The newly created Bring New Orleans Back Commission, led by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, has approved a proposal by the Urban Land Institute to support the commission's goal to develop a rebuilding vision during the first three months of the entity's tenure.

ULI, an international research and education institute dedicated to responsible land use, will assist the commission with its master visioning efforts. The program of work will be carried out through four key activities: 1) the formation of an advisory panel of international and national experts on post-disaster redevelopment and urban regeneration; 2) the development of Ten Principles for Temporary Communities; 3) input from the breadth of ULI's membership; and 4) coordination with other groups who have dedicated valuable resources to the rebuilding effort.

The activities are designed to facilitate immediate action; create a process to ensure that actions are proactive, rather than reactive; capitalize on the knowledge gained from the recovery experiences of other communities affected by natural or manmade disasters; and provide a practical guide on creating a successful rebuilding strategy.

ULI Louisiana Chairman Tara Carter Hernandez and members throughout the state will be engaged in ULI's program of work. Former ULI Chairman Joseph Canizaro, a business and civic community leader in New Orleans, serves on the city's commission.

The cost for creating and implementing ULI's program of work for rebuilding New Orleans is being completely covered by funds raised by the ULI Foundation, which supports Institute activities. Through the Foundation, ULI is raising $1 million to aid in rebuilding the Gulf Coast region, including providing assistance in planning the redevelopment of New Orleans. This fund was initiated with the stipend from the ULI J.C. Nichols Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development program. Albert B. Ratner, 2005 laureate of the prize and co-chairman of Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises, Inc., declined the prize's $100,000 stipend and requested that ULI apply the funds to create a program of work to help plan a revitalization strategy for New Orleans. In addition, the Ratner family and Forest City made a donation of $100,000 to support ULI's work in New Orleans.

The advisory panel, which is scheduled to visit New Orleans during mid-November, will include ULI members and other land use professionals with experience in urban and post-disaster redevelopment, including the areas of planning, design, economic development and finance, all of whom will work with local government representatives, and civic, business and citizens' organizations to establish a rebuilding strategy.

Related Link: http://www.uli.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home

For more information contact:

Trisha Riggs
Urban Land Institute
1025 Thomas Jefferson St., NW Suite 500W
Washington
District of Columbia 20007
USA

Phone: 202-624-7086
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.uli.org