Stakeholder participation in post-disaster reconstruction programmes – New Orleans’ Lakeview - Rebuilding After Disasters: From Emergency to Sustainability - page 113

In many neighborhoods, residents are making the choice to rebuild the same
house they had before the storm with little or no modification. New codes
and building standards have been adopted, but there remains no effective
enforcement of their requirements. Thus, in some areas, the structures are
being rebuilt unchanged.
Other citizens are changing the underlying urban landscape of their
community. In Gentilly, for instance, hazard-mitigation techniques are
being employed: houses are being rebuilt with a mandated raised elevation
(minimum 1 meter elevation of the main floor). In parts of Gentilly, the
emerging urban landscape (Figure 6.2) demonstrates the strong will of the
people regarding their rebuilding choices: they choose the elevation, building
height, exterior material, style, etc. of their homes.
A new emphasis has also emerged with the post-disaster rebuilding of
New Orleans communities: the adoption of green architecture/sustainable
reconstruction. A sub-area of the Lower Ninth Ward, Holy Cross, has chosen
to utilize sustainability and green development concepts as an overarching
strategy for redevelopment. However, this ward regrettably represents an
island of sustainable recovery in a largely devastated area.
Individual communities differ in their degree of progress and the overall
redevelopment strategies they are employing. They are using different rede-
velopment models, different processes, and different strategies. However,
one challenge faced by almost all of the neighborhoods is the need to
quickly provide temporary housing while rebuilding permanent structures.
Figure 6.2 Post-Katrina housing style in Gentilly.