Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, the fate of the people, infrastructure, and economy of New Orleans has been the subject of extensive research and discussion. RAND established the Gulf States Policy Institute to provide objective analysis to federal, state, and local leaders in support of evidence-based policymaking and the well-being of communities and individuals throughout New Orleans and the greater Gulf States region.
PROJECT
The New Orleans Police Department launched a new crime-fighting plan in late January, with the title "SOS: Save Our Sons." The plan was developed using policing research similar to the findings of RAND's Center on Quality Policing.
REPORT
Hurricane Katrina set the stage for a transformation of public education in New Orleans, replacing the city's existing school system with a decentralized choice-based system of both charter and district-run schools. Using principal, teacher, and parent surveys administered three years after Katrina, this study examined schools' governance and operations, educational contexts, educator quality and mobility, and parental choice and…
RESEARCH BRIEF
RAND researchers found many similarities between charter and traditional schools in New Orleans but greater satisfaction among charter school parents with their children's schools, as well as more perceived choices.
RESEARCH BRIEF
Describes how nonstructural measures — such as incentives for home elevation, incentives for relocation to lower-risk areas, and restrictions on the use of floodplain land — can make New Orleans less vulnerable to storm surge.
PERIODICAL
The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks warrants a thoughtful review of America's progress and future strategy. In this RAND Review cover story, RAND experts offer perspectives on Afghan-led solutions, ways to counter al Qaeda, air passenger security, and compensation for those affected by terrorism.
NEWS RELEASE
The composition of households in New Orleans made the city's families more vulnerable to breakup during the chaos that followed Hurricane Katrina.
RESEARCH BRIEF
The composition of households in New Orleans made the city's families more vulnerable to breakup during the chaos that followed Hurricane Katrina. Two-thirds of the city's households at that time saw at least one family member move away, an unusually high number even given the tremendous destruction of the hurricane.
TOOL
The new Displaced New Orleans Residents Survey examines the current location, well-being, and plans of people who lived in the City of New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005.
COMMENTARY
In his inaugural address, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu clearly accepted his dual challenge: rebuild a city that welcomes its still-displaced residents, and make long-needed changes to attract newcomers as well, writes Melissa Flournoy.
REPORT
Considers proposals to augment the existing flood-damage protection system in New Orleans with “nonstructural” risk mitigation programs focused on single-family homes.
RESEARCH BRIEF
Stakeholders in communities in which health care access was disrupted by Hurricane Katrina were engaged in an assessment of health priorities, as well as in data interpretation and plan design, to produce a sustainable community-academic partnership.
RESEARCH BRIEF
The Displaced New Orleans Residents Pilot Study shows that it is possible to study this hard-to-survey population to determine rates of return and mental illness among residents who experienced Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
New Orleans school children participated in an assessment and field trial of two interventions 15 months after Hurricane Katrina.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Community members emphasized healthcare access challenges; unmet needs of specific vulnerable populations; and opportunities, resources, and community adaptations to improve healthcare access.
COMMENTARY
The federal government has spent about $140 billion responding to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the Gulf Coast now needs more money for hurricane and flood protection and for coastal restoration. But we still haven't properly evaluated whether our money was spent wisely, writes Melissa Flournoy.
NEWS RELEASE
Researchers from the RAND Corporation have launched an in-depth study of people who lived in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to gain a better understanding of how they were affected by the hurricane and its aftermath.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Project Fleur-de-lis[TM] (PFDL) was established to provide a tiered approach to triage and treat children experiencing trauma symptoms after Hurricane Katrina.
NEWS RELEASE
Founding president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations (LANO) Melissa Flournoy has agreed to become director of the RAND Gulf States Policy Institute (RGSPI). Flournoy will assume leadership of RGSPI May 19 and will be based in the New Orleans office.
NEWS RELEASE
New Orleans should craft a comprehensive economic redevelopment plan that combines public- and private-sector funding with a centralized structure.
REPORT
New Orleans should craft a comprehensive economic redevelopment plan that combines public- and private-sector funding with a centralized structure. Total operating costs could run between $2 million and $3 million per year.
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