The Remaining

Vulnerabilities of Post-

Katrina New Orleans:

How Urban Sustainability

Efforts Must Evolve

December 13, 2012

Stephanie Heath, Matt PolandEllie Tumbuan and Karina Zhang

Over

view

Hurricane Katrina’s Effects

Intergovernmental Relations

Civic Engagement Environmental

Planning Urban Planning Conclusions

Hurri

cane

Ka

trina

’s Eff

ects

Impacted nearly 93,000 square miles

Flooded 80% of New Orleans

Total of 1.5 million people displaced between Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama

$108 billion in total damage to U.S.

Inte

rgov

ernm

ent

al R

elat

ions

U.S. H.R. Findings: Lack of coordination in

declaring mandatory evacuation between federal, state and local authorities

Police lost all control and couldn’t coordinate with other law enforcement

Medical care and evacuation coordination failed

State and local govt. chose inappropriate shelters

Red tape for requesting help caused confusion and delay

Inte

rgov

ernm

ent

al R

elat

ions

Implicit Suggestions: Consistent protocol across all levels

for declaring mandatory evacuation Planning the law enforcement

response in coordination with state and national actors; determine in advance who is in charge and responsibilities of each entity

Interagency planning between New Orleans hospitals, the Veteran’s Administration (VA) and state officials to determine: Clear roles and responsibilities Where resources can be obtained How to coordinate ongoing

communication during a crisis Coordination with private air

transport

Inte

rgov

ernm

ent

al R

elat

ions

Implicit Suggestions: Establishment of a regional

shelter database and thoroughly vetted choices laid out in the local emergency response plan.

Local officials in the disaster response plan should know the procedures for requesting aid in advance and also establish working relationships in advance with the Louisiana State Emergency Operations Center and FEMA.

Inte

rgov

ernm

ent

al R

elat

ions

Other Suggestions:Using “contingency

federalism” as a guide – vertical and horizontal relationships that allow for flexibility and quick action when necessary

Strong mutual aid agreements with other states

Inte

rgov

ernm

ent

al R

elat

ions

What has New Orleans done to improve intergovernmental relations?Has an Office of

Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness

Community Emergency Response Teams exist (without any details)

???

Civic

En

gage

men

t Af

ter K

atrin

a

Unified New Orleans Plan (UNOP)

5 months of planning, funded by Rockefeller Foundation, Greater New Orleans Foundation & Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund

Solicited citizen feedback on: (1) Future flood safety, (2) Rebuilding safe &

stable neighborhoods, (3) Affordable housing, (4) Public services

Civic

En

gage

men

t: UN

OP P

roce

ss

4 rounds of interactive meetings in 13 districts

Community Congress I: Hastily planned, poorly attended

Community Congress II: Well attended by 2,500 New Orleanians

Community Congress III: January 2007, presented UNOP (by this time, 4,000 total citizens across different cities in the region have participated in the CCs)

January 31, 2007: UNOP is submitted to NOLA Planning Commission

Civic

En

gage

men

t: Re

com

men

datio ns

1. Funding - Civic engagement must be funded for long term sustainability (nonprofit sector is optimal)2. Reactive efforts --> Institution building for civic engagement orgs, venues3. Reorient "Preparedness" to "Resilience" and "Most Vulnerable" to "New Majority" - ensure permanent inclusion of all groups 4. Recognition of Social Capital's role in resilience

Envir

onm

enta

l Pl

anni

ng:

Curre

nt S

ituat

ion

The restoration of New Orleans can become another disaster waiting to happen or a model of true model of sustainable development Sea level is rising Precipitation patterns are

changing Intensity of hurricanes Energy costs are on the

rise City is continuing to sink

Envir

onm

enta

l Pla

nnin

g:Le

vees

and

the

Wet

land

s

The very technology (the levee system) that was created to protect New Orleans from devastation backfired: Levees have contributed to

the erosion of wetlands This has removed a crucial

buffer that once protected the area from hurricanes

Biologists call the wetlands the fastest disappearing land mass on the planet

This is due partly to levees and partly to man

Envir

onm

enta

l Pla

nnin

g:Im

porta

nce

of W

etla

nds

Wetlands rank with rainforests in eco-logical importance: They harbor plants and wildlife

and function as natural sponges to buffer the coastlines

Louisiana Coast Area - Project for the wetlands surrounding New Orleans

This plan would have helped reverse the trend of continued wetland loss

Plan is in jeopardy due to shifting priorities

Focus is on rebuilding levees and pumps instead of restoring wetlands

Envir

onm

enta

l Pl

anni

ng:

Natu

ral C

apita

l

Part of a healthy local economy should be providing “natural capital” for the well-being of people: Storm and flood protection Soil formation Nutrient cycling Recreation and aesthetic

services Mississippi delta- includes

New Orleans and is one of the most concentrated areas of natural capital in North America

Envir

onm

enta

l Pla

nnin

g:Re

com

men

datio

ns

Environmental considerations for rebuilding New Orleans in a sustainable way: Let the water decide – avoid abrupt

boundaries between deep water systems and uplands.

Restore natural capital and use resources that already exist

Use the highest standards of high-performance green buildings and a car-limited urban environment with high mobility for everyone

Rebuild the Mississippi basin to minimize coastal pollution and the threat of another catastrophic flood in the city proper

Farming practices will need to be shifted and adapted to be more sustainable

Rebuilding the “capital” of the city

Urba

n Pl

anni

ng:

Befo

re K

atrin

a New Orleans did not have a comprehensive plan and the zoning ordinances were outdated

Uncertainty and unpredictability of natural disaster are the biggest obstacles in planning

Urba

n Pl

anni

ng:

Stra

tegi

es Protect – Using sustainable and storm resistant design

Accommodate- Raising floor levels in buildings

Retreat – Relocating development to safe areas

Urba

n Pl

anni

ng:

Gree

ning

the

City

The Holy Cross Project

Urba

n Pl

anni

ng:

Evac

uatio

n Pl

an

Lesson from History: There will be people that are left behind and need rescue and services

Lesson from Hurricane Katrina: Low income families and disabled individuals are the most at-risk groups

Recommendations: Educate the public, with special

attention paid to the most at-risk communities

Utilize public employees as disaster workers by providing emergency management trainings and assigning tasks with clear instructions

Designate appropriate shelter locations

Ensure adequate food, water and medicine supply for emergency use

Over

all A

sses

smen

t an

d Co

nclu

sions

UNOP never finalized or posted

No readily available citywide strategic plan or emergency preparedness plan

Very little information about emergency preparedness publically available overall

Over

all A

sses

smen

t an

d Co

nclu

sions

New Orleans should: Work on improving

intergovernmental relations using “contingency federalism” concept

Fund civic engagement and change reactive efforts --> institution building

Preserve/restore “natural capital” Urban Planning – Protect

(storms), Accommodate (higher) and Retreat (relocate)

Create a citywide strategic plan that is publically available and includes regular progress towards goals

The Remaining

Vulnerabilities of Post-

Katrina New Orleans:

How Urban Sustainability

Efforts Must Evolve

December 13, 2012

Stephanie Heath, Matt PolandEllie Tumbuan and Karina Zhang