Nearly 20 years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is still repairing homes and reinforcing flood protection systems following the storm that caused US$201.3 billion in damages, killed over 1,800 people, and displaced millions.
The city’s recovery has been slow, with housing shortages, rising property values, and lingering economic struggles impacting residents.
CNBC reported the federal and state governments allocated over US$9 billion to help homeowners rebuild or relocate through the Road Home Program, but the initiative faced criticism for using pre-storm property values instead of actual damage assessments.
“Instead of basing settlements on damage to property and estimated cost to rebuild, they threw out all of that data,” said Laura Paul, executive director of lowernine.org, a nonprofit rebuilding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward.
Meanwhile, infrastructure efforts continue, with US$15 billion spent on levees, drainage canals, and pumping stations—a system expected to cost US$50 billion over the next 50 years. Despite challenges, state officials see a strong return on investment.
“We’re getting US$7 of benefit for every dollar we spend on these hurricane protection systems,” said Glenn Ledet, executive director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.
The city’s future depends on balancing storm resilience with economic growth while ensuring affordable housing remains accessible to residents.
