New Orleans Rebirth

To whom it may concern,

It has been over three years since the federal government blundered both disaster response and recovery in the wake of hurricane Rita on the Gulf Coast. And now, with billions of dollars moving through one of this country's most graft ridden local governments, very minimal progress is being made in the City of New Orleans. While there are some high profile efforts to rebuild housing and upgrade the City's intricate levy system, many recovery efforts have unfortunately focused on the City's tourism industry. Yet the city is only at about half its former population, FEMA communities still house those effected, and no real coordinated, comprehensive recovery effort exists. What seems to be lacking now is what was lacking from the start; leadership. So much thought has gone into this issue that there are now hundreds of disparate plans all working simultaneously and in most cases against one another. New Orleans is a classical case of human encroachment on ecologically sensitive areas. The central city, built by the French atop a hill, was virtually undamaged by the Hurricane and subsequent levy breach. It is here where future development should be concentrated. Instead of rebuilding the areas that were protected only by expensive levees and outdated flood management ideas, it is in these prime development areas where the city can reconnect with its natural environs, effectively manage stormwater run-off, and reintroduce much needed natural wetlands. Instead of rebuilding these devastated neighborhoods, we should take this opportunity to develop a single masterplan for the City that focuses development away from these hazardous areas, reintroduces a natural water flow through the City and across the delta, and maximizes the natural landscape. With the assistance of the State and Federal governments, New Orleans should focus on reducing its ecological footprint as a means to revitalize the city. How will the federal government change or augment its role in disaster recovery for New Orleans?

GUNNAR HAND, AICP