Could forced relocation to safer ground improve the city's communities, or will its costs disproportionately impact the poor?
"At least in theory, a redistribution of population to available high ground is possible. Before the storm, some 460,000 people lived in New Orleans, which was continuing to lose population. After Katrina, the decimated city has only about 150,000 residents. Two years from now, 250,000 people may live in the city. Higher elevations would accommodate that population. Farley and others maintain that the lowlands should be returned to flood-absorbing swamps, or turned into greenbelts relatively impervious to flood damage.
Potentially, these denser, higher New Orleans neighborhoods (unlike many of its depopulated, pre-Katrina counterparts) could support more supermarkets, neighborhood stores and businesses. Social services would be easier to distribute; jobs would be closer. The need for automobiles would be reduced, a good idea in a town where some 20,000 people did not own their own car."
FULL STORY: New Orleans as the new ecotopia
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.
What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.
Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie