Rebuilding plan implementation in New Orleans, LA : a case study of Freret Street Commercial Corridor and Bayou Road Cultural Corridor

Abstract

Three major rebuilding plans emerged from the planning process that followed the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Outlining the visions and goals of individual communities across New Orleans, the intent of these plans was to guide the city's long-term rebuilding process. The purpose of this thesis is to: 1) document how two communities endeavored to implement projects detailed in those plans in this initial phase of plan implementation, 2) identify the various challenges they faced in the process, and 3) provide practical strategies for ensuring implementation success into the future. This assessment of rebuilding plan implementation in New Orleans is particularly relevant, as it aims to capture the degree of progress that has occurred since the city formally announced its rebuilding plan strategy one year ago. My findings are based upon stakeholder interviews, media coverage and insightful analyses of plan implementation literature and disaster recovery planning. I first briefly assess the political environment of the city at the time the storm hit, and explore the rationale for major events that unfolded in the aftermath of the storm. I then examine New Orleans' post-Katrina planning process, pinpointing key aspects of each plan that was developed. The nature of the planning process and provisions made in the plans were the context for my analysis of the two communities that serve as case studies in this research: The Freret Street Commercial Corridor and The Bayou Road Cultural Corridor. I document the experience of both communities, from initial recovery efforts, to work undertaken to restore and rebuild, and identify three major challenges encountered throughout the process - issues of communication, accessing resources, and building capacity.

(cont.) Faulty communication characterized this early phase of implementation from the onset, while community stakeholders faced the constant dilemma of trying to implement projects with limited access to needed resources. The need to strengthen community capacity became critical for both communities as stakeholders sought to assess what resources existed within their respective communities and determine who (or what) would strengthen and develop capacities they needed to acquire. I conclude by first presenting three broad recommendations to address the cross-cutting issues that emerged from the challenges identified, recommending that city governments and rebuilding communities: 1) establish internal organization to allow for an adequate assessment of needs and timely delivery of resources; and, 2) build partnerships and networks across sectors to bolster implementation efforts at the neighborhood as well as the city government level. The third recommendation, specific to governments, is to develop mechanisms that allow for coordination across agencies. I then recommend a set of strategies that rebuilding communities and their local governments should prioritize to target issues specific to combating communication barriers, facilitating access to resources, and strengthening community capacity.