Center for American Progress

Critics have been swift to point out that the federal government's proposed (and voluntary) "Project Lifeline" does little more than set a "pause button" on at-risk mortgages. What's needed are "Neighborhood Stabilization" plans.

Rural communities lag behind their metropolitan counterparts in terms of access to services and information. Greater investments in telecommunications technology and infrastructure can help bridge these gaps.

Poor federal emergency planning; still-shattered public infrastructure; an over-commitment of National Guard equipment in Iraq; and an inadequately repaired levee system are all leaving New Orleans dangerously vulnerable to new storms.