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Rebuilding New Orleans

Statement from the Mayor's Office regarding UNOP;
Response to the Bureau of Government Research Report on the United New Orleans Plan

March 6, 2007
Dr. Edward J. Blakely
Executive Director of Recovery Management
City of New Orleans

"The UNOP plan grew out of the desire for active citizens to bring together the many projects, programs and plans that had been created in connection to the redevelopment of New Orleans into a unified strategy for civic action. Some of the most powerful, vital and critical input to this plan came from the many citizens who travelled by bus, train and car to participate in this process. The UNOP Plan recognizes the work of the Bring New Orleans Back Commission, Lambert Advisory's Neighborhood Planning Initiative and many other efforts by community groups and governmental entities. I commend all of the citizens whose work is reflected in the UNOP document. I also wish to thank the Rockefeller Foundation, along with the Greater New Orleans Foundation and the dedicated planners, for completing this very difficult job. While the UNOP plan was not designed to provide an absolute blueprint for all of the actions necessary to complete our recovery, it does provide useful data based on a process driven by the people.

"The Office of Recovery Management and I have already begun working with the Planning Commission to craft a recovery plan with a budget and timeline. We are developing a clear path for the recovery of the great City of New Orleans and the UNOP plan is a critical part of this process. All of the hard work done by our citizens will be incorporated as we move forward. We applaud the Bureau of Governmental Reports for its analysis and we welcome their constructive comments."

Dr. Edward J. Blakely
Executive Director of Recovery Management
City of New Orleans

Mayor's Press Office; City of New Orleans

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