Issues

Hurricane Katrina has dealt a blow deep in the heart of our city, deeper than any today can remember. Now it is time to rebuild. In the coming months there is a critical role for the people and organizations who love New Orleans to actively participate in rebuilding our city. Under normal circumstances, even a fraction of the changes that will occur during reconstruction would generate massive citizen involvement. Now that residents are so widely dispersed, organizing this involvement poses unique obstacles. The Urban Conservancy is dedicated to overcoming these obstacles to give the citizens of New Orleans controlling power to guide the rebuilding of our city. Read more >

If there was ever an excuse for angry mobs in the street, the condition of most of the New Orleans public school system should be it. After coastal erosion, the deplorable quality of education in New Orleans is the greatest threat to the long-term viability of the city. Virtually every problem facing New Orleans can be traced to the breakdown in the education of the majority of its residents. While the death spiral of the schools is not a new story, we’ll be looking at some new approaches being taken to address underfunded and mismanaged school districts around the country. Some of these are just crazy enough they might work. Read more >

An important issue Pre-Katrina, ensuring an adequate supply of decent affordable housing for the residents of New Orleans must be a central issue in the rebuilding of our community. Read more >

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Since the founding of The Urban Conservancy, Democratic control of neighborhoods has been a core value. As we reconceptualize our communities post-Katrina, New Orleans must establish and adhere to evidence-based quality standards for implementation, budget, and accountability to ensure that community input is translated into truly beneficial programs. Read more >

Creating local, sustainable economies is one of the core values upon which we founded The Urban Conservancy. As New Orleanians struggle to envision our city in aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we are convinced that sustainability - environmental and economic - needs to be the organizing principle for our efforts. Read more >

The Catholic/Christian school Stuart Hall, which was founded in 1984, moved their operation into the facilities of the Carrollton Presbyterian Church in 1988. In May 2002, area residents received notice of plans for demolition of five existing homes and their replacement by new construction. Planned facilities include a two story gymnasium and a three-story early childhood center. Read more >

While most residents of the city were attending carnival festivities and preparing for Mardi Gras, the Nagin administration unveiled a new policy aimed at increasing the safety of New Orleans’ children. The administration announced it would begin immediate demolition of blighted buildings within a five-block radius of school buildings. Read more >

The interest in the privatization of New Orleans water and waste water services came from concerns over the dramatic rate increases that could be incurred by customers of the SWB due to federal mandates to upgrade New Orleans� aging water facilities. Read more >

Livable communities require high quality public spaces. The Urban Conservancy is concerned about the ongoing attempt to convert precious public space into profit-generating private space. Get the latest information on the plans to redevelop Audubon Park from the concerned citizens at SaveAudubonPark.org. Read more >

In 2001, developer Pres Kabakoff announced that his company would include a Super Wal-Mart as part of the redevelopment of the St. Thomas public housing project. The announcement sent shockwaves through the city and led to a protracted and often heated discussion about the nature of development in New Orleans and the future of our economy. Read more >