LOUISIANAS REALITY:

Communities on the edge

Researching, communicating and responding to the needs and e!orts in Louisianas coastal communities

March 13, 2014

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Who is CPEX?

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Louisianas only non-prot planning organization

Planning + Implementation

Policy + Advocacy

Communication + Outreach

CPEX is a non-prot organization that coordinates urban, rural and regional planning e!orts in Louisiana. We provide best-practice planning models, innovative policy ideas, and technical assistance to individual communities that wish to create and enact master plans dealing with transportation and infrastructure needs, environmental issues, and quality design for the built environment.

We advocate for a more livable Louisiana through visionary planning.

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Planning in Louisiana

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The Evolution of Planning in Louisiana

Hazard Mitigation Plans

2004

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The Evolution of Planning in Louisiana

Hazard Mitigation Plans

2005

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The Evolution of Planning in Louisiana

Hazard Mitigation Plans

2006

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The Evolution of Planning in Louisiana

Hazard Mitigation Plans

Today

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The Evolution of Planning in Louisiana

Comprehensive Plans

2004

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The Evolution of Planning in Louisiana

Comprehensive Plans

Today

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The Evolution of Planning in Louisiana

Resiliency Plans

2004

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The Evolution of Planning in Louisiana

Resiliency Plans

Today

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Surveying Coastal Communities

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Methodology

Interviews

Citizen Poll

Local Programmatic + Policy Needs

Advocacy Groups

Local Programmatic + Policy Needs Programmatic and Policy Recommendations for Coastal Community Resilience Program
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Methodology: Interviews

Qualitative interviews

61
CALCASIEU

with Elected O"cials and Sta! in

Coastal Zone Parishes

18
New Iberia
ST. MARTIN ST. MARY

Municipalities

6
ORLEANS

TANGIPAHOA

Lake Charles Abbeville

CAMERON VERMILLION IBERIA ST. JAMES ASSUMPTION

ST. TAMMANY ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST ST. CHARLES

Slidell

New Orleans
ST. BERNARD

Jean Latte
LAFOURCHE TERREBONE PLAQUEMINES

IBERIA

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Methodology: Citizen Poll

Asked 800 residents in coastal communities about: "Quality of Life "Plans to relocate Risk Perception "Disaster Preparedness

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Findings: Interviews

Culture Community Education Regionalism

State/Government Role Insurance Acquisition

Elevation Other mitigation e!orts

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Findings: Caught in the Middle

Knowledge and experience of local o"cials The local o"cials day to day experience is In the Weeds Shifting Nature of Rules at both state and federal level Disconnect and Fragmentation between and within agencies Complexity of continual recovery Structural and nonstructural issues are not distinguished # # Hazards are connected to each other Mitigation e!orts are connected

Caught in the Middle

Unintentional consequences of policies

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Elevation

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Master Plan: Elevation

Nonstructural project measures include raising a buildings elevation or ood proong residential and nonresidential structures. We view these measures as key components of protecting communities, knowing that we cannot reduce ood risks purely by building levees. These nonstructural measures can, in some instances, provide results more quickly than can levees. In other cases, using nonstructural and structural approaches together can provide risk reduction most e#ciently.

(p. 161, Master Plan)

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Interviews: Issue of Elevation

More people want to elevate than there is money for. The biggest push back we have now is that with the new FEMA maps, a lot of properties are being pushed into the X-zone which makes it impossible for them to get FEMA funds for elevation. Harvey residents want to be elevated even though they are behind levees because they don't believe that their foundation is as secure as it was preKatrina.

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Interviews: Issue of Elevation

When the elevation program started we had 150 people. Only 45 qualied simply because they couldnt come up with the match. FEMA took the ICC o! the table 6 months after program started; if you cannot see the damage to the house you don't qualify. People cannot a!ord 25-30k out of their pocket.

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Interviews: Issue of Elevation

Some type of regulations from the state level that would make elevation more a!ordable and regulated would be good. We found that the amount it costs to elevate is prohibitive. There is only a certain number of companies that can be utilized and those are driving the market in terms of price per square foot.

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Interviews: Issue of Elevation

We just completed 22 [elevations] using CDBG grant funds. We also just nished our comprehensive plan with 10-20 year projections. It is hard to follow a plan with councilmen who may not agree all the time. Politics denitely inuence implementation.

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Citizen Poll
After Hurricanes Katrina + Rita and the BP spill, have you done any of the following to prepare yourself for another hurrican or industrial accident?

Preparedness Actions Less engagement on items that cost money

Made copies of important documents to take with you in the event of an evacuation Identied a shelter of location that you can go to in the event of an evacuation Creted a savings account specically for use in the event of an evacuation Increased drainage around your home

69 30 65 34 35 64 32 66 15 85 13 85
100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

Installed hurricane shutters Elevated your home

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Advocacy Group

We cannot just say elevation, but need to look at the consequences of elevation. We need to look beyond elevation. There is no planning around community and aging around elevation. We can talk about elevation gure out how to talk to them about that and then we can talk about relocation. Practical solutions are needed.

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Acquisition

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Master Plan: Issues of Acquisition

In addition to ood proong and elevation, voluntary relocation and acquisition measures may be made available to residents as options in areas that will continue to have high ood risk levels even after actions recommended in the master plan are implemented.

(p. 151, Master Plan)

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Interviews: Issues of Acquisition

We are talking about buying up a particular subdivision, and we're talking about uprooting a whole community. While relocation would be the quickest and easiest way, for the people, and for the parish government, it's the hardest thing to do.

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Interviews: Issues of Acquisition

I think for relocation, in some areas you won't have a problem, but in the southern part, these people will ght tooth and nail, and they don't want any help from you.

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Citizen Poll: Quality of Life

Generally speaking, how would you describe the quality of life in your parish? Excellent, Good, Fair or Poor?

Most say Parish quality of life is excellent or good Less satisfaction in St. Bernard Parish

56%
GOOD

100 80 60 40 20

4%

POOR

18%
FAIR

EXCELLENT

22%

s e e rd e n h on on i a n s c l o i il b rn er ur m e m e m ff o r u f r er .B Ca Je aq t La l V Te S P on r e

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Citizen Poll: Plans to Relocate

In the next few years, would you like to continue to live where you are now or move to a new home?

Most want to continue living the coastal zone 82% would like to stay in their current home south of I-10
IF YOU MOVED, WHERE WOULD YOU GO?
25

20

20%
SOUTH of I-10

62%
STAY WHERE THEY ARE

36%
MOVE TO NEW HOME

15

14%
NORTH of I-10 OUT OF STATE

SAME PARISH
10

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Citizen Poll: Plans to Relocate

Describe how concerned you personally are about each issue facing Louisiana coastal communities.

Cost of ood insurance and hurricanes top concerns

Cost of ood insurance Hurricanes Chemical spills and pollution Land lost to erosion/subsidence Increased government regulations Oil spills or pollution Storm surge and ooding Rising sea levels Changes in the shing industry Rainwater drainage
Very Concerned Very/Somewhat Concerned

67 83 57 85 54 78 53 77 53 77 53 76 49 74 43 66 39 70 36 64
0 20 40 60 80 100

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Advocacy Group: Issues of Acquisition

There may be relocation, but there is no funding. A lot of the people relocating are going to be low income. No one is doing anything to set aside property. A lot of people are leaving with nothing to the north and these parishes are not prepared. It is a NOW issue.

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Next Steps

Document Draft (June 2014) Workshops (September 2014) Final document (December 2014)

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Camille Manning-Broome
camille@cpex.org 225.398.7198

cpex.org
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