Clear as Mud

by Robert B. Olshansky, Laurie Johnson

Planning the rebuilding of New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita has been among the greatest urban planning challenges of our time. Since 2005, Robert B. Olshansky and Laurie A. Johnson, urban planners who specialize in disaster planning and recovery, have been working to understand, in real time, the difficult planning decisions in this unusual situation. As both observers of and participants in the difficult process of creating the Unified New Orleans Plan, Olshansky and Johnson bring unparalleled detail and insight to this complex story. The recovery process has been slow and frustrating, in part because New Orleans was so unprepared for the physical challenges of such a disaster, but also because it lacked sufficient planning mechanisms to manage community reconstruction in a viable way. New Orleans has had to rebuild its buildings and institutions, but it has also had to create a community planning structure that is seen as both equitable and effective, while also addressing the concerns and demands of state, federal, nonprofit, and private-sector stakeholders. In documenting how this unprecedented process occurred, Olshansky and Johnson spent years on the ground in New Orleans, interviewing leaders and citizens and abetting the design and execution of the Unified New Orleans Plan. Their insights will help cities across the globe recognize the challenges of rebuilding and recovering after disaster strikes.

304 pages, Paperback

First published June 16, 2010

Reviews

[Don Heiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2010 American Planning Association’s Planners Press released “Clear as Mud: Planning for the Rebuilding of New Orleans.” The book is authored by Prof Robert Olshansky and Laurie Johnson. At the time of publication, Prof Olshansky served as professor and associate head of the Department of Urban Planning at the University of Illinois. Laurie Johnson is principle of Laurie Johnson Consulting and Research. Her authorships cover urban planning, risk management, and disaster recovery. The book “Clear as Mud” is an exceptional chronicle about how businesses, citizens, the New Orleans municipal government, State of Louisiana, and the U.S. federal Government responded to the disastrous destruction caused by the 2005 Katrina Hurricane. The book describes in detail the planning strategies, funding needs, political pitfalls, and environmental as well as social consequences of the disaster. The federal $14 billion funding for New Orleans recovery, $56 billion private investment response, and 10 year planning/implementation timelines form the foundation for how New Orleans’ citizens and businesses reconciled their differences and resourced the rebuilding of the city for citizens and future generations. The book is full of insights and very well written. It has excellent reference notes and a very helpful topic index. (P)

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this text.

I read it for pleasure and yes, I realize it is a text book. Yes, it is one you might read for a college course.

But still...I really enjoyed this text.

Olshansky and Johnson write in an authentic way and they tell the story not as academics, but as parties to the process they were. I imagine a dinner where we talk about some of the biggest events we've experienced, and this is the story Olshansky and Johnson tell.

The authors do an excellent job of working through the preconceived notions an outsider has after only seeing the media coverage of Katrina. I had the benefit of knowing others who responded personally, and perhaps that helped my understanding of the subject matter. I don't think that is entirely the case, though. Olshansky and Johnson present what happened, but not in a "told you so" way. There is reflection, but not in a critical way. They celebrate the victories and they report on the defeats. I appreciated that tone.

The message that effective planning is both top-down and bottom-up is abundantly clear. I also was surprised at how the books recognized the contributions of the multiple simultaneous planning efforts. Where many would see these efforts as competitive, the language in the text points out the unique contributions of each along with the similarities. I engage communities in emergency preparedness planning through my work where we often compete with concurrent planning efforts. These efforts need not hinder our progress; rather, we should seek to compliment them to the overall benefit of the community for which the plans are being written. The lessons presented in this book will inform future consulting to my clients.

After reading the text, I am not left with only roses and candy. The lack of leadership in the immediate aftermath of the storm was frustrating. The overt political wrangling through the early attempts to coordinate a planning process for New Orleans bordered on embarrassing (my opinion, of course). I am convinced now, more than ever, that a concerted effort to share the leadership of an impending response and recovery is critical to the success of that response and recovery.

Clear as Mud: Planning for the Rebuilding of New Orleans certainly exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend it.