[StBernard] Comprehensive Post-Katrina/Rita Survey Results Reveal Displaced Residents' Opinions

[Westley Annis]

Comprehensive Post-Katrina/Rita Survey Results Reveal Displaced Residents' Opinions



Feedback includes attitudes on levee protection, wetland restoration,confidence about recovery and planning, and hopes for returning home



BATON ROUGE, La. - The results of a survey initiated to capture Louisiana citizens' post-Katrina and Rita opinions on the recovery effort show a majority of displaced residents are planning to return. Results also reveal a great degree of hope and consensus around the themes of safety, prosperity, cultural integrity, inclusion and fairness. 

Of the thousands of individuals surveyed in the 2006 Recovery Survey, more than 90 percent support coastal and wetland restoration. More than 80 percent agreed on the top ten recovery priorities selected from a list of 20 provided. And more than 75 percent believe levees rebuilt at Category 3-plus level will not be safe enough. 

A large degree of optimism and faith in the recovery effort exists. Eighty percent believe that if all people participate in the planning process, and if the plan is actually carried out well, South Louisiana will be a good place to return to. Fifty-seven percent of all displaced residents are somewhat or very likely to return, with most hoping to return within the next six months. 

The survey was commissioned with private funds by the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) Support Foundation, on behalf of the LRA, and conducted by a diverse team of researchers led by Robin Rather of Collective Strength.


The full results of the survey can be found online here <http://lra.louisiana.gov/assets/junemeeting/2006RecoveryResearchFinal061506.pdf> . 

"We want our displaced residents to know that we're listening and that we, too, want this process to be fair. We will work to ensure that they have the opportunity to participate at every stage of the planning process," LRA Chairman Norman C. Francis said. "The results of this survey reveal that residents in the affected areas want not just to rebuild, but also to improve and even resolve long-standing social equity issues."

The 2006 Recovery Survey is the most comprehensive research undertaken in South Louisiana since hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This survey was specifically designed to find out what Louisiana citizens consider key themes, concerns, values and priorities in the aftermath of the storms. The results of this survey will be used by LRA planning and recovery teams to measure progress against citizen expectations and will provide a basis for the long-range regional planning effort that has been underway since September. 

Rather, CEO of Collective Strength and director of the survey, led a diverse team of researchers to conduct interviews and surveys of more than 2,500 Louisianans. The interviews included citizens currently living in Louisiana, as well as more than 500 who are displaced across 27 states. 

Collective Strength is a consulting firm based in Austin, Texas that specializes in research and planning. Collective Strength provided overall project management for the 2006 Recovery Survey and worked closely with local experts to complete the survey.

Dr. Kirby Goidel and the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication performed the data collection via phone and web and provided analytic support 

Dr. Silas Lee of Silas Lee & Associates provided New Orleans-based design and analytic support.

Edward Melendez, public health consultant and co-founder of the Urban Conservancy, who is also a New Orleans resident displaced in Texas, provided web strategy, outreach support and analytic perspective. 

Anthony Patton, CEO of EBONetworks, LLC provided diversity outreach for the web survey and analytic perspective.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, destroying more than 200,000 homes and 18,000 businesses. The LRA is the planning and coordinating body that was created in the aftermath of these storms by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco. She charged the LRA with leading one of the most extensive rebuilding efforts in the world. The LRA is a 33-member body which is coordinating across jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and resurgence, ensuring integrity and effectiveness, and planning for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana. Louisiana Speaks is a multifaceted planning process, launched by the LRA after the hurricanes, designed to develop a sustainable long-term vision for South Louisiana.

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