The Mayor of New Orleans has listed the 20 important facts about about the Recovery of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and the Subsequent Flooding
Here is the listing:
20 Important Facts about the Recovery of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and the Subsequent Flooding
MAGNITUDE OF DAMAGES
FACT: The City of New Orleans is undertaking a massive and historic rebuilding effort following the greatest natural and man-made disaster in American history.
FACT: Hurricane Katrina and the flooding that followed led to unprecedented damages for an American. Those damages include but are not limited to:
* 1,400 lives lost in Louisiana;
* Inundation of 80 percent of the city with 480 billion pounds of water that sat for nearly a month;
* Damage or complete destruction of 95 percent of the city's nearly 350 buildings, including the New Orleans Police Department Headquarters
* Loss of 700 city vehicles at a cost of $128 million;
* Hundreds of miles of underground utilities -- electric, gas, water, drainage, cable and phone lines - damaged.
* Residential damages of $14 billion in Orleans Parish. Of the city's 188,251 occupied housing units, 134,344 sustained reportable damage, and 105,155 were severely damaged.
PLANNING FOR RECOVERY
FACT: Mayor Nagin began planning for recovery immediately following Hurricane Katrina, convening the Bring New Orleans Back Commission just 30 days after the storm made landfall.
FACT: Planning for recovery continued with the Unified New Orleans Plan (UNOP), an effort that included unprecedented civic involvement by thousands of residents both at home and displaced. UNOP planning culminated in January 2007.
FACT: The Target Areas Strategy Plan, focusing initial recovery resources on 17 "target areas" or neighborhoods, is designed as an implementation tool for UNOP, the people's plan. Dr. Edward Blakely announced the Target Areas Strategy Plan in March 2007.
RECOVERY FUNDING
FACT: The Louisiana Recovery Authority approved the City's plan in June 2007, making New Orleans the first locale to have its plan approved. This approval made the City eligible to receive $117 million in recovery funds. The City of New Orleans received final approval for these recovery funds in November 2007.
FACT: Despite delays in access to federal funding, Mayor Nagin, working with the City Council, began making repairs to critical infrastructure, focusing on public safety facilities such as the Criminal District Court and the New Orleans Police Department Headquarters. Borrowing money from various other departments, the City invested more than $38 million in priority facilities.
FACT: In order to provide the City of New Orleans access to rebuilding dollars while awaiting approval of other money, the Louisiana Legislature, during the 2007 legislative session, created a $200 million revolving loan fund for use by the City of New Orleans. Those funds became available in Fall 2007.
IMPLEMENTATION
FACT: The City of New Orleans is slated to undertake rebuilding projects valued at more than $1 billion. More than $363 million is planned in street and road repairs alone.
FACT: The City of New Orleans has more than 200 recovery projects underway. These include sites such as parks and playgrounds, building structures such as police stations, fire houses and cultural facilities such as the Mahalia Jackson Center for the Performing Arts. There also are separate roof replacement or repair projects.
FACT: Mayor Nagin has hosted 27 One New Orleans community meetings focused on recovery throughout the city.
FACT: Target areas are supported by facilities prioritized for recovery and currently underway, such as police and fire stations. On average, these critical projects are less than one mile from target area boundaries, making them critical in support of public safety and quality of life.
FACT: Target Areas are high visibility sites with sufficient land and other assets for development. They also have adequate resources, such as schools, libraries, etc. Target areas are supported by facilities prioritized for recovery, such as police and fire stations.
FACT: Target Areas have varying levels of need and are categorized accordingly. Renew areas require relatively modest investment, whereas Redevelop areas have some resources but still need major redevelopment. Rebuild areas were most severely devastated in terms of physical structure and social networks and will require major rebuilding and significant public and private investment in order to recover.
FACT: In November 2007, Mayor Nagin introduced the Product Delivery Unit (PDU) concept in his budget address to the City Council. The PDU was established following two years of negotiation with FEMA to have these project management services recognized as reimbursable.
FACT: Projects are being managed by the PDU, an innovative approach established to streamline the planning and approval processes that govern building projects. Key decision makers are represented in the PDU and make collective actions and approvals.
FACT: Out of a pool of 50 architectural and engineering firms, 32 firms have been assigned 61 recovery projects. These 61 projects include fire stations, fire houses, EMS facilities, playgrounds and parks, senior centers and other public infrastructure.
FACT: Although FEMA will return a building to its pre-storm status, Mayor Nagin has committed to rebuilding better than before. For example, the Mahalia Jackson Center for the Performing Arts, which is slated for completion later this year, will have new, state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems and the capacity to quickly adapt to various types of functions, from the opera one night, to a ballet the next and a movie the third. It will be on par with the country's best facilities.
FACT: The City recently held groundbreaking events for road projects on Robert E. Lee Drive, Fleur de Lis Drive and Cardenas, Papania, Adele, and Fulton Streets in New Orleans East. The city also began its first lift pavement program in February 2007 in Algiers to manage and control pavement settlement. In October 2007, Public Works began the first roadway repairs as part of the FEMA public assistance program in West End and in Gentilly; these projects were completed by February 2008.
FACT: According to the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, the population of New Orleans is now 70.1 percent of pre-Katrina, or 322,000 residents.
FACT: Pre-Katrina 60% of Orleans Parish citizens were on some form of public assistance.
FACT: Orleans Parish government panders to those who refuse to make the correct lifestyle choices.
FACT: The effectiveness of an Orleans Parish leader is based on how much money they can beg from state and fereral government.
FACT: The best solution for Orleans Parish residents are those administered by state and federal officials, not Orleans Parish Officials. Written by bet dem facts gonna run all 2gether & not b a list
on 4/4/2008
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The new face of New Orleans government? Don't hold your breath. Written by Jimmy Legs
on 4/4/2008
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WOW!!!! An article from Nagin's office about Katrina with no attacks or embarrasing claims or accusations. "Despite delays in access to federal funding" was the only reference that could be taken as blaming others. This sounds like responsible government moving forward to deal with a natural disaster. I hope this is the new face of New Orleans government. Written by
on 4/3/2008
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