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

摘要

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.