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CIAO DATE: 10/5/2006
Building a Better New Orleans: A Review of and Plan for Progress One Year after Hurricane Katrina
Amy Liu
August 2006
Abstract
It has been one year since Hurricane Katrina struck the New Orleans area and the surrounding Gulf Coast. While longtime residents of these communities can easily rattle off the names of past hurricanes, “Katrina” will be emblazoned like no other. And for good reason: After accounting for all households and structures, Hurricane Katrina is the deadliest and costliest storm this country has ever seen, causing over 1,800 deaths to date and approximately $81.2 billion in total damage.
Since the storm, an outpouring of support and assistance has flowed to New Orleans and other coastal communities. Major philanthropies, national non-profit and faith-based organizations, businesses, and experts of all kinds have individually, and in partnership, come to help guide and assist the economic recovery of the city and region. Public donations and private funds have also helped leverage the investments made by the federal government. And the media have kept the public, especially the residents of New Orleans, regularly informed of the state of recovery.
