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(Handwerk, 2005). The levees failed in part
because of poor general maintenance, but also as
a product of the simple fact that they had never
been designed to withstand a storm of Katrina's
strength. If the levees' failure was the responsibility
of the federal state, the slow response to the floods
once they occurred was a failure of government at
all levels. The hurricane evacuation plan that had
been put in place for events like Katrina did not
provide sufficient transport for those who did
not own their own motorcar. Furthermore, FEMA
(the Federal Emergency Management Agency)
was slow to deliver the food, water and medical
assistance needed by those who were left in New
Orleans and who had to congregate in over-
crowded, temporary accommodation such as the
Superdome. Unfortunately, it was the poorest
within the city of New Orleans, and particularly the
African American community, who suffered most
as a consequence of such failures (see Bullard and
Wright, 2009). Further criticism has been levelled
at the federal government's longer term response
to Katrina. Many have suggested that the
redevelopment strategies have been used as a basis
for privatizing a range of New Orleans's public
utilities and for awarding lucrative state contracts
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