lifestyle, he said, that ''doesn't lend itself to meeting attractive women."

So Phillips has been posting ads on the popular Craigslist Internet bulletin board aimed at women from New Orleans who've been left homeless. On a section devoted to the New Orleans area, a number of men say they are looking for women seeking safety, shelter, and perhaps a spouse. Other such ads have appeared on Craigslist boards for cities that are hosting evacuees, such as Houston.

A smaller number of women have posted messages looking for men who have been displaced.

''I work and have my own apt and a 3 y/o son. Looking for Mr. Right," wrote one woman. ''We can chat first. If things go well U can move to NY and live with me."

But most of the messages come from men who say they can't find suitable companions in their towns, and hope that some attractive females might be willing to relocate.

David, a 43-year-old lumberjack in Yuba City, Calif., who spoke to the Globe but refused to provide his full name, posted his ad Sept. 7: ''Attractive CA white man considering a New Orleans woman for LTR," referring to a long-term relationship.

David, a self-described conservative, said he'd like to help a deserving Katrina victim get back on her feet. ''How else are you actually going to help them?" he said. ''If you give them just a welfare check, a handout or something else, obviously that didn't do much good for a vast amount of them in the first place. Obviously they didn't have enough financial resources and initiative to respond to the hurricane."

He also considers himself an expert on dysfunctional women, saying his ex-wife ''leaned toward a very undisciplined way of life, much like these flood victims."

But not all those who post ads seem so hostile to the women they're trying to woo.

''I was looking for somebody who was smart enough to take a chance," Phillips said. ''I'm interested in people who are adventuresome, a risk-taker." He acknowledges some might see the ad as an attempt to take advantage of women at their most vulnerable. ''I'm trying to attract somebody who under normal circumstances may not be attracted to me," he said.

Officials of Craigslist, based in San Francisco, did not return phone calls or e-mail messages seeking comment. But the idea of seeking romance among Katrina refugees doesn't sit well with psychologist and author Joyce Brothers. ''The person might be walking into a trap," said Brothers, noting that all forms of Internet dating pose this risk. In addition, Brothers said, it's unwise to base a long-term relationship on a traumatic experience. ''The person, when she's back on her feet, may be a very different person," she said.

The ads have aroused hostility from other Craigslist users, who have posted messages denouncing them. ''H is for Hurricane, not Hooker, you sleazebags," said one.

The author of this message, who responded to e-mail from the Globe but refused to provide a name, said she was outraged. ''I just think that these men are taking a horrible situation and are using it to score a woman, much like someone would adopt a puppy from the pound," she said. ''Like, they only want ''shapely" refugees, or college-age refugees -- come on now. It's wrong. ''

Stung by such criticism, some men have posted messages withdrawing their previous offers. Phillips isn't among them. ''I really don't care about what other people think of the way I conduct my life, " he said. Phillips hasn't gotten any responses, and he's not holding his breath. After all, he said, ''Who's going to be on their computer in New Orleans?"

Hiawatha Bray can be reached at bray@globe.com.