Lower Ninth Ward Restoration Proposal

Lower Ninth Ward Restoration Proposal

An alternate approach to rebuilding a significant
part of the largest ward (“9 th
Ward”) in the City of New Orleans

Presented to the New Orleans City Council on December 15, 2005

Lower Ninth Ward Restoration Proposal
•We cannot forget that the
lives of Lower Ninth Ward
residents have been turned
upside-down.
•If we don’ t explore every
option to bring this area
back, we have failed to
adequately represent them. .

A National Guard Major
tries to comfort children
•They’ re counting on us!
whose parents are missing.

What Happened before in the 9th Ward?
•The Lower Ninth Ward
recovered from the ravages
of Hurricane Betsy (1965) in
less than five (5) years. c
•This recovery, albeit basic in
scope, was effected due to
the efforts of individuals and
families whose resolve and
Looking west toward the
determination made it
St. Claude bridge in the happen ON THEIR OWN!
Lower Ninth Ward (1965)

What was significant about that recovery?
•President Lyndon Johnson
surveyed the devastation,
especially that across the
Lower 9th Ward (Sep 1965).
•Federal assistance for home
owners was meager (at best).
Also, small businesses did not
President Johnson’s find much assistance.
view of the Lower Ninth
Ward after Hurricane
Betsy (left-side window
•Despite this, the residents
aboard Air Force One) found a way to rebuild.

The Lower Ninth Ward did it before!
•Despite receiving relatively
little outside assistance, the
very determined residents of
the Lower 9th Ward found a
way to bring their community
back from Betsy’ s devastation.
• The citizens came together as
An old military helo “ neighbors helping other
flies over receding neighbors,” and brought their
Lower 9th Ward waters
as a citizen takes refuge part of New Orleans back to
in a rowboat. (Betsy, ‘65) life! So… why is today different?

Katrina hit the Lower 9th Ward Hard!
•The Lower Ninth Ward had
the most economically
blighted situation of all areas
of New Orleans (pre-Katrina)
•Many have called Katrina a
“ blessing in disguise” for 9th
Ward residents who were
evacuated and found jobs
Photo of flooding across
Industrial Canal (Aug 30th)
elsewhere. But that doesn’ t
Courtesy: National Geographic tell the whole story…

What did Lower 9 th

Ward residents
lose after hurricane
Katrina? S
s s s s s
s

They Lost Their Loved Ones
•The Lower Ninth Ward is
believed to have had the largest
concentration of New Orleanians
who relied upon public transit.
•Those who had the means (via
privately owned vehicles: POV)
evacuated via contra-flow
The body of an unknown man highways. But to those who had
is found floating and entangled
in a downed tree. Rescue meager financial means, staying
workers do not retrieve the
body because of frantic rescue
home seemed to be a better option
operations (deemed a higher than evacuating. For some, that
priority) immediately following
hurricane Katrina. was a fatal decision.

They Lost Their Livelihood
•As mentioned earlier in this
presentation, the Lower Ninth
Ward was rebuilt after the utter
devastation of hurricane Betsy.
•More than half of the residents were
homeowners (59%) before Katrina.

A man and woman
•Because most were not in a good
look in disbelief as enough position to have stocks,
flood waters at their other property or bank accounts,
doorstep make them
prisoners in their own Katrina wiped-out nearly
home (post-Katrina). everything they owned.

They Lost Their Dignity
•Living in the open, having to
survive on the street because
no evacuation shelter was
available (or, they couldn’ t
make it there).
•They had no privacy, were
subject to inhumane and
hygienically-poor conditions.
Scene of chaos outside of the •Some were abused, raped and
New Orleans Convention
Center (post-Katrina). terrorized by thugs.

They Lost Their Identity
•Some displaced families
report that their children are
teased and persecuted by
their peers in other schools
because of their plight.
• Many lifelong residents of
the Lower 9th Ward, while
Displaced residents have to
endure crowded conditions with grateful for the generosity of
their new community, find
relatives & friends, uncertainty
of temporary shelters, constant
moving as vagabond transients.
Their feeling of community and genuine acceptance and
belonging have been assaulted. acclimation to be difficult.

They Lost Their Hope
• Seemingly overlooked by their
government, knowing that their
possessions were destroyed, and
uncertain of how they would be able to
face tomorrow, Lower Ninth Ward
residents feel isolated and abandoned.

• Residents of the Lower Ninth Ward
are largely educated, literate, and
follow the news. The Urban Land
A man cradles his young Institute recommendation (to re build
infant child as he maneuvers
through flood waters in the
the 9 th Ward last) accentuates their
wake of hurricane Katrina. feelings of hopelessness.

Katrina: Initial Forecasts Were Adjusted

As Katrina approached the Florida Straits, forecasters predicted that the storm would
turn north-northwestward to the Florida panhandle. But contrary to the majority of
forecast models, the storm continued westward, then recurved northward as it
approached the Yucatan peninsula. This forecast error delayed a decisive evacuation
by the Mississippi & Louisiana Gulf coast by nearly two days.

How Can The Lower 9th Ward Recover?
•Education
•Infrastructure
•Professional Training
•Community networking
•Life skills development
•Cultural and Historic centers
•Recreation parks and centers
•Meteorology research institute
•Commerce and Entrepreneurship
•Safety and Lifestyle enhancements

Education
Make all K-12 schools a model
for the city by establishing
curriculum for their qualifying
as “Magnet Schools.”

-M.L. King as Elementary (K-5)
-Joseph A. Hardin renovated
as Middle school (6-8)
In November 2005, Ben
Franklin Elementary
-Rename Alfred Lawless High
became the first New as (Rosa) “Parks High” (9-12)
Orleans public school to
reopen after Hurricane
Katrina.

Infrastructure
• Recapture all property, then
rezone with key subdivisions,
centers of commerce, as well
as cultural, government and
public properties.
• Use forward-thinking design
for underground utilities.
• Upgrade levee and drainage
An Entergy™ technician
works to restore electrical systems.
service to areas without
power. Underground • Widen and pave all streets;
utility lines would prove
to be more reliable than
extend I-510 westward to
outdated lines on poles. pass through Lower 9th Ward.

Professional Training
•The Andrew P. Sanchez
Community Center can serve
as a central location for
providing professional
training for Lower Ninth Ward
residents:
•Construction
•Computer training
The technical setting of a
traditional university, •Science & medicine
technical college or trade

•Law and civic support
school is an excellent
environment in which to help
citizens gain a competitive
edge in good-paying careers. •Entrepreneur development

Community Networking
The renaissance of “taking
back the neighborhood” is a
phenomena that transforms a
community:
• Neighborhood watches
• Clean & Green activities
• “Crimestopper” police tips
• Zero vagrancy & drug tolerance
A group of concerned
citizens gather to discuss • “Big Brother/Sister” programs
problems, strategies and
recommendations relating • School board & PTA involvement
to their community watch
• Community & block celebrations
program.

Life Skills Development
The adult literacy problem
wasn’t pandemic in the
Lower 9th Ward. However,
it DOES need attention.
In addition to literacy and
basic education, enhancing
life skills also relate to:

The above book examines •Etiquette
improving the quality of
adult basic learning and •Parental responsibility
literacy by focusing on the
training of adult educators
and grassroots workers.
•Social interaction

Cultural and Historic Centers
•New Orleans has been called
“The World’s Most Interesting
City.” The Lower Ninth Ward,
with its diverse and varied
community history, could be a
“refreshing discovery:”
•Native American heritage
•Early American landmarks
The New Orleans Children’s
Museum is an oft-visited •Creole and African artifacts
cultural attraction. There
are many possibilities for
new and interesting cultural
•Successful Americans whose
and historic attractions that roots trace back to the Lower
Ninth Ward
could be established in the
Lower Ninth Ward.

Recreational Parks and Centers
Successful communities
across the United States
place a premium on their
parks and recreation
centers:
• Picnic areas & fitness trails
• Sports center (indoor/outdoor)
Skateboarders take • State-of-the-Art theater (movies
advantage of facilities
that provide fun and & live entertainment).
excellent exercise for
all ages. All sessions • Artificial reservoir & fishing dock
are supervised. Other
facilities also provide • Other attractions based on input
a safe outlet for kids. from citizens.

Meteorology Research Institute
Meteorology is “…the
science of the
atmosphere and its
phenomena.”
The impact of Hurricane
Katrina was exacerbated by
the initial forecast track (as it
entered the Gulf of Mexico).
The skill of forecasting the
weather is becoming a “lost Inquisitive young minds in the
art” because of weather
forecasters’ increased Lower Ninth Ward are likely to
reliance upon computer find exploration of this realm
products. A meteorological
institute could help nurture of science to be “intriguing.”
and recover these skills.

Commerce and Entrepreneurship
There have been too many
generations who have grown
accustomed to reliance upon
federal government handouts
for their sustenance.
Wage earners maintain their
self-dignity and respect.
Entrepreneural opportunities
must be developed and
sustained within Lower 9th
A construction worker takes
time to ensure that his mark Ward neighborhoods, and
is set as he drills in a wall in other communities in Orleans
the basement of a newly built
home. Parish.

Safety and Lifestyle Enhancements
Significant changes must be
made if the Lower Ninth Ward
is to be better than it was
before hurricane Katrina:
Law enforcement interaction with
the community needs to be
cooperative.
Community service info about
health (diet, substance abuse
prevention & lifestyle) needs to be
Two police officers issued regularly
(on bike patrol) stop
to discuss a matter Domestic violence prevention and
with a senior citizen rehabilitation is needful.
in the community. Strategically-placed cameras.

What are the 9th Ward possibilities?
Before… After…
nearly all hope was gone! If we imagine it, we do it!

Thank you f or your time
and attention.

Lower Ninth Ward Restoration Proposal

Recomendados

Recomendados

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Destaque

Destaque (12)

Semelhante a Lower Ninth Ward Restoration Proposal

Semelhante a Lower Ninth Ward Restoration Proposal (13)

Último

Último (9)

Lower Ninth Ward Restoration Proposal