Morrison Lecture 2025: Post-Katrina Urban Planning Lessons

Morrison Lecture 2025
We’re Not Done Yet: Post-Katrina Urban Planning Lessons

Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans continues to learn and teach powerful lessons in equity and urban planning. Over the past two decades, city residents have wondered who the urban planning process is designed to benefit and who makes the final decisions on the master plan.

At the 2025 Morrison Lecture, hosted at HNOC on August 16, nationally-renowned urban planner David Dixon—who helped draft the city's post-Katrina Master Plan—reframed the story of recovery: not as a saga of missteps or a quest for perfection, but as the pursuit of an achievable, community-centered vision. Dixon explored what was learned, and how New Orleans is uniquely positioned for success thanks to its history, cultural diversity, and strong neighborhood identities. Following the keynote, a panel of local community leaders reflected on their roles during the recovery and discussed ongoing opportunities for growth.

This program was presented at HNOC in partnership with the Vieux Carré Property Owners, Residents, and Associates (VCPORA) and the Vieux Carre Commission Foundation (VCCF).

Opening Remarks:
Daniel Hammer - President & CEO, the Historic New Orleans Collection
Nathan Chapman - President, Vieux Carré Property Owners, Residents, and Associates

Panelists:
David Dixon, FAIA - Stantec’s Urban Places Fellow
B. Mitchell - Co-Executive Director and Director of Operations, Broadmoor Improvement Association
Marla Nelson, PhD - Freeport Professorship in Urban & Public Affairs, University of New Orleans
Mayra Pineda - President and CEO, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana

Learn more about the Morrison Lecture at HNOC: https://hnoc.org/events/signature-pro...

Video credit: Kraemer Productions, A Video and Graphics Production Company (https://kraemerproductions.com)

Title image: “The Spirit Returns,” 2017, acrylic painting by Rolland Golden. HNOC, acquisition made possible by the Diana Helis Henry Art Fund of The Helis Foundation; joint ownership with the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Fund, 2007.113.10