Why are you focusing on Resiliency?

Resilience is at the core of our region’s economic, social and cultural viability. Indeed, it is an important part of New Orleans’ evolving master plan. While many in positions of power often speak of “protecting” us from hurricanes and the consequences of a deteriorating coast, a more honest assessment of our situation indicates that we can never be fully protected from the various phenomena that threaten us. With this in mind, we believe that the communities we serve must work to reduce the level of risk to which they are exposed rather than living under the illusion that levees alone are a panacea that will save them from having to make difficult decisions about their respective futures. Raised, storm-resistant homes, more thoughtful municipal and parish building codes, better surface management of water, armored infrastructure, detailed plans for orderly and rapid evacuation and re-entry, and, in extreme cases, even citizen-led plans for the permanent relocation of entire communities, are all essential components of a resilient coastal region that can effectively adapt to its fluid environment.

If the New Orleans region is to endure in a recognizable form, its citizens must learn to live more flexibly with water. Even in areas that have vastly improved pumping systems, flooding cannot be avoided when we are visited by heavy, sustained rains. This does not, however, mean that we must resign ourselves to frequent property damage and impassable roads. The temporary retention and management of rain water at surface levels can do much to prevent water from overwhelming residences, businesses, streets and vital infrastructure. The introduction of building codes that prohibit continued slab-on-grade construction in areas that are known to flood can transform tragedy into a minor inconvenience. Other coastal communities throughout the world have managed to thrive by implementing measures that complement and support massive but not infallible levee and dike systems. What has distinguished them from us has been their recognition of the importance of so-called “multiple lines of defense,” lines that cut cross government agencies and enter the thresholds of private homes and businesses. Aware that even well-intentioned governmental actions cannot fully protect them, these communities have come to the realization that they must also do their part to save themselves.