Hello everyone, and welcome back to State of Emergency. I’m Jake Bittle, and today we’ll be discussing the enduring political repercussions of one of the most devastating natural disasters in American history.

When examining the effects of climate change in the United States, especially in terms of racial disparities, Hurricane Katrina cannot be overlooked. The catastrophic 2005 storm that breached the levees in New Orleans remains the most expensive hurricane to hit the U.S. and one of the worst humanitarian crises to occur on American soil.

Over the past two decades since Katrina, researchers have delved into the political and social aftermath of the storm, both in New Orleans and among the many evacuees who never returned. Studies have analyzed how trust in the government was impacted, changes in voter turnout in subsequent mayoral elections, and who storm victims tended to blame for the botched emergency response.

Additionally, Katrina left a profound mark on the cities where evacuees sought refuge. In Houston, over 200,000 individuals arrived after the storm, with many finding temporary shelter in the Astrodome. Recognizing that New Orleans would take years to rebuild, the Houston government embarked on a massive resettlement initiative to provide long-term housing for evacuees in Texas. Many of these individuals eventually chose to make Houston their permanent home.

This resettlement effort garnered national recognition for Houston Mayor Bill White but also sparked local backlash. Some longtime Houston residents complained that the evacuees brought gang conflicts from New Orleans, leading to a rise in the city’s murder rate. Despite little evidence to support these claims, a moral panic ensued, fueling concerns about evacuee crime. The response from the White administration included increased enforcement of minor offenses, arrests of some evacuees, and attempts to push others back to New Orleans.

The fear of a crime wave following the resettlement effort had clear racial undertones, as New Orleans had a significantly larger Black population than Houston at the time. This prejudice against New Orleanians seeking integration into local communities or job opportunities persisted for years.

While anti-evacuee sentiments eventually subsided, the political fallout from the Katrina resettlement offers insights into how future climate-induced displacements may unfold. As climate disasters intensify and displace thousands annually, the receiving communities are likely to experience significant political disruptions. Even in a city as large as Houston, the influx of evacuees from Katrina triggered social anxieties. For other communities expected to become climate havens, such as Duluth, Minnesota or Boise, Idaho, backlash against displaced individuals could be even more pronounced.

To effectively address future climate disruptions, policymakers must address concerns related to housing, employment, and crime that can easily escalate into racism or xenophobia. Climate disasters have the potential to reshape political landscapes and influence voter perspectives in unforeseen ways.

For more on how Katrina reshaped Houston’s political landscape, you can read our full story here.

P.S. If you’re new to our newsletter, check out previous issues of State of Emergency here and explore all the reporting in this series.

A Series of Costly Disasters in Houston

Following Hurricane Katrina, the city of Houston and Harris County welcomed evacuees from New Orleans. However, since then, Houston has faced a series of expensive disasters, from Hurricane Harvey’s unprecedented rainfall to a deadly ice storm in 2021.

Above: A person looks out towards the flooded interstate after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 8, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Brandon Bell / Getty Images

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