Hurricane Katrina

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. Hurricanes Rita and Wilma followed. The nation watched as thousands of people fled their homes, huge sections of New Orleans disappeared under floodwaters, and deep-rooted social inequities were exposed.
In the following months and years the American Planning Association and its members worked to help the displaced and to share the news that good planning could aid in the recovery and rebuilding. This timeline outlines the various responses of APA following the tragedy.

2005
August 2005
Hurricane Katrina One of the strongest hurricanes ever to make landfall in the United States, Hurricane Katrina slammed into southeast Lousiana August 29, 2005. The storm and subsequent flooding caused severe damage along the Gulf Coast, killing more than 1,500 people.
September 2005
APA's Immediate Response APA President David Siegel, APA Executive Director Paul Farmer, and the APA Board of Directors issued statements expressing their grief for the Gulf Coast community and determination to help rebuild. Response from the APA Board of Directors (pdf) Response from David Siegel, AICP, APA President Response from Paul Farmer, AICP, APA Executive Director PAS Report An excerpt from a PAS Report on Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction. Read "Chapter 5: A Planner's Tool Kit" from PAS Report 483/484
October 2005
APA Louisiana Chapter Annual Conference With the assistance of the American Planning Association, the Louisiana Chapter provided a revised program and theme for its annual conference, held in Shreveport, Louisiana. The theme, "Planning for Prosperity: Opportunities in Post-Katrina Louisiana," explored economic development initiatives important to rebuilding a prosperous, sustainable future for the state.
Testimony of Paul Farmer, AICP APA Executive Director Paul Farmer testified at a joint congressional hearing about plans for rebuilding New Orleans. Paul Farmer's Capitol Hill testimony (pdf)
Bill H.R. 4100 Introduced During the 109th Congress Congressman Richard Baker introduced bill H.R. 4100 with the support of APA to establish the Louisiana Recovery Corporation for purposes of economic stabilization and redevelopment of devastated areas in Louisiana. H.R. 4100 (pdf)
APA Team Visits New Orleans A special six-member team of planners assembled by APA visited New Orleans to assess the city's needs for developing and implementing plans to guide redevelopment. The New Orleans City Planning Commission and the Louisiana APA Chapter requested this assistance. During the visit, the volunteer team met with several governmental and community groups to map the next steps in the rebuilding and planning process. The team put its findings and recommendations into a report, "Charting the Course for Rebuilding a Great American City." Download a copy of the team's report (pdf)
November 2005
APA/AIA Louisiana Recovery and Rebuilding Conference The Louisiana Recovery and Rebuilding Conference, brought local and national design and planning professionals together with Louisiana public officials, civic groups and business organizations in New Orleans for a major planning and visioning discussion. The three-day program was the beginning of the process to develop a body of principles that would help guide Louisiana's long-range recovery efforts. The conference was presented by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), in collaboration with the American Planning Association (APA) and co-sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
December 2005
Town Hall Meetings APA and the Urban Land Institute took the lead in organizing town hall meetings for the Bring Back New Orleans Commission, so that dispersed New Orleans citizens in communities across the region could have a voice and participate in the plans for rebuilding their city. The town meetings, supported by the Fannie Mae Foundation, were held in Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and Memphis.
2006
February 2006
HUD Conference: Realizing the Promise Faith-based and community-based organizations as well as individuals from Gulf Coast states wanting to assist with rebuilding attended a free one-day conference on how to compete for federal funding through the HUD SuperNOFA Process (Notice of Funding Availability).
March 2006
Mandeville Redevelopment A five-member APA planning team visited Mandeville, Louisiana, at the request of the city's planning department to offer assistance with post-hurricane recovery. The volunteer Planning Assistance Team was made up of expert planners who helped Mandeville establish the foundation for guiding future development within the city. Read the team's report (pdf)
July 2006
Planners Recovery Resource Day Planners gathered in New Orleans for "Planners Recovery Resource Day," a Louisiana chapter event sponsored by APA and a grant from the Chapter Presidents Council. The three-part program featured a close look at recent neighborhood planning efforts in post-Katrina New Orleans, a panel discussion on state and regional planning issues, and an examination of other cities' disaster recovery experiences.
August 2006
Biloxi Recovery Expo Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour's Recovery Expo in Biloxi brought together citizens; planners; local, state, and federal officials; representatives of nonprofits; and developers to exchange information and learn about resources for rebuilding. In addition to displays of model housing and construction techniques, the Expo included town hall meetings and presentations on hurricane preparedness and local recovery plans.
Summer 2006
Expert Teams Help with Neighborhood Planning Neighborhood-based recovery planning took place all over New Orleans during the summer following Hurricane Katrina as part of The Great New Orleans Community Support Foundation project. Assisted by 15 teams of specialists the teams depended on extensive citizen involvement to develop a citywide infrastructure plan. The effort was overseen by a multidisciplinary group of experts brought together by Stephen Villavaso, FAICP, president of the APA Louisiana chapter.
September 2006
Assistance for Henderson Point, Mississippi A five-member APA Planning Assistance Team worked in Henderson Point, Mississippi, to assist with post-hurricane recovery planning. The volunteer team worked on identifying building concepts for the new Henderson Point Town Center, as well facilitating a town hall meeting.
2007
January 2007
APA Board and AICP Commission Tour New Orleans The APA Board of Directors and AICP commissioners traveled to New Orleans, where they were briefed by local planners on the new Unified Plan. They toured hard-hit neighborhoods in New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish. Read the story about the New Unified Plan	Click on the image to see all pictures.
Summer 2007
APA Sends Interns to New Orleans APA's Planning Foundation provided support for four interns to work in New Orleans's Office of Recovery Management. These scholarships were made possible by generous donations to the Planning Foundation. Read Sean Almonte's essay about his experience helping to rebuild New Orleans Read Angela Trinh's essay about her work in the City of New Orleans Office of Recovery Management.
2008
October 2008
APA Team Reviews New Slidell Master Plan Volunteers from the American Planning Association toured Slidell to help assess the city's planning needs and offer guidance as the city continues its recovery from Hurricane Katrina. Check back for the team's full report. Slidell PAT news release Times-Picayune: Planners examine recovery in Slidell
APA Sponsors Dutch Dialogues II Representatives from the American Planning Association gathered with a team of Dutch planners, urban designers, and landscape architects; representatives from the Dutch embassy and their ministries of planning, transportation, public works and water management; and local architects and planners for a workshop on how New Orleans might incorporate best practices and lessons learned by the Dutch on how to live with — and derive value from — water. The three-day workshop was followed by two public presentations.	Click on the image to see all pictures. Times-Picayune: Let's take cues from the Dutch

Hurricane Katrina

August 2005

September 2005

October 2005

November 2005

December 2005

February 2006

March 2006

July 2006

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January 2007

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October 2008