Redefining Infrastructure at the 2019 Neighborhood Summit

The theme of this year’s New Orleans Neighborhood Summit was “Redefining Infrastructure Together,” with Mayor Cantrell exhorting the hundreds of neighborhood leaders in attendance to look at the big picture of global climate change even when as we tackle local, neighborhood-specific challenges. The Mayor also announced a new Community Impact Grant Program, through which individuals and neighborhood groups can access funds for neighborhood-lead green infrastructure and beautification projects. 

The Water Leaders team contributed to a session on “Coordination, Collaboration & Connectivity,” presenting alongside Common Ground, the Sewerage & Water Board, and Roadwork New Orleans to provide an overview of environmental and infrastructural challenges, efforts to address those challenges, and the ways in which neighborhood leaders and residents play a critical role in shaping the future of the city’s infrastructure. Neighborhood leaders shared their concerns in regards to the rate at which critical repairs are happening.