mjblazin
21 May 2006, 07:28 PM
5/21 New York Times Magazine (this week is architecture edition) has interesting story of how low income East Biloxi, MS residents reacted to post Katrina plans for their town by a fairly large and authoritative group of urban planners, FEMA, and their local government.
- Planners thought practically erased town was perfect for "New Urbanism." Residents took one look at plans and decided they could not afford to live in that kind of town.
- FEMA decided best way was to raise required elevation by 10 feet to qualify for flood insurance. That would mean putting shacks on stilts.
- Local leaders felt casinos would be only buildings that could build high and work. New jobs and higher commercial property taxes would help pay for a new East Biloxi.
Residents found a loophole that states FEMA must honor old elevations (and grant flood insurance) until new elevations become effective, a process that could take months of more review. Residents are hurrying to build anything resembling a home with no government assistance (no assistance until FEMA determines the new rules) to get grandfathered in for flood insurance. The resulting homes, needless to say, aren't on the waiting list for Better Homes & Gardens covers. Urban planners, by fighting with FEMA over the elevations for their own vision, are delaying implementation and allowing even more time to build the low elevation homes that look nothing like that vision.
- Planners thought practically erased town was perfect for "New Urbanism." Residents took one look at plans and decided they could not afford to live in that kind of town.
- FEMA decided best way was to raise required elevation by 10 feet to qualify for flood insurance. That would mean putting shacks on stilts.
- Local leaders felt casinos would be only buildings that could build high and work. New jobs and higher commercial property taxes would help pay for a new East Biloxi.
Residents found a loophole that states FEMA must honor old elevations (and grant flood insurance) until new elevations become effective, a process that could take months of more review. Residents are hurrying to build anything resembling a home with no government assistance (no assistance until FEMA determines the new rules) to get grandfathered in for flood insurance. The resulting homes, needless to say, aren't on the waiting list for Better Homes & Gardens covers. Urban planners, by fighting with FEMA over the elevations for their own vision, are delaying implementation and allowing even more time to build the low elevation homes that look nothing like that vision.