 |
PLANNING PROCESS Creating a Comprehensive Recovery Plan for the 9th Ward
During the fall of 2006, students and faculty participants in the ACORN Housing/University Partnership assisted the members and leaders of ACORN in preparing a comprehensive recovery plan for the 9th Ward. "The Peoples' Plan for Overcoming the Hurricane Katrina Blues" sought to build upon the historic strengths of the 9th Ward's various neighborhoods.
Critical of past plans which based their recommendations on outdated information or statistics describing city-wide and regional conditions, those participating in the recovery planning process for the 9th Ward were committed to systematically surveying existing physical conditions and resident perceptions.
The recently completed Peoples' Plan was based upon the following research activities:
- Historical Research
Twenty-nine public plans examining past and future conditions within the 9th Ward were reviewed and evaluated.
- Census Analysis
Recent economic, population, employment, income, and housing trends within the 9th Ward were studied and compared to other residential neighborhoods and city-wide trends.
- Building and Site Condition Surveys
More than 3,500 individual parcels and buildings were systematically evaluated to determine their structural integrity and rehabilitation potential.
- Community Facilities Survey
Fifteen of the 9th Ward's most important educational, cultural, civic, and health-related facilities were inspected to determine their structural integrity and potential for reuse.
- Local Business Survey
Five of the 9th Ward's most important commercial corridors were surveyed to determine the current level of business activity.
- Playgrounds, Parks, and Open Spaces Inventory
Twenty-eight city-owned open spaces were evaluated to establish their current facilities, maintenance levels, and use.
- Resident Interviews
Representatives of more than 230 households were interviewed to determine the highest-priority redevelopment needs of the neighborhood.
- Community Organization Interviews
More than 12 of the 9th Ward's most important civic organizations were surveyed regarding their preferred redevelopment strategies and recommended revitalization projects.
The data generated by these research activities were reviewed by residents and planners participating in the 9th Ward recovery planning process. They also formulated overall redevelopment goals, specific revitalization objectives, and concrete renewal activities. The centerpiece of the Peoples' Recovery Plan is a five-year action plan containing 26 improvement projects designed to enhance the overall quality of life in the 9th Ward.
|
|
|
|
Web Site by
RMF Designs
|
|
