Resilient New Orleans

Resilient New Orleans
Name	Resilient New Orleans
Settlement type	Initiative
Established title	Launched
Established date	2013
Subdivision type	City
Subdivision name	New Orleans

Resilient New Orleans is a comprehensive urban resilience initiative based in New Orleans addressing coastal risk, subsidence, and social vulnerability following Hurricane Katrina and subsequent storms. The initiative connects local actors such as the City of New Orleans, Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Mayor LaToya Cantrell, and agencies including the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP), while engaging national partners like the Rockefeller Foundation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and United States Army Corps of Engineers. It integrates inputs from cultural institutions such as the New Orleans Museum of Art, Tulane University, and Xavier University of Louisiana with neighborhood groups like the Lower Ninth Ward Neighborhood Empowerment Network and advocacy organizations including The Urban League, AARP, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

History and Background

Resilient New Orleans traces its origins to post-Hurricane Katrina recovery planning involving Mayor Ray Nagin administration discussions with federal entities including FEMA, the United States Congress, and the Army Corps of Engineers, and philanthropic engagement from the Rockefeller Foundation and Kresge Foundation. Early collaborations included academic partners such as Tulane University, Louisiana State University, Princeton University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology working alongside community organizations from the Lower Ninth Ward, Gentilly, Bywater, Treme, and Central City. The initiative drew on precedent planning efforts like the Bring New Orleans Back Commission, the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority, and the Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan, and linked to national resilience frameworks such as those advanced by the 100 Resilient Cities program and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Flood Risk and Climate Challenges

New Orleans faces compounded hazards: storm surge from the Gulf of Mexico, sea level rise documented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, subsidence studied by US Geological Survey, and increased hurricane intensity associated with NOAA and National Hurricane Center trends. Historic flood events including Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ida, and Hurricane Gustav informed risk assessments alongside localized flooding in neighborhoods like St. Bernard Parish, Algiers, and Lakeview. Scientific partners such as NOAA, NASA, USGS, and Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority contribute modeling with methodologies referenced in reports from the IPCC and the National Climate Assessment.

Infrastructure and Urban Design

Projects under Resilient New Orleans coordinate with engineering entities including the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Metropolitan Water District, and design firms collaborating with Tulane School of Architecture and Rice University researchers. Interventions include levee upgrades as part of the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System, pump station modernization with Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, and nature-based solutions such as wetlands restoration with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, marsh creation projects supported by The Nature Conservancy, and oyster reef work involving Louisiana Sea Grant. Urban design pilots in Bywater, Marigny, Lower Ninth Ward, and Mid-City feature green infrastructure, permeable surfaces, and transit adjustments coordinating with Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and freight considerations with the Port of New Orleans.

Community Resilience and Social Equity

Resilience programming emphasizes equity through partnerships with Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Xavier University of Louisiana public health initiatives, neighborhood associations in Broadmoor, Gentilly, and New Orleans East, and social service networks like Catholic Charities, Second Harvest Food Bank, and Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). Cultural institutions such as the Historic New Orleans Collection, New Orleans Jazz Museum, and Preservation Hall are engaged to protect intangible heritage, while workforce development links to Community College of New Orleans and job training programs supported by Workforce Investment Boards and foundations including Ford Foundation and Open Society Foundations.

Governance, Policy, and Funding

Governance structures involve municipal bodies like the New Orleans City Council, state agencies including the Louisiana Governor's Office, regional entities such as the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority, and federal partners like FEMA and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Funding streams combine federal appropriations from Congress, hazard mitigation grants administered by FEMA, Community Development Block Grant allocations overseen by Housing and Urban Development (HUD), philanthropic grants from the Rockefeller Foundation and Kresge Foundation, and financing instruments like New Markets Tax Credit and public-private partnerships with institutions such as Entergy and Shell Oil Company.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Emergency preparedness integrates protocols from NOHSEP, response coordination with FEMA, Louisiana State Police, National Guard (United States), and medical surge planning with Ochsner Health System, LSU Health New Orleans, and Touro Infirmary. Evacuation logistics reference lessons from Hurricane Katrina and operationalize routes including interstate corridors like Interstate 10 and Interstate 610, while sheltering strategies coordinate with faith-based institutions such as St. Tammany Parish churches and nonprofit networks like American Red Cross and Salvation Army.

Outcomes, Evaluation, and Future Directions

Evaluation employs metrics used by the Rockefeller Foundation's resilience framework, peer reviews from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and academic analyses from Tulane Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy and publications in journals such as Science and PNAS. Outcomes include strengthened levee systems under the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System, community-led recovery in Lower Ninth Ward and Broadmoor, and pilot green infrastructure in Mid-City. Future directions emphasize integration with regional coastal initiatives led by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, enhanced climate modeling from NOAA and NASA, equitable finance mechanisms with HUD and philanthropic partners, and ongoing collaboration with universities including Tulane University, LSU, Princeton University, and MIT to inform adaptive strategies.

Category:New Orleans Category:Urban resilience