The recent devastation along the Gulf Coast and New Orleans caused by Hurricane Katrina has touched the lives of all Americans and has impacted students, faculty and staff and many of their families at USC. The university has taken a proactive role in addressing the aftermath both from the humanitarian, academic and physical sense, including the placement of 150 students from Gulf Coast colleges and universities displaced by the storm, providing professional and technical expertise to local and regional governments and through volunteer support. The school of Policy Planning and Development is responding in a variety of meaningful ways relevant to the expertise and focus of SPPD (view the response from SPPD's Dean Knott), and the Marshall School of Business has established a relief fund to further support the efforts of the American Red Cross and Salvation Army (view the response from Marshall's Dean Gupta).
Katrina has also brought forward much discussion regarding infrastructure and planning and the necessity of adequate investment to avert further catastrophe's of this magnitude, as examined by Keston Infrastructure Director Richard Little (read Richard Little's op ed piece). In the coming weeks and months more examination of the hurricane's impact and response to its destruction will be forthcoming as will opportunities for many real estate industry professionals to play an important role in rebuilding and renewing those areas most affected by this unprecedented disaster.