THE RESETTLEMENT
OF ISLE DE JEAN CHARLES
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OF ISLE DE JEAN CHARLES
Located deep in the bayous of southern Louisiana, isolated by coastal
erosion and rising seas, the community of Isle de Jean Charles lives on an
island that once encompassed more than 22,000 acres of land. Today, only about
300 acres remain. In 1953, Terrebonne Parish built Island Road to connect the Island
with the mainland. But these days, Island Road is frequently underwater, impassable
due to high winds and tides, sea level rise and storm surge, effectively blocking
residents from school, work and other essential services.
The land where Island residents and their families once hunted, trapped, grazed animals and farmed is now open water. The question is no longer how to save the land, but how to help residents develop and resettle a new home that preserves their culture and values in a place that offers a prosperous and sustainable future. Determined to answer that question, a dedicated team of state officials, planners, engineers, architects and policymakers—in collaboration with current and former Island residents—is developing such a Resettlement Program.
Notwithstanding this intense and focused effort, the Resettlement remains a complex process, involving a wide range of cultural, social, environmental, economic, institutional and political factors. Therefore, any real understanding of the multifaceted nature of this Program requires the viewer to see it through the lens of a comprehensive, holistic and open-ended approach, rather than through a purely economic and operational perspective as is often the case with other resettlement programs.
In January 2016, through the National Disaster Resilience Competition, HUD awarded $48.3 million to the state of Louisiana for the Resettlement of Isle de Jean Charles—one of the state’s winning entries in the competition. With this funding, Louisiana gained the opportunity to facilitate a structured retreat from Isle de Jean Charles in a way that is thoughtful, equitable and maximizes opportunities for past and current Island residents.
This HUD-funded Resettlement integrates some features from past planning efforts, yet seeks to incorporate full participation of Island residents in the planning and implementation process. The state hopes this inclusive process will not only serve the residents, but also create a national and international resettlement model with a proactive, climate-based relocation framework that will guide other communities also facing ongoing land loss and increasing flood risk.
www.isledejeancharles.la.gov
The land where Island residents and their families once hunted, trapped, grazed animals and farmed is now open water. The question is no longer how to save the land, but how to help residents develop and resettle a new home that preserves their culture and values in a place that offers a prosperous and sustainable future. Determined to answer that question, a dedicated team of state officials, planners, engineers, architects and policymakers—in collaboration with current and former Island residents—is developing such a Resettlement Program.
Notwithstanding this intense and focused effort, the Resettlement remains a complex process, involving a wide range of cultural, social, environmental, economic, institutional and political factors. Therefore, any real understanding of the multifaceted nature of this Program requires the viewer to see it through the lens of a comprehensive, holistic and open-ended approach, rather than through a purely economic and operational perspective as is often the case with other resettlement programs.
In January 2016, through the National Disaster Resilience Competition, HUD awarded $48.3 million to the state of Louisiana for the Resettlement of Isle de Jean Charles—one of the state’s winning entries in the competition. With this funding, Louisiana gained the opportunity to facilitate a structured retreat from Isle de Jean Charles in a way that is thoughtful, equitable and maximizes opportunities for past and current Island residents.
This HUD-funded Resettlement integrates some features from past planning efforts, yet seeks to incorporate full participation of Island residents in the planning and implementation process. The state hopes this inclusive process will not only serve the residents, but also create a national and international resettlement model with a proactive, climate-based relocation framework that will guide other communities also facing ongoing land loss and increasing flood risk.
www.isledejeancharles.la.gov
