People..Parks and Power. The Water Collaborative Receives $500,000 to Transform Water System in New Orleans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

August 19, 2022 – New Orleans, Louisiana - The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans (TWC) is honored to be part of the inaugural cohort of the People, Parks, and Power (P3) initiative. P3 is the first national funding initiative in the U.S. to support community-based organizations to build power and reverse deep-seated park and green space inequities in Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities across the country.

Parks and green spaces are essential community infrastructure that protects public health and promotes mental wellbeing—a fact made clearer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parks provide people opportunities for physical activity, time in nature, social connection, and respite. They also help mitigate the impacts of climate change by cooling temperatures, cleansing air, filtering stormwater, and replenishing groundwater. However, all communities do not have access to safe, well-maintained, and programmed green spaces.

Following a highly competitive selection process, TWC is one of just 14 groups across the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico to be awarded a $500,000 P3 grant over the next two years. Specifically, TWC will be working to develop and advocate for a Stormwater Fee in New Orleans to make water policy more just and equitable for our residents. TWC specifically seeks to reduce the cost burden on residents, ensure all land-holding bodies pay their fair share into the system, and create new organizational structures that create financial transparency, ultimately leading to more funds for green infrastructure and other flood reduction strategies.

“This process is about a long-overdue transformation of our water management agencies. Our goal is to not only make New Orleans more resilient to extreme weather events but also create new park spaces that promote social justice and economic liberation for historically marginalized and vulnerable communities” says Jessica Dandridge, the Executive Director of The Water Collaborative.

The Water Collaborative’s process is collaborative and rooted in community voice and equity. Since 2021, TWC has been cultivating relationships and discussions to move the fee forward. TWC is currently working with Water Now Alliance, which is performing pro-bono research for this project, and The Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region which has been convening businesses around a stormwater fee since 2019. TWC is also part of the AdvancingCities Initiative through New Orleans Business Alliance which aims to make New Orleans a hub for green infrastructure jobs and climate resilience globally.

The process will take into account various best practices across the country and equitable funding opportunities that will be assessed based on acreage. This process hopes to undo some property tax measures which often perpetuate gentrification and other forms of inequality linked to neighborhood red-lining. The proposed fee will also work to reduce New Orleans’ carbon footprint and undo park inequities. Other areas tackled by this process include the creation and transformation of blighted properties and spaces into community parks or stormwater lots and revenue generation for a dedicated tree fund.

“Many communities across New Orleans have been disadvantaged by both inequitable policies and practices and the exacerbated effects of climate change,” says Rebecca Malpass of the Water Collaborative. “Last year, New Orleans ranked number one for most intense urban heat island effects in the nation. These effects are not felt equally across the City. Formerly red-lined neighborhoods are far more likely to have fewer trees and green spaces, which impacts flooding and can increase temperatures as much as 10 to 15 degrees, putting many lives at risk, especially for vulnerable populations such as the elderly and young children. The time for change is now.”

Ms. Dandridge acknowledges that this process is not simple but it’s necessary. “This process will be inclusive of everyone’s perspectives and take into account public distrust, concerns, and even their innovations. We have only just begun but we will not only just be looking at data and case studies but stomping the pavement in every neighborhood to get feedback. In essence, you cannot undo apathy, civic distrust, and collective trauma with top-down policies. It won’t work and will in fact create more harm. To undo unjust harm and promote equity in our water infrastructure systems, you must allow everyone’s voices to be heard and acknowledged. This work is about social, ecological, and economic liberation. The path toward a resilient city isn't easy, nor should it be easy. Addressing the historical and collective trauma perpetuated by government agencies is an arduous process, but that’s what we aim to do. That's how you get to sustainable and equitable systems change."

The public can get involved now by joining the advisory group which meets bimonthly. The Advisory Group is open to the public and is a space to learn and share ideas. Starting in 2023, there will be workshops, public education series, and fellowship opportunities. To sign up for the next meeting, click the link below or go to www.nolawater.org.

Funding for this project is provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundations.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the largest philanthropy in the United States dedicated solely to improving health. RWJF is working to build a Culture of Health where everyone in America has a fair and just opportunity to live the healthiest life possible.

The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) is a national philanthropy supporting people and the planet for a more creative, equitable and sustainable future. Headquartered in New York,