Howard Kurtz, the assistant secretary for public and Indian housing at HUD, was in Baton Rouge this week to deliver $29.5 million in funding to the East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority.
Provided through HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, the $29.5 million grant will be used to replace 93 units in Ardenwood Village public housing along with other work within the East Fairfield, Smiley Heights and Melrose East neighborhoods.
With the award, the housing authority can begin work on the first stage of its redevelopment plan for the four neighborhoods. The funding will be divided four ways, with $19.8 million going toward housing, $4 million to neighborhood work, $4 million to supportive services and $1.7 million to demolition, according to an announcement.
The grant follows a $500,000 HUD award given to the housing authority in 2014 to begin the planning process to envision the transformation. The plan has been named BR Choice.
Overall, the CNI grant, leveraged with additional funding targeted for housing, will result in the creation of 434 new housing units over four phases. To read a recent Business Report story on how the housing authority is reimagining public housing in Baton Rouge, click here.
