NEW ORLEANS: POST-DISASTER RECOVERY AND PLANNING.

NEW ORLEANS: POST-DISASTER RECOVERY PLANNING.

KAYJATTA

March 8, 2011

POST-DISASTER PLANNING IN NEW ORLEANS:

Following Hurricane Katrina in the fall of 2005, New Orleans became perhaps the most contested city in terms of planning theory and ideas. The post-Disaster New Orleans is a laboratory of various recovery planning ideas as embodied in the numerous official plans such as those by the following:

Ø  Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Ø  City of New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA)

Ø  State of Louisiana (United New Orleans Plan- UNOP)

Ø Recovery and Planning Commission  (RPC)

Part of the reason for the proliferation of recovery planning ideas in the post-Disaster New Orleans is due to political failure. Therefore, individual communities and neighborhoods saw the need to take planning into their own hands. Several neighborhood plans emerged as a result of this; among them are the Mid-City Recovery Plan initiated by the Mid-City Neighborhood Organization and the Lafitte Greenway, initiated by the Friends of Lafitte Corridor (FOLC)-a citizen based advocacy group committed to converting the derelict Lafitte corridor into a trail and park system called a greenway. The Lafitte Corridor Greenway is expected to increase access to bike paths and walking trails. This improves neighborhood safety, especially for vulnerable groups such as women and children.

The participation of communities and neighborhoods in the planning and recovery of their own environments appear to indicate social and political empowerment. However, this has been accompanied by a privatization of planning to powerful private contractors who often undercut public participation and input.

Post-Disaster New Orleans has been a hot bed of social learning as knowledge from different sources-scientific, social, cultural,… are translated into action. The widespread and to some extent the exclusive use of digital media in planning and planning critique set (Post-Disaster recovery planning in ) New Orleans apart from all in the history of planning. The Unified Plan of New Orleans (UNOP) for example was highly influenced by interactive digital media. In its Community Congress I and II (2006), a public relations consulting firm, ‘America Speaks’ was alleged to have systematically engaged in distortion of information

RECOVERY AND REBUILDING:

While it might be true that “Brownie was doing a heck of a job”, New Orleans suffered a massive political failure from the onset of the disaster at both national and state levels.

The federal policy of temporary housing for example was both expensive and ineffective as it turned into a long-term housing project that trapped many ‘settlers’ in very deplorable conditions.

Recovery and rebuilding in New Orleans after the disaster was quite uneven due to the degree of disaster and how deep the area was submerged (flood depth). Therefore rebuilding and recovery was dependent on politics as well as geography.

Identifying and establishing homeownership (title) was problematic in many cases especially in minority neighborhoods where title deeds were often non-existent. This and issues of insurance as well as flood risk impeded recovery and rebuilding efforts in New Orleans.

PLANNING THEORY:

In his article “Digital Media and the Politics of Disaster Recovery in New Orleans”, Dr. Wagner argued that “the struggle to rebuild New Orleans was played out in the context of uncertainty, contested leadership and a highly politicized planning process”. This coupled with “problems of communication”, shifted the platform for planning onto the digital media.

Professor Wagner found out that recovery in New Orleans was characterized by “activism and unofficial planning led by citizens” in contrast to government-led planning in earlier cases.

While it is true that the use of digital media in planning may not result in increased democratization of planning, it certainly appears to increase individual and community participation. Digital Media, consistent with Dr. Wagner’s findings enhances planning critique, and thus facilitates pluralism and advocacy in planning as demanded by Paul Davidoff.

The contested field of planning in post-disaster New Orleans also witnessed the application of critical theory as laid out by John Forrester. The systematic manipulation and distortion of information to advance one’s position and interests was critical in the post-Katrina recovery efforts in New Orleans.

REFERENCES:

1.      Digital Media and the Politics of Disaster Recovery in New Orleans (Dr. Wagner, J  2010)

2.      Critical Theory in Planning (Forrester, J  1980)

3.      Advocacy and Pluralism in Planning (Davidoff, P 1965).

4.      Master Plan: Friends of Lafitte Corridor