Three-part Series On Rebuilding From Katrina, A Year Later

The Christian Science Monitor runs a feature-length, three-part series that examines the people, money, and environment on the Gulf Coast one year after Katrina.

2 minute read

September 2, 2006, 7:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


From Part 1:

..."Before the storm, New Orleans had some of the cheapest housing in the country and some of the best free healthcare," says Arthur Sterbcow, president of Latter & Blum Realtors, a large brokerage firm in Louisiana. "There were tremendous incentives for the poor and elderly to stay."

The irony is that by hitting the poorest stretch of coastline in the continental US, hurricane Katrina may push out enough poor and enough African-Americans to cause its remaining population to become, on average, richer and less black, especially in New Orleans. With the economy in dire need of service-sector and low-skilled workers to support the massive reconstruction efforts, New Orleans has already seen its minuscule Hispanic population double, says Karen Paterson, Louisiana's state demographer."

From Part 2:

So, where is the money going?

"There is a vast amount stuck between Washington and the folks on the ground who need it," says Rep. Charlie Melancon (D) of Louisiana, who represents St. Bernard Parish, where almost every home was sullied by floodwaters. "Congress has authorized the money, but the agencies are not spending it."

..."Ninety percent of the reconstruction money has gone to companies outside the three states affected," says Rita King, author of the group's report on Katrina spending.

...Officials say one of the keys to recovery is the federal payout to a different population: homeowners who were not in a flood zone but who were inundated anyway - a situation common in New Orleans. To help those hurt by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Mississippi and Louisiana enacted a program to give cash to those who suffered. In Louisiana, Gov. Kathleen Blanco's program, called "The Road Home," allocates up to $150,000 to these homeowners.

From Part 3:

Rather than relying principally on levees that hug urban areas, the Corps is considering a triple-layer defense.

Extensively restored barrier islands would be the first line of defense, absorbing the first shock from the surge of high water that hurricanes bring. Revitalized wetlands would form the second line of defense. Armored levees and other forms of barriers stretching from Texas to Mississippi would form a final defense, a Maginot line often a few miles inland. These final barriers would be designed to allow boat traffic to move back and forth. By some accounts, those levees could reach 30 to 60 feet high.

Such an engineering project would take years and tens of billions of dollars to complete. In the near term, improving the region's natural hurricane defenses would fall to those who are trying to restore its wetlands and barrier islands. They also hope to stem the sinking - or subsidence - that is allowing the Gulf of Mexico to creep farther northward.

Friday, September 1, 2006 in The Christian Science Monitor

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight