Kathleen Galvin Letter

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In the wake of Hurricane Katrina's devastation in New Orleans and beyond, wouldn't it make sense to create an emergency CNU task force to assess, design and rebuild new places for the displaced persons?

First, so much of this tragedy was exacerbated by the pre-existing settlement pattern and auto dependent layout. For once I agree with Dennis Hastert, we cannot just go back and rebuild on the same, below sea level terrain without question, simply because of home insurance policy dictates. Furthermore, this tragedy was compounded by the fact that there was no reliable public transportation system to get these desperately poor people out of New Orleans and deliver them to a safe, suitable refuge. Some, if they were lucky did get a bus out of New Orleans but they were literally dropped off under highway overpasses with no food, water or portable public facilities. Many had no cars or only had one car for too many people. Many simply couldn't afford the gas. Nor were there any convenience stores or food banks established in these neighborhoods within walking distance in anticipation of food and water shortages. Second, places outside of New Orleans like Baton Rouge and Houston, now have twice as many people as they had before. These people and cities need more than houses, they need entire neighborhoods, infrastructure, employment opportunities and public institutions with regional plans to tie them all together.

CNU is the only central body that I know of and trust, which can and does focus the attention and energies of architects, developers, contractors, engineers and planners. An emergency CNU Task Force devoted entirely to this rescue effort, may very well be the type of organization needed to mobilize those same disciplines in the near and long term. The wisdom and expertise of financial investment and planning institutions need to be enlisted as well. I believe this effort should be primarily volunteer in the early design and planning stages. Primary purpose would be to create regional plans, neighborhood plans, site plans and critical building designs (i.e. affordable housing!) Perhaps the now abandoned Hope VI program could offer us some ideas as to how to structure this effort. In the long run, the rebuilding effort could be a means of providing work for these incredibly poor Americans as well. The Marshall Plan might also be another model.

I know the cynics may view an effort such as this as raw opportunism on the part of CNU "neo-traditionalists." My response is that we need talent, drive and commitment to build new communities that reflect lessons from the past (both good and bad.)This must happen NOW, regardless of current attitudes which may prevail in some (by no means all) professional and academic circles. CNU is full of pragmatic, results-oriented professionals of many stripes. We cannot afford to wait when it is increasingly evident that there is a leadership vacuum at the regional level. Right now search and rescue is understandably the focus, but this country cannot afford the same myopia it suffered from in Iraq. If anything, we at CNU can anticipate and plan ahead. In terms of leadership, I think one of the bigger stars of CNU such as John Norquist who has experience as an executive in the public sector(i.e. a mayor,) could be the chair of this task force. I would certainly be willing to give my time, treasure and talent to this effort. I'm sure I wouldn't be alone.

Kathleen M. Galvin, Architect
PLACE DESIGN IN CONTEXT

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Comments

Steve Filmanowicz

September 02, 2005
To expand on Kathleen Galvin's ideas and suggestions, provide a comment below. Or to have a letter posted on this site, send it to cnuinfo@cnu.org.

Discuss Kathleen Galvin's Letter here.

Last edited by TeganDowling.   Page last modified on October 27, 2006