The reference source provides details about the remodeling of infrastructure in New York and describes plans that we could easily modify and apply to New Orleans. Topics discussed in the book are the capital project implementation process, management, and staffing issues, all concerns of ours also. Finally, there is a detailed plan at the back of the book the describes how to go about creating a new centralized construction agency, as well as simplifying city, state, and federal regulations, which, if we could also do, would really accelerate out plan for New Orleans into action.

Barrett, C. (Ed.). (2005). The social economics of poverty: on identities, communities, groups, and networks. New York: Routledge.

A very recent study of poverty around the world, this reference will provide many different perspectives on coping or succumbing to poverty. And yet, while a closer look at the various situations in which low-income peoples reside around the world will increase our understanding of poverty as a whole, Michael R. Carter and Marco Castillo's chapter entitled “Coping with disaster: morals, markets, and mutual insurance – using economic experiments to study recovery from Hurricane Mitch” will showcase another instance of hurricane recovery and reconstruction, from which a similar, or modified plan can be obtained.

Berke, P., & Beatley, T. (1997). After the hurricane: linking recovery to sustainable development in the Caribbean. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Berke and Beatley write on issues of disaster relief and sustainable development after major storms in the Caribbean region. The reference is very useful in that the authors provide a plethora of charts, figures, and maps describing a multitude of factors affecting natural disaster victims in this area. Statistics tracked and discussed in the book cover post-disaster reconstruction and recovery, education, and poverty. If anything, this reference could serve as a model of when not to do in New Orleans. It may prove to be useful in comparing timelines of infrastructure development, as well as the duration of each of the stages of recovery.

EarthSky Communications. (2006). What will New Orleans look like in the future? Retrieved September 18, 2006, from the Earth and Sky Radio Series Website: http://www.earthsky.org/shows/s         how.php?date=20060302

This site provides the transcript from a radio show that dealt with the plan for what New Orleans will look like demographically in the future. There is an excellent map that was created by Brown University sociologist John Logan, which projects the percentages of blacks that will reside in the different neighborhoods of the city. We should consider these estimations when working out the city design since racial demographics will be a major concern of ours. Finally, there are links to sites dealing with the current politics surrounding the hurricane reconstruction efforts, as well as displacement statistics, and predicted economic costs of the procedure.

Ewing, L., & Wallendorf, W. (Eds.). (2002). Solutions to Coastal Disasters '02. Reston, VA: American Society of Civil Engineers.

A collection of conference proceedings from February 2002, this giant manual seems like the one-stop answer to basically any question that the team may have. Among the topics discussed are an integrated risk-based design of coastal defenses, IFLOW, which is the Inland Flooding Observation and Warning Project, as well as tactics for risk prediction and assessment. The book is packed with case studies involving many different types of natural disasters, including tsunamis, earthquakes, and, of course, hurricanes, and thus, this information may help to modify the final solution and ensure that the methods used are equal or better than those employed in other disaster-stricken areas.

Hallstorm, D.G., & Smith, V. K. (2005) Market responses to hurricanes. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 50(3), 541-561.

In the study of disaster relief operations other than those dedicated to Katrina, Hurricane Andrew cannot be overlooked since it has so far been the second most destructive tropical storm to ever hit the United States. This article suggests that by using the drop in housing values after that storm hit Florida, one can predict the economic consequences of a similar catastrophe (such as Hurricane Katrina). Also, Hallstorm suggests a difference-in-differences framework that calculates the decline in property value due to a storm that just barely misses the are but, in effect, ignites fear in potential home buyers. This is very important to consider because we are trying to rebuild a city that is most likely going to be struck again by a major hurricane, and yet we are still trying to convince people to invest and move into this place.

Higa, L. (2006). The High Cost of Being A Good Neighbor. CQ Weekly, 64(15), 960-961.

This article deals with census data in terms of the amount of money being allocated to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina, make the levees stronger, and rebuild the city in general. Even though in April, President George W. Bush allocated an extra $19.8 billion to hurricane recovery efforts, the local governments of states neighboring Louisiana – in particular, Texas – are still complaining about the lack of funds to support displaced peoples. Additionally, there is reported jealously among the neighboring states over the extra $4.2 billion granted to Louisiana alone for its housing efforts.

Longley, R. (2006). FEMA Announces Two New Recovery Strategies. Retrieved Septmber 21, 2006, from About.com: http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/defenseandsecurity/a/femastrategy.htm

This article discusses FEMA's latest attempts to improve its hurricane relief tactics. The plan provides disaster victims with three types of temporary shelters and housing, while also addressing the issue of faster, safer, and more effective removal of debris. This site is a good starting point for accessing information on FEMA's successes and failures, which we must evaluate when considering how the organization will handle storms like this in the future.

Mann, E. (2006). Race and the High Ground in New Orleans. World Watch, 19 (5), 40-42.

Mann's article discusses how the topography of New Orleans seems to be representative of the racial character of the city. In the higher lying areas reside the rich, while the less-protected, low regions are reserved for the middle and lower class. This article provides a basis for establishing a map of the racial and economic demographics of the city, while also introducing the concept of racial barriers being impermeable throught New Orleans.

New Orleans Community Renewal Program. (1970). Economic Factors of the New Orleans CRP – Summary Report to City Planning Commission. New Orleans: Larry Smith & Company, Inc.

This will be a great reference for older census data and the statistics provided here can easily be compared to data retrieved in 2000 by the United States Census Bureau. This summary report, which was designed to be presented to the City Planning Commission of New Orleans, includes information on economic conditions and influences, renewal needs and resources, and minority housing patterns, need, and policies. Furthermore, the document provides economic and population projections up through 1980. Comparing these data with factual statistics from this decade can provide valuable insight into the changes of the city's social climate. Where the predictions correct? If not, why did the people (and their money) act in the way that they did?

New Orleans: Flooding Back? (2006). The Economist, 379, 28, 30.

This article describes the numerous problems with the FEMA guidelines for reconstructing storm-damaged buildings in southern Louisiana (the guidelines were released in April 2006). The new regulations force the restoration of these destroyed houses if their occupants desire monetary support from local, state, and national governments. Many believe that the guidelines are too weak and will discourage people from fully rebuilding their homes to make them truly livable again.

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. (2006). Hurricane Andrew. Retrieved September 20, 2006, from the NOAA Web site: http://www.noaa.gov/hurricaneandrew.html

This link will serve as a great reference when comparing the effects of Hurricane Katrina to those of other major deadly storms, Hurricane Andrew being on of these. The web site provides information on the storm's economic magnitude, as well as lots of maps and photographs of its meteriological impact.

O'Connell, K. (2006). Coastal towns rethink development patterns: Katrina recovery plns incorporate mixed uses. American City & County, 121(5), 18, 20.

O'Connell describes how cities other than New Orleans along the Gulf Coast that are involved in long-term reconstruction from Hurricane Katrina are re-thinking their original models for rebuilding. New designs include pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods and mixed-use buildings; all new designs aim to eliminate sprawl, traffic congestion, and poor land use. Some cities are now employing a new system called SmartCode to develop these new plans.

Oliver-Smith, A., & Hoffman, S. M. (Eds.). (1999). The Angry Earth: Disaster in Anthropological Perspective. New York: Routledge.

This work provides numerous case studies that inspect the ways in which populations react to natural disasters. The focus is more on the human aspect of environmental catastrophes and the contributors address issues involving people's mental, social, and psychological reactions to earthquakes, volcano eruptions, and oil spills, just to name a few. Aside from providing a good reference frame for understanding the mentality of disaster victims, survivors, and their family and friends, Earth offers two entire chapters that are completely devoted to human suffering in the aftermath of hurricanes (both deal with 1992's Hurricane Andrew). The chapters are entitled: “'Tell Them We're Hurting': Hurricane Andrew, the Culture of Response, and the Fishing Peoples of South Florida and Louisiana” (pp. 213-233), and “The Phoenix Effect in Post-Disaster Recovery: An Analysis of the Economic Development Administration's Culture of Response after Hurricane Andrew” (pp. 278-301).

Powledge, F. (1970). Model City. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Although fairly old, this book may be a good reference when we are considering our ideal city and how to mold that model into a realistic scenario for New Orleans. Powledge uses the case study in New Haven, Connecticut to examine gentrification’s consequences, which we need to seriously consider when preserving, eliminating, and reconstructing neighborhoods. The book also discusses the residents’ involvement in the process of rebuilding, which we might make mandatory in our plan.

Rand Gulf States Policy Institute. (2006). The Repopultion of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Retrieved September 18, 2006, from the RAND Web site: www.rand.org/pubs/technic                     al_reports/2006/RAND_TR369.sum.pdf

This file provides the latest information on the number of people who have moved back to New Orleans (the estimates are from September, 2006!). There is information on pre-Katrina population, post-Katrina housing habitability, repopulation rates, and even estaimtes on how fast repopulation will occur in the future.

Sanders, S., Bowie, S. L., & Bowie, Y. D. (2003). Lessons Learned on Forced Relocation of Older Adults: The Impact of Hurricane Andrew on Health, Mental Health, and Social Support of                 Public Housing Relations. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 40(4), 23-35.

Since we are dealing with the social problems that result in the displacement and relocation of hurricane survivors, studying trends in similar persons whose lives were changed by Hurricane Andrew will provide us with a fairly good idea of the sentiments of Katrina's victims. Furthermore, the researchers in this article studied a population that very much resembles most of those affected by Katrina – black and low-income. The displacement of these people caused their overall wellness to decline greatly on all levels and almost 70% expressed a desire to return to their original home. Since the population was constructed of elders, the scientists were able to conclude that in the future (or now, since three years have passed since the article was written), relief planning should be more “elder-sensitive” and provide this vulnerable population with adequate resources in public housing, health care, and mental support.

Simm, J., & Cruickshank, I. (Eds.). (1998). Construction risk in coastal engineering. London: Thomas Telford.

This text deals with the different elements of coastal engineering and shore protection. The book discusses all of the concerns that must be taken into consideration when performing construction in coastal areas, such as the attempt to avoid disturbing the animals and plants that populate the area. There is even an eleven-step plan for risk identification, modeling, and management that could serve as a basis or guideline for the class' overall plan for the future of New Orleans.

Stehr, S. D. (2006). The Political Economy of Urban Disaster Assistance. Urban Affairs Review, 41(4), 492-500.

Stehr makes a very interesting point about planning after disasters; he argues that even though professionals are provided with all of the necessary data that is required to make urbanized cities safe, they often overlook this information when they become engrossed in the political and economic calculations of urban hazard planning. Later, this problem is further complicated by the incongruous demands of local and state governments. How can we avoid this? What is the correct balance between human safety, economics, and politics? This article will definitely require critical thinking about the complex problem.

Tsuchida, T., Watabe, Y., Kang, M.S., Kusakabe, O., & Terashi, M. (Eds.). (2003). Soft Ground Engineering in Coastal Areas. Exton, PA: A. A. Balkema Publishers.

A collection of proceedings of the Nakase Memorial Symposium, which was held in Yokosuka, Japan on November 28^th and 29th, 2002, this collection selected papers provides an engineer's persepective on building in soft soil areas that lie near water. Some parts of the book are very technical and invovle complex mathematical computations that will be of no use, but several of the work's contributors write about relevant issues, such as sea reclamation (T. Satoh and M. Kitazume), proper selection of soil improvement methods (T. Shigeno, K. Yasuhara, and T. Fukasawa), and and deformation management of enbankments (K. Zenm K. Kasama, K. Egashira, and M. Katagiri).

United States Census Bureau. (2006). Hurricane Data and Emergency Preparedness. Retrieved Septmeber 18, 2006, from the U.S. Census Bureau Web site: http://www.census.gov/Press-R                  elease/www/emergencies/impacted_gulf_estimates.html

This link provides specific information on current population estimates in the areas of the Gulf region that very affected by Hurrican Katrina. This site will give us an idea of how many people have moved back and how we should go about our plans based on these numbers.

Waugh, William L., Jr. (2006). The Political Costs of Failure in the Katrina and Rita Disasters. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 604, 10-25.

While looking to other areas that have similarly suffered from tropical storms to learn about how to cope with the aftermath of Katrina, we must also consider disaster relief in its entirety. This article highlights how a lack of connection between local, state, and national governments lead to failed emergency evacuations, a lack of communication, and unnecessary loss of human life. Waugh notes that politicians who were in power when the storm hit have suffered tremendously at the polls, and that now the decisions concerning the recircuiting of the emergency management system lie in the voters' hands.