ABSTRACT
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina and the floodwall breaches that it triggered inundated 80 percent of the land area of the City of New Orleans. While the recovery from this natural and man-made disaster has been painful, it has provided the opportunity for the city to address several long-standing problems of urban decay, economic decline, and a poor quality of life for many low- and moderate-income residents. This chapter documents several planning initiatives that have set the stage for community reinvestment. It then provides a number of examples of specific initiatives aimed at diversifying the city’s economic base, providing decent moderate-income housing, preserving the unique cultural heritage of the city’s music and architecture, and providing a healthier lifestyle for all citizens through the development of parks and bikeways.
