New Orleans 2005 - 2015

New Orleans 2005 – 2015 – what has happened since Katrina?

This article/ blog entry is a good brief overview of the changes that have taken place in the city of New Orleans through the eyes of an outside observer with a background in urban resilience and disaster risk management. Artessa Saldivar is a Resilience Engineering Specialist, World Bank.

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina there was much debate about the wisdom of rebuilding New Orleans and the vision of what New Orleans would look like ten or twenty years later was elusive. Now, as we approach a decade later, it is helpful to look back at those discussions. Here is a transcript of a conversation that took place on PBS NEWSHOUR.

We might contrast this conversation with a brief article on the 2014 population and demographics of New Orleans.

When Hurricane Isaac approached New Orleans in 2012, the city's residents were advised not to evacuate as the repairs to the hurricane protection system were complete. This was sound advice at that time and for that particular storm, which flooded communities on the outside of the levees. For those who know New Orleans now, with its rebuilt levees, rising housing prices and seeming amnesia – reminders about the struggle to rebuild are important. It may also be helpful to keep an wareness of the continued vulnerability of the lowest lying city in the U.S. and most of the world.

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Figure 6.6: The recently upgraded hurricane protection system that protects the city of New Orleans.
Credit: Dan Swensen, nola.com (The Times Picayune)

Activate Your Learning

After reading about New Orleans, respond to these questions:

Questions 1 - Multiple Choice

What factors have led to the results we currently observe in New Orleans?

a. economic factors such as incentives for residents to return and rebuild (FEMA,, insurance, Road Home program, etc.
b. Many other programs and organizations that contributed to creating incentives and opportunities.
c. Protection system rebuilt (Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System) - investment by Federal Government - $14 billion)
d. Job availability - recovery of economy to provide jobs.
e. Population growth by 2013 the population had increased to 76% of pre Katrina level.

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Question 2 - Essay

Look back at the information related to New Orleans in Unit 1. It ranked high on both the World Bank coastal cities vulnerability lists. How do you think the hurricane protection measures recently taken and currently ongoing will affect the ranking of New Orleans on future such lists?

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Question 3 - Essay

How true is the prediction in the PBS transcript that New Orleans may become more like "Venice, a place that's loved and cherished and visited by a lot of tourists, but not necessarily a driver of global trade or change?"

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