Four years have passed since Typhoon Laura hit southwest Louisiana just shy of Category 5 status. It was the strongest hurricane the region had seen in a century, bringing over 10 feet of storm surge onto land. Six weeks later, Typhoon Delta, a Category 2, followed a similar path through the Bayou Environment, seemingly tracing the route Laura left behind. That winter, a deadly freeze gripped the devastated area. Pipes burst and pavement froze into dangerous ice slicks as temperatures plummeted. A few months later, spring floods brought a foot and a half of rainfall on Lake Charles, the city that had already endured three major disasters. One journalist referred to it as the “most unfortunate city in the United States.”

At a meeting in July, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, the governing body overseeing Lake Charles and the rest of Louisiana’s Calcasieu Parish, expressed a desire to move past this reputation. Significant federal disaster aid funds have flowed into the parish, with much of it directed towards Lake Charles. The number of blue tarps covering damaged roofs, symbols of the storms, has decreased. The parish’s revenue now exceeds expenses, partly due to an increase in sales tax revenue, a sign of economic recovery.

This optimism was reflected in a report presented at the July meeting, known as the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. It stated that “there is excitement among our leaders to make great strides in areas that do not involve hurricane recovery.” Shortly after, the jury approved the use of the parish courthouse grounds for a food and music festival, promising to be a popular event in November for the state and region. The mood was upbeat. Calcasieu Parish, and Lake Charles, was finally on the road to recovery.

However, as Lake Charles continues to recover from the physical and economic damages of the storms, the city is still facing another legacy left behind by the disasters, quietly undermining its long-term recovery.

Officials estimate that Lake Charles lost about 7% of its population, over 5,000 people, in the aftermath of the storms, although city planners believe the actual number is likely higher. Between 2019 and 2020, Lake Charles saw a higher percentage of population loss than any other city in the U.S., a trend of out-migration triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and exacerbated by Laura and Delta.

People left for larger urban areas like Houston and New Orleans, where housing was available. Some were new residents of Lake Charles who rented apartments and homes; a significant portion of the city’s affordable housing stock was damaged. Others were from families who had called Lake Charles home for generations. Those who stayed did so for one of two reasons: they could afford to stay, or they couldn’t afford to leave.

Louisiana lacks a consistent or equitable way to track and compensate for this movement — poor weather in the state doesn’t help. This has long-term political implications for both the people who leave and those who stay. When a city loses residents, it doesn’t just lose part of the social fabric that gives a community its character. Where residents end up determines district lines, congressional representation, and how federal resources are allocated.

Lake Charles is now regaining some of the population it lost, but the influx isn’t following historical patterns: many of the residents who have moved in or returned are settling in wealthier and, overall, whiter parts of Lake Charles — areas that recovered more quickly from the devastation. Meanwhile, in some of the city’s predominantly Black neighborhoods in northern Lake Charles, the recovery process has been painfully slow.

The U.S. relies on the decennial census to accurately track how many people live where. Its once-in-a-decade population survey dictates how district lines are drawn. But in Lake Charles, the timing of the first two storms, which struck as the census was finalizing its field offices, immediately invalidated data painstakingly collected by census officials.

Census officers are still attempting to locate individuals displaced by Hurricane Laura when Hurricane Delta hit. The town now serves as a prime example of what happens when the census fails to capture the population-level impacts of natural disasters. How can towns address storms that devastate a significant portion of working-class households?

Pond Charles is one of the towns across the country grappling with these questions. So far, the hidden population decline in the town has been easier to ignore than the visible damage to rooftops and structures. Edward Gallien Jr., 67, lives with his dog, Red, on Pear Boulevard in northern Pond Charles. Despite living close to the county government office, Gallien has not received the aid promised by officials. His home is in disrepair, with a collapsing roof and broken windows. Other homes on his street have been marked for demolition by the town. Gallien, who inherited his property, faces challenges in accessing federal aid due to Louisiana state law.

Gallien remains hopeful that assistance will come so he can rebuild, stating, “I’m not giving up. I ain’t got nowhere else to go.”

His severely damaged home is a stark reminder of the lasting impact of Hurricane Laura on Pond Charles. Dilapidated homes like his have been featured in every post-hurricane story about the town. City and parish officials attribute the slow recovery process to a lack of federal funding and ongoing disputes over responsibility for funding. Despite efforts to rebuild, signs of the storms’ impact are still visible in the form of vacant properties and unfinished construction projects.

Local representatives agree that the town has not fully recovered, but progress has been made. Driving around Pond Charles, one can see signs advertising rental and sale properties, as well as stalled construction projects funded by federal aid. The town continues to grapple with the long-term effects of the hurricanes that devastated the community. The tallest skyscraper in Pond Charles, the Capital One Tower on Lakeshore Drive, severely damaged by hurricanes, is set to be demolished soon.

Tasha Guidry, a community organizer and former teacher from Pond Charles, noticed an abandoned apartment complex on a recent drive from the north to south end of town. With only a few cars left in the complex, she questioned the chances of people returning. The 2020 census, already affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and former President Donald Trump’s statements, revealed low response rates in Louisiana and high rates of incomplete surveys in Calcasieu Parish.

The census data plays a crucial role in redistricting efforts, determining representation in government and federal funding allocation. Following the hurricanes, the 2020 census prompted extensive redistricting in Pond Charles, affecting the school board, city council, and Calcasieu Parish itself. The exodus of residents to other cities in Louisiana or Texas further exacerbated existing racial and economic disparities in the region. Roughly half of the city’s residents lived in rental homes before the hurricane.

The census did not capture these trends, and neither did the district maps. City council member Craig Marks, representing District F in the southern part of Lake Charles, has noticed a localized migration of renters from heavily damaged neighborhoods to less affected areas, including his own district. The demographics of Marks’ district have shifted significantly since the last census, impacting the balance of representation in the city.

This migration trend in Marks’ district reflects larger trends seen in disaster-prone areas across the country, where large-scale disruptions like hurricanes lead to population displacement. Tracking these movements can be challenging, especially when multiple disasters occur in quick succession, creating compounding events of displacement.

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans experienced significant changes in its population and housing landscape, with affordable housing being replaced by more expensive options, leading to gentrification and further displacement. These shifts are often difficult to capture in traditional census data, which is updated every 10 years and may not reflect rapid changes in population.

Following hurricanes, cities often focus on rebuilding and repairing visible damage, while the task of assessing population loss and adjusting district lines is often overlooked. The U.S. Census Bureau has begun incorporating displacement data into its surveys, but there is no mandate for cities and states to use this information for population assessments.

There is a financial and political incentive for districts not to update their population numbers following a disaster, as a drop in population could mean a loss of resources from the government. As Lake Charles prepares for its first mayoral and city council elections since Hurricane Laura, uncertainty remains about the true population of the city and the long-term impact of the displacement caused by the storms. Title: The Impact of Natural Disasters on Urban Development in Lake Charles

Introduction:
When Hurricane Laura struck and floodwaters inundated Lake Charles, it revealed the geographical vulnerabilities of different parts of the town. The northern part of Lake Charles, despite lagging behind in terms of infrastructure, occupies prime real estate along the southern edge of the town. This area, once a swamp, experienced significant flooding during Laura, Delta, and subsequent heavy rains. Interestingly, the lower-income neighborhoods in Lake Charles are situated at higher elevations, prompting speculation about potential future shifts in the city’s demographics.

Heading 1: Geographic Vulnerabilities in Lake Charles
Heading 2: The Impact of Hurricane Laura on Urban Development
Heading 3: Potential Demographic Changes in Lake Charles

Despite the devastation caused by natural disasters, Lake Charles remains a resilient community. The recent events have highlighted the need for strategic urban planning and infrastructure development to mitigate future risks. As the city continues to recover and rebuild, it is crucial to consider the lessons learned from these experiences.

In conclusion, the effects of natural disasters on urban development in Lake Charles are complex and multifaceted. The recent events have underscored the importance of resilience and adaptability in the face of environmental challenges. By integrating sustainable practices and forward-thinking strategies, Lake Charles can navigate the uncertainties of the future while preserving its unique character and identity. Let us continue to learn from these experiences and work together to create a more resilient and vibrant community for generations to come.