Rebuilding Plan Implementation in New Orleans, LA: A Case Study of Freret Street Commercial Corridor and Bayou Road Cultural Corridor by Oreoluwa Alao B.S., Economics Duke University Durham, North Carolina (2003) Submitted to the Department of Urban Studies and Planning in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in City Planning MASSACHUSETTS INSrI E OF TECH.NOLOGY at the JUN 2 5 2008 MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY LIBRARIES June 2008 © 2008. Oreoluwa Alao. All Rights Reserved The author here by grants to MIT the permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic copies of the thesis document in whole or in part. Author -.1V._ Department of Urban Studies and Planning (May 21, 2008) I Certified by Professor Karl Seidman Department of Urban Studies and Planning Thesis Supervisor Accepted by Professor Langley Keyes Ford Professor of City and Regional Planning Chair, MCP Committee Rebuilding Plan Implementation in New Orleans, LA: A Case Study of Freret Street Commercial Corridor and Bayou Road Cultural Corridor by Oreoluwa Alao Submitted to the Department of Urban Studies and Planning on May 22, 2008 in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master in City Planning ABSTRACT Three major rebuilding plans emerged from the planning process that followed the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Outlining the visions and goals of individual communities across New Orleans, the intent of these plans was to guide the city's long-term rebuilding process. The purpose of this thesis is to: 1) document how two communities endeavored to implement projects detailed in those plans in this initial phase of plan implementation, 2) identify the various challenges they faced in the process, and 3) provide practical strategies for ensuring implementation success into the future. This assessment of rebuilding plan implementation in New Orleans is particularly relevant, as it aims to capture the degree of progress that has occurred since the city formally announced its rebuilding plan strategy one year ago. My findings are based upon stakeholder interviews, media coverage and insightful analyses of plan implementation literature and disaster recovery planning. I first briefly assess the political environment of the city at the time the storm hit, and explore the rationale for major events that unfolded in the aftermath of the storm. I then examine New Orleans' post- Katrina planning process, pinpointing key aspects of each plan that was developed. The nature of the planning process and provisions made in the plans were the context for my analysis of the two communities that serve as case studies in this research: The Freret Street Commercial Corridor and The Bayou Road Cultural Corridor. I document the experience of both communities, from initial recovery efforts, to work undertaken to restore and rebuild, and identify three major challenges encountered throughout the process - issues of communication, accessing resources, and building capacity. Faulty communication characterized this early phase of implementation from the onset, while community stakeholders faced the constant dilemma of trying to implement projects with limited access to needed resources. The need to strengthen community capacity became critical for both communities as stakeholders sought to assess what resources existed within their respective communities and determine who (or what) would strengthen and develop capacities they needed to acquire. I conclude by first presenting three broad recommendations to address the cross-cutting issues that emerged from the challenges identified, recommending that city governments and rebuilding communities: 1) establish internal organization to allow for an adequate assessment of needs and timely delivery of resources; and, 2) build partnerships and networks across sectors to bolster implementation efforts at the neighborhood as well as the city government level. The third recommendation, specific to governments, is to develop mechanisms that allow for coordination across agencies. I then recommend a set of strategies that rebuilding communities and their local governments should prioritize to target issues specific to combating communication barriers, facilitating access to resources, and strengthening community capacity. Thesis Advisor: Karl Seidman, Senior Lecturer in Economic Development Thesis Reader: Xavier de Souza Briggs, Associate Professor of Sociology and Urban Planning ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first like to thank each individual who participated in my research interviews. It is your experience I tried to accurately capture. Your willingness to provide information, honesty, and commitment to your city allowed me to write with a unique and deeper sense of understanding and knowledge of the events that have transpired. My most sincere appreciation is to my thesis advisors Karl Seidman and Xav Briggs who worked to ensure that the thesis I produced was my best. Throughout this process Karl has consistently provided insightful guidance and valuable feedback, while Xav's constructive and critical analyses helped me to understand the greater context of this work. Thank you both for your patience. I would also like to extend my deepest appreciation to my hosts in New Orleans, in particular, Jainey Bavishi for not only opening your home to me but also for the valuable advice you always seemed to provide at just the right moment; NHS staff (in particular Lauren Anderson, Shana Sassoon, Lakica Watkins, David Lessinger, and Stephanie Mckie) who always made sure I had a place to work and showed so much hospitality on the shortest notice; Vera Warren-Williams and 'Mama' Jennifer Turner of the Community Book Center who opened their lives and homes to me and always provided a place to rest; and Editha Amacker, for the many insights into the intricacies of the city that you have provided. All of you have made New Orleans feel like home. Thank you to MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning, in particular, Department Head, Larry Vale, for repeatedly providing the financing necessary to complete this work through the Emerson Travel Grant and other flexible sources of funding. And finally, a special thank you to my family, in particular my mother, and sister Itunu. My mother's encouragement and support helped me through the most challenging stages of this process; and Itunu, thank you for being the person I could rely on to make things happen at the last minute. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION.............................................................. 6 Conceptualizing Implementation ....................................................................................... 6 R esearch Q uestions ............................................. ............................................... ................... 7 M ethodology ............................................................................................................................... 7 Preview of Findings, Recommendations and Following Chapters ...................................... 9 2. RESEARCH CONTEXT ................................................................................................. 11 Introduction........................................ 11 C oncepts and C ontext ............................................................................................................... 11 The New Orleans Planning Process ..................................................................................... 19 The Implementation Process and Designation of Target Areas.................................... 23 The Target Areas .............................................. 28 Conclusion .................................................. 31 3. CASE STUDY: FRERET STREET (SEPTEMBER 2005 - JANUARY 2008) ............. 32 4. CASE STUDY: BAYOU ROAD (SEPTEMBER 2005 - JANUARY 2008) ................... 43 5. UN-PACKAGING CHALLENGES: OBSTACLES TO IMPLEMENTATION ............. 54 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 54 Communicating Expectations and the Roles of Government and Target Areas ................... 55 The Arduous Road/Path to Accessing Funding and Adequate Resources ............................ 58 Seeking to Build Capacity, Collaborate and Rethink Neighborhood Competition ............... 62 C onclusion ................................................................................................................................ 66 6. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION .............................................................. 67 Introduction ................................................... 67 Summary of Challenges Encountered and Lessons Learned............................ ........ 67 Recom m endations ................................................................................................ ................ 69 Addressing Cross-Cutting Issues .......................................................................... 69 Combating Communication Barriers ..................................................................... 72 Facilitating Access to Resources ..................................................... 74 Strengthening Community Capacity...................................................................... 75 C oncluding R em arks................................................................................................................. 78 REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................