After a natural disaster, rebuilding and reconstructing are essential steps in bringing communities back to a state of normalcy. Reconstruction also presents an opportunity to “Build Back Better” by improving local infrastructure to serve the community better, making it scalable to meet future demands and enabling it to withstand future crises. This requires community leaders and city planners to develop a vision for their future, identify local priorities and begin marshalling the resources to implement their goals.

Devastated by the December 2004 tsunami and facing the yearly threats of cyclones and flooding, the Indian cities of Nagappattinam and Cuddalore on the east coast of Tamil Nadu must now reconstruct their communities. USAID’s City Links project is designed to help them in this process. Operating through the International City/County Manager’s Association (ICMA), City Links connects Indian officials with counterparts from American cities that have faced similar natural disasters – in this case hurricane-prone cities of Florida. The American city managers volunteer their time and expertise to collaborate with the Indian officials on ideas for rebuilding and improving the Indian cities’ infrastructures. Indian officials also visit cities in Florida to conduct first-hand studies of cities that have withstood hurricanes and successfully restored their infrastructures. The exchange visits and continued technical assistance give the Indian community leaders the tools and training they need to:

• Develop and implement community development strategies
• Identify and strengthen vulnerable areas of their communities
• Design more sustainable physical and social infrastructure to meet the needs of their communities
• Improve overall efficiency of municipal services
• Enhance revenue collection to improve service levels and sustainability
• Explore the potential benefits of public-private partnerships to improve the operation of local ports, markets and recreation areas.