New Orleans Collaborative Planning: Student Projects

Fall 2006
Dr. Lisa Bates, through a graduate capstone workshop, provided crucial support to ACORN Housing Corporation (AHC) in the Upper and Lower 9th Wards, some of the hardest hit areas.  AHC, a community development corporation, was founded by the Association of Communities for Reform Now (ACORN) to build and preserve housing assets for low and very low income households and communities. As New Orleans is ACORN’s national headquarters, the organizations have a tremendous presence in New Orleans.  ACORN coordinates a Katrina Survivor’s Network across the U.S. and has been instrumental in advocating for the right to return to neighborhoods. 

Students in the workshop participated in a collaborative process with residents, community organizations, and faculty and students from Cornell University and Columbia University as part of the ACORN Housing/University Collaboration.  The partnership held public meetings, surveyed hundreds of residents, and conducted the only large-scale ground survey of housing damage in the Upper and Lower Ninth Wards.  UIUC students were responsible for analyzing demographic and economic trends, facilitating meetings, and designing and conducting a survey of commercial corridors in the area.  These MUP students also contributed to writing the neighborhood plan, The People’s Plan for Overcoming the Hurricane Katrina Blues: A Comprehensive Strategy for Rebuilding a More Vibrant, Sustainable, and Equitable Ninth Ward.

MUP students also worked with Goody Clancy, the planners assigned to work with the Upper Ninth Ward in the Unified New Orleans Plan process.  Sharing the knowledge gained from the AHC experience and conducting additional resident surveys, the students contributed to the district-wide plan submitted as part of the Unified New Orleans Plan.

Spring 2007
Dr. Olshansky conducted a joint workshop class with the University of New Orleans in Spring 2007. Four students from DURP joined with several students from the urban planning department at UNO to produce a Main Street plan for North Rampart Street, in order to assist the revitalization of this key location tying together the French Quarter, Treme, and Canal Street. The student travel was funded by the Chancellor's Task Force on Civic Commitment.

Fall 2007
Bates' fall 2007 workshop focuses on housing recovery in the Lower Ninth Ward. The group's client is ACORN Housing Corporation (AHC). AHC was the first developer to complete new construction in the Lower Ninth since Hurricane Katrina; the homeowners moved back to their new homes in February 2007.  AHC owns approximately 300 tax-adjudicated properties in the Ninth Ward that are potentially developable.  AHC has also been contracted by ICF, the firm that administers Road Home funds, to work with Lower Ninth Ward residents on the application process.

The students are creating a market analysis and feasibility study for housing redevelopment in the Lower Ninth Ward for ACORN Housing Corporation.  The team is analyzing the current supply and demand of housing, housing values and sales, barriers to affordability, community design input, and marketing. The student travel was funded by the Chancellor's Task Force on Civic Commitment.

Students’ Reactions:

“The urban form of New Orleans is very interesting. The curving Mississippi river runs through the city; street grids radiate from the riverbank perpendicularly to the water course. The famous French Quarter is located at one of the curves where the river changes its direction. The city is mosaic and chaotic. Buildings are in different materials, styles, colors, and from different ages. You can still spot the debris of the hurricane here and there. People are homeless, hungry, dehygiened, and idle; but they also have breakfast, go to church and continue with everyday routine. Lisa said the city is extremely chaotic but people here are extremely comfortable with it. I don't know what their feelings are now. The only thing is, they've moved on. People are friendly there; I'm about to love this place. New Orleans is a city as old as Chicago, if not older. They have the same kind of chaos. But Chicago is well shepherded while the chaos in New Orleans seems to have nowhere to go."  --Xin Jin, capstone workshop student, fall 2007

"I had braced myself for the worst when my research group visited New Orleans in late August, 2007.  Photos from previous visits made by DURP students had shown me piles of lumber that used to be people’s homes, cars parked on second floors of houses, and bent electrical poles.  However, most neighborhoods turned out to be a place buzzing with activity as we saw homeowners, construction workers, and youth volunteers gutting houses, putting up new walls, and painting.  Although the Lower Ninth Ward was clearly at an earlier stage of recovery than other neighborhoods, one could feel the dedication of residents to make New Orleans great again everywhere." --Sang Lee, capstone workshop student, fall 2007

"New Orleans had fallen off my radar not long after the hurricane hit. Once the news stopped its daily coverage, I think most Americans seemed to forget about the city and the massive struggles facing it. Why should we rebuild a city that so clearly is in a tenuous, un-rebuildable state? Getting to see the historic charm and dedication of the residents for myself, unclouded by the media, cemented my view that this city should not only be saved but enhanced for generations to come. Being there for the second anniversary established my committment to do what I can for the city. Since our trip, I've realized it's our duty as future planners to help a city in need. Although I'm deeply saddened by the tragedy, I'm grateful for the timing so that my education could be so richly enhanced by such a unique, challenging project." --Kathleen Duffy, capstone workshop student, fall 2007