According to Mayor C. Ray Nagin, Louisiana's recovery has reached the tipping point, setting 2008 up as the year New Orleans will truly come back.
"Officials from New Orleans gathered Tuesday at the Louisiana Recovery Authority meeting. They left very optimistic about the future.
City Council President Arnie Fielkow says 2008 will be 'the most important year in the history of New Orleans.' He told the LRA that's because 'people will make the decision either to reinvest in our community, or make the decision not to do so.'
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin also addressed the board. 'We are at a tipping point ladies and gentleman. I think these funds are definitely going to help us move forward and accelerate our recovery,' he told the LRA.
Fielkow applauded what he says is the state freeing up nearly $300 million dollars for New Orleans recovery. 'The good news today is that we can now utilize these funds... to be able to instill the confidence that our citizens and our businesses so demand right now,' said Fielkow
Fielkow says this marks the start of a new era for post Katrina New Orleans. 'We are no longer planning in New Orleans. The planning stages have been completed. We are in the execution and implementation phase of our community now,'"
FULL STORY: New Orleans officials: Recovery planning is over
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
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