A New New Orleans? Understanding the Role of History and the State–Local Relationship in the Recovery Process

ABSTRACT:

Two years after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, the city still struggles to rebuild and recover. In this article, we examine how deeply rooted historical patterns of state–local conflict reasserted themselves even after the terrible destruction of Katrina and the redemptive promise of a new beginning. We also explain how state government, some city leaders, and most New Orleanians took advantage of the opportunities presented by Hurricane Katrina to change certain aspects of governance in New Orleans. This research highlights the importance of the state–local relationship in understanding urban affairs and the critical nature of historical patterns and their persistence. State–local conflicts over finances, control of local politics, and cultural differences have plagued New Orleans for decades, and they continue to do so in the post-Katrina era.

Notes

1 All figures in this section are from The New Orleans Index (November 13, 2007), jointly prepared by The Brookings Institution and the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center (available at: http://www.gnocdc.org/).