New Orleans is one of the oldest cities in America with an aging drainage system. City officials, thought leaders and the community recognize that we will not be able to mitigate flood risks by simply pumping our way out of the problem - new and innovative approaches are needed to better manage stormwater. Green infrastructure is rethinking how we as a city are ‘Living with Water’.
The City of New of New Orleans was granted $141M via the HUD National Disaster Resilience Competition to design and implement a Gentilly Resilience District (GRD) that could be replicated in other areas of the City.
The projects included in the GRD are currently in various advanced stages of design. Community input has and continues to be a fundamental part of the design process. Once implemented, these projects will store and divert millions of gallons of stormwater thereby lessening the burden on our drainage system, as well as create recreational and social spaces that aim to improve the overall quality of life. For more information on projects and how to stay engaged, click here.
The Community Adaptation Program (CAP) offers grant assistance to low- moderate income eligible homeowners in the Gentilly Resilience District project area. These grant funds are being used to design and implement various green infrastructures / stormwater intervention retrofits to their properties – which will reduce their flood risk. The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) manages the program and the retrofits are designed and implemented by two amazing design teams - Dana Brown and Associates and APTIM. For more information, click here.