GulfGov Reports
Study of the Communities Damaged by the 2005 Hurricanes
The Katrina and Rita hurricanes of 2005 devastated many communities along the Gulf Coast. Homes and businesses, roads and bridges, and other important community facilities were destroyed. Many thousands of Gulf Coast residents were displaced, and cleanup and recovery challenges are enormous.
GulfGov Reports assesses how well federal, state, and local institutions — including governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and civic leaders — respond to these challenges. Over three years, GulfGov Reports will examine and issue regular reports on what these institutions are doing (or not doing) to improve and restore the living conditions of the people affected by these disasters. These reports will provide valuable lessons and insights for dealing with future disasters.
GulfGov Reports is studying 32 sites (state and local governments and school districts) in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The sample includes both areas that suffered the highest levels of damage and those that were swamped with evacuees.
The project team includes experts at research centers such as the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government of the State University of New York, the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University, and Jackson State University. Start-up funding for the project has been provided by the Ford Foundation.
Project researchers, working with local experts, are following a study approach that focuses on two major issues:
- What has happened to communities in the region — how their demographic and economic conditions changed, and
- How effective governments, businesses, and secular and faith-based nonprofit organizations are in meeting community needs.
Slideshow of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
Contact Information
Rockefeller Institute of Government
411 State Street
Albany, New York 12203-1003
Tel: (518) 443-5831
Fax: (518) 443-5834
Email: Mark Marchand
Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana
4664 Jamestown Avenue, Suite 300
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Tel: (225) 926-8414
Fax: (225) 926-8417
Email: Karen Rowley