Gentilly Resilience District
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| Gentilly Resilience District | |
|---|---|
| Name | Gentilly Resilience District |
| Settlement type | Urban resilience initiative |
| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Established | 2013 |
Gentilly Resilience District The Gentilly Resilience District is an urban flood mitigation and neighborhood revitalization initiative in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, undertaken after Hurricane Katrina. The project integrates stormwater management, housing retrofit, transportation improvements, and economic development through partnerships among municipal, state, federal, philanthropic, academic, and nonprofit actors.
Background and Overview
The initiative emerged in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and builds on planning frameworks such as the Bring New Orleans Back Commission, the Unified New Orleans Plan, and the Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan. It aligns with federal programs including the Federal Emergency Management Agency hazard mitigation efforts and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development resilience grant programs, while intersecting with academic research from institutions like Tulane University, University of New Orleans, and Louisiana State University. Early partners included the City of New Orleans, the Office of Recovery Development and Administration (ORDA), philanthropy from the Kresge Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation, and technical support from firms and NGOs such as A. N. Other Consulting and Greater New Orleans, Inc..
Planning and Goals
Planning drew on regional strategies like the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana master plans and national frameworks including the 100 Resilient Cities program and the National Disaster Recovery Framework. Goals emphasized reducing flood risk, increasing green infrastructure, improving housing stock, and catalyzing equitable economic development. Specific targets referenced local policies such as the New Orleans Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance and integrated with mapping from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United States Geological Survey.
Infrastructure and Projects
Key projects included permeable pavement installations, bioswale and rain garden corridors, pump station upgrades, and street regrading informed by Dutch water management precedents and projects like the Room for the River program. Infrastructure work connected to the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans operations and arterial improvements related to Interstate 10 corridors and neighborhood linkages to Lake Pontchartrain parks. Demonstration projects encompassed retrofits to public housing complexes managed by the Housing Authority of New Orleans and stormwater amenities sited near landmarks such as the Gentilly Terrace and Dillard University.
Governance and Funding
Governance used a multi-stakeholder model with municipal leadership from the New Orleans City Council, coordination with the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, and nonprofit stewardship by community development corporations similar to Neighborhood Housing Services of New Orleans and Common Ground Relief. Funding blended federal grants from the Department of Homeland Security, Community Development Block Grants administered by HUD, state appropriations via the Louisiana Watershed Initiative, philanthropic investments from entities like the Ford Foundation and Surdna Foundation, and capital contributions from private developers tied to New Markets Tax Credit mechanisms.
Community Engagement and Social Programs
Community processes referenced best practices from the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations and participatory models used by AmeriCorps-affiliated programs. Outreach integrated neighborhood meetings coordinated with organizations such as the Broadmoor Improvement Association and volunteer mobilization through groups like Habitat for Humanity. Social programming prioritized workforce training connected to Job Corps-style apprenticeships, lead abatement initiatives linked to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, and affordable housing preservation aligning with Low-Income Housing Tax Credit projects.
Environmental and Climate Resilience
Environmental measures leveraged coastal science from the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet restoration debates and incorporated green infrastructure typologies promoted by the Environmental Protection Agency. Climate resilience planning considered projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and state modeling from the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. Habitat enhancement and urban forestry efforts invoked species stewardship consistent with guidance from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and community greening programs similar to Keep America Beautiful.
Outcomes and Evaluation
Evaluation used indicators akin to those in the Urban Institute and RAND Corporation resilience assessments, measuring reductions in localized flooding, improved stormwater capture, increased housing resilience, and social equity outcomes. Monitoring partners included academic teams from Tulane School of Architecture and the University of New Orleans Center for Hazards Mitigation, with data reporting frameworks compatible with FEMA resilience scorecards. Lessons informed subsequent regional initiatives such as the City Park master plan and contributed to discourse on urban adaptation used by practitioners in American Planning Association forums.