Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, food insecurity has increased exponentially in New Orleans. Many supermarkets have not re-opened since these disasters, and the majority that have are concentrated in the more affluent communities. Residents in lower income neighbourhoods, many of which do not own cars, have been forced to rely on local corner stores where healthy food options are limited or they must use public transportation to travel long distances across the city to purchase affordable food. These circumstances have left a formidable gap in the socioeconomic fabric of the city. This chapter, which is a culmination of academic and independent research, proposes a food planning approach for New Orleans in which urban borders between communities are transformed into socially and culturally rich urban food seams that provide healthy, affordable food retail to underserved residents. By identifying the weaknesses in New Orleans current approach to food security and exploring food initiative case studies in other United States cities, this research will develop recommendations for how food seams can expand food security in New Orleans.
Keywords: food security, farmers markets, low income, socioeconomic, hurricane katrina
