|
Our customized solution for the Lower Ninth Ward includes the institution of the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP, for all residents of New Orleans including the Lower Ninth Ward. The average flood insurance premium is $370, and residents may purchase the federal insurance package through local insurance companies (GNOCDC, 2006). We understand most people in cannot afford the current Flood Insurance, but rates can decrease dramatically when communities become involved in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System. In the Community Rating System, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, specifies certain risk reduction measures that communities may undertake to reduce their flood insurance rates up to 45% (GNOCDC, 2006). Educational activities are considered risk reduction measures and is a way for communities to collectively lower rates. With new building codes, stronger levees, and community participation in the CRS, flood insurance rates will go down. We do not want to rebuild the Lower Ninth Ward as it was pre-Katrina. The disaster and its damages provides us with an opportunity to improve neighborhood while retaining most of pre-Katrina Lower Ninth Ward residents. We want to furnish the Lower Ninth Ward with more open spaces, greenery, environmentally friendly building codes, and a mixture of private and public housing development. The wealthy, residents whose household incomes are above $200,000 average around $688,000, are a minority in the Lower Ninth Ward(GNOCDC, 2006). With our public housing projects, we want to attract and make it possible for low and middle income residents to move back. Our plan is for the government to buy the land from residents who do not want to move back to their home, or residents who like to move back but cannot afford to build their houses up to code or afford the mandatory National Flood Insurance Policy. These plots of government land scattered throughout the Lower Ninth Ward will be turned into government subsidized low-rise apartment buildings or single family homes. Their rents for the houses and apartments will cover utilities and the National Flood Insurance Policy. To address the persisting poverty in the Lower Ninth Ward, we hope to motivate Lower Ninth Ward residents to purchase apartments and houses from the government. We believe by providing the option of purchasing the apartment and housing back from the government , in conjunction educational programs being started there, Lower Ninth Ward residents will be better motivated and able to improve their lives. An Environmentally Friendly Lower Ninth Ward In order to build a green and affordable Lower Ninth Ward, we are bringing in sensible, environmentally building codes. In terms of safety against floods, the City of New Orleans has already adopted a Base Flood Elevation of 3 feet (FEMA, Flood Recovery Guidance, 2006, pg 3). With the construction of sturdy levees, high tech locks, and strengthening of the wetlands, we expect a safer Lower Ninth Ward. We agree with the City of New Orleans’ decision to take a certain precaution against the possibility of slight overtopping of the levees. In terms of storm water management, we envision water from storm water retention areas feeding the educational wetlands project being created in a small portion of the Lower Ninth Ward. Additional environmentally friendly measures which also serve to bring down the costs of utilities for residents include · Implementation of super insulation ensuring thorough air sealing and controlled ventilation · Windows with high energy performance rating labels offered by the National Fenestration Rating Council · Energy Star appliances and lighting- Energy Star is a partnership between the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy and sets energy efficiency standards for appliances, those appliances with energy star recognition can save 1/3 of monthly energy costs. (Energy Star, 2003) · Promote use of day lighting- skylights, optimal room layouts In addition to these environmentally friendly building codes, we would also like to suggest the construction of roof gardens, best implemented in low density apartments. These gardens would control the rate of storm runoff, reduce the heat load on these buildings and reduce monthly utility costs. These energy efficient, green garden homes are cost effective and will beautify the Lower Ninth Ward. We are excited about the potential of our solution, which also meets the mission of our world to mitigate global warming. Our plan which consists of low-income and environmentally friendly housing may seem infeasible, but many low-income and environmentally-friendly housing projects have already been created across the nation. The rents for these houses and buildings continue to be low through loans from governments and environmental groups. We envision environmental low-income housing to be constructed throughout the city where needed, not just the Lower Ninth Ward. We believe this plan for government housing projects effectively addresses problems of poverty and the preserving the environment which are two central issues surrounding the rebuilding of New Orleans and any city in the future. |
|
Lower Ninth Ward |
|
In the year 2000, there were 4,820 occupied housing units in the Lower Ninth Ward, and the average contract rent and average gross rent in the Lower Ninth Ward were $280 and $444, respectively, compared to the average contract rent and average gross rent in Orleans Parish were $404 and $518 respectively(GNOCDC, 2006). Around 156,000 low-income evacuees took refuge in Texas where they were offered housing vouchers and were welcomed into 7,000 vacant Low Income Housing Tax Credit units. In a random survey taken of evacuees in Houston shelters including the Astrodome, Reliant Center, Houston Convention Center, 5 Red Cross Shelters, 30% of the people, which is a sizeable chunk, would like to stay in Houston(Texas Low Income Information Service, 2005). We can expect some of the Lower Ninth Ward to not to be repopulated. |
|
Map of percentage of people living twice the poverty threshold Please Click for Details |