Date of Award

5-2010

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Program

Urban Studies

Department

Planning and Urban Studies

Major Professor

Nelson, Marla

Second Advisor

Ehrenfeucht, Renia

Third Advisor

Rastello, Blaise

Abstract

The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program was created in 2000 to incentivize commercial investment in low-income communities that have traditionally lacked access to capital. In addition to its use to foster community development, after Hurricane Katrina it was put to use as a disaster recovery resource as part of the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act. The program has successfully attracted investors, but gauging the community impact of NMTC projects is difficult to assess because of the diversity of allowable project types and their wide dispersion across the country. New Orleans affords a unique opportunity to examine how NMTCs have contributed to a specific community because of its pre-disaster economic and post-disaster recovery needs, and because 40 businesses in the city have received NMTC financing through 2008. At present, a disproportionate share of projects and dollars invested have gone to the Central Business District and other lightly flooded or unflooded areas.

Rights

The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.

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