The crape myrtle should be OK. Crape myrtles flower on new growth so bloom this summer will not be affected by late winter freezes.

Alicia's right, we just have to be patient. Of my three CMs, all of which were very leafed out before the freeze and all of which got toasted, my big one (west wall up against white siding of the house) is sprouting new leaves. The other two, both unprotected on east and west sides, are still thinking about it. Seems they'll be a bit behind schedule this year - may be not a bad thing if they blossom after the Japanese Beetles make their march thru the South!

I don't know why your neighbors' trees would be doing much better, unless they're getting more sun. Crape myrtles are like weeds, they're dead easy to grow, and trimming them way back just destroys their winter form.

The crapes I planted last year are toast from the freeze (they'd started to leaf), I've noticed new sprouts near the base but all the branches appear dead. Should I cut back the branches? (These are about 2 ft plants)

I'd give them a couple more weeks, wait until the weather warms up and stays consistently warm for a while. Crape myrtle branches always look dead while dormant -- I've grown a few from seed and during the winter when they were small they really did look dead -- then in the spring, like magic, they'd leaf out again.

Yep, my husband pulled one up one spring that had been planted the year before because he was sure it was dead. I noticed it a few weeks later where he had thrown it in the woods - with new leaves. It was promptly replanted. It's still thriving, probably 8 or 9 years later. They're tough. Don't give up on them yet.
Dana

I was at a grower's nursery this morning buying a truckload of perennials and groundcovers for my customers. The owner told me about a lot of losses for nurserymen in the area. It's staggering. Can you imagine having hundreds of crepe myrtles ready to sell and now they look dead? It's going to take awhile to see how everything heals from the freeze.

I also had freeze damage on 5 Crepe Myrtles I planted last year. We had a hard freeze at 28. It has only been a week or so but I notice new life showing signs so I would give them lots of time before cutting back or giving up. I grow in rock and clay, they are tough plants for sure.

I pruned 4 of my CM’s back but not to the extent of many I see many of which around the place that are pruned right back to the very node. Anyway 2 out of my 4 got so burnt, my red & a pink. And they were springing back beautifully with their leaves. Should I pick off the burnt leaves or leave as is, prune back branches again?