Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

This study conducted a conceptual content analysis of recovery plan documents for the city of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to analyze the extent to which these documents were community-focused and representative of the people. Using the elements from Ford's Theory of Good City Plan to examine recovery plans developed after Hurricane Katrina, the author analyzes three documents to determine who was represented in the plans. Each document is discussed along with some historical context. This paper describes and discusses the importance of keeping residents involved in the planning process long after the community disaster is over. Keeping residents' involved can greatly affect the community's ability to move towards recovery efforts. Findings suggest that the recovery planning documents were community focused and representative of the people.