Quality local jobs are sparse; forcing residents to leave the city in pursuit of gainful employment. Simultaneously, billions of dollars for public projects are contracted through out-of-state firms -- and workforce outcomes are not treated as core deliverables of that investment.

After Hurricane Katrina, reconstruction dollars rebuilt buildings and streets but failed to rebuild the local workforce. Outside contracting dominated, and the city missed a generational opportunity to strengthen economic foundations.

That pattern continues when projects are structured without enforceable hiring, wage, and training standards.