Building Back Better

Kevin BelangerCEO South Central Planning

And DevelopmentCommission

April 13, 2023

Every disaster provides opportunities.

For South Louisiana, that growth was in the areas of:

• Community Development

• Economic Development

• Building Codes• Transportation

Initiatives• Information

Technology Initiatives

Land Use Planning

Help communities develop plans that recognize the need for disaster mitigation

Infrastructure Development

Over 70 CDBG disaster projects in addition to regular CDBG program

Over $100 million dollars in improvements

SCPDC facilitates grant management of State Homeland Security Grant funds awarded by GOHSEP.

The Mutual Aid Task Force has collected $7.9 million in grants to distribute to OEPs and other first responders throughout the region.

Small Business Loans:

$12 million in loans were made to 350 businesses for restoration, expansion, and sustainability.

Fishermen and other business owners received grants to cover losses due to hurricanes.

CEDS

Revitalized and streamlined the planning process.

Increased involvement with social and civic organizations.

Covering a Five-Parish Region, the revenue neutral program reduces costs to member jurisdictions through an economy of scale approach.

Provides same day inspections, residential plan review in 24 hours, and commercial plan review in 72 hours.

Unbiased approach in reviewing plans and permitting construction. Process provides consistency and comprehensiveness.

Development of the Regional Transportation Safety Plan A performance-based plan focusing on Education, Law Enforcement, Engineering, and Emergency Medical Services

Developed in conjunction with the Regional Safe Community Partnership

Decrease in overall fatalities from 1,019 in 2007 to 724 in 2011, or 29%

Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan

Facilitates communication and coordination between fixed-route service providers and para-transit service providers such as Councils on Aging and ARCs

Since 2005 storms, staff has increased in size and knowledge base

Evolved from one member staff troubleshooting office problems to a robust, multi-disciplinary team involved in software development, marketing, and customer support

Software Development

MyGovernmentOnline suite of services includes solutions for:• Code Enforcement• 911 addressing• Project

Management• GPS vehicle

tracking

24-hour online customer service

GPS Tracking SolutionMyGovernmentOnline.org Track: vehicles, equipment and personnel

Addition add-ons for: Vehicle maintenance, route organization, work order system integration

Partnership program to make immediate savings for signing up

your member counties, cities, police departments, school boards and

more.

• Expanding building by 20,000 square feet

• Creation of an Environmental Division focusing on• Air quality improvement• Wastewater management• Solid Waste• 404 Permitting • Right-of-way Acquisition

We cannot be afraid of failure. It is necessary to take risks and become more entrepreneurial in these challenging times.

As regional planning commissions and councils of governments, we need to be the dreamers and thinkers for our region. It is the premise for which regional planning commissions were created.“All our dreams can come

true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein