Providence Community Housing

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, representatives from local faith-based organizations came together to see how they might use their joint talents, experience and resources to help address the critical need for affordable and supportive housing in southern Louisiana.

The result of this collaboration was the formation of Providence Community Housing, a new, independent 501(c)(3).

Enterprise Community Partners, the nationally respected housing and community development pioneer, has signed an MOU partnership agreement with Providence.

To learn more about Enterprise's commitment to the entire Gulf Coast region, click here.

Providence's mission is to foster healthy, diverse and vibrant communities by developing, operating and advocating for affordable, mixed-income housing, supportive services and employment opportunities for individuals, families, seniors and people with special needs.

Our 5-year goal is to bring home 20,000 victims of Katrina by rebuilding and/or developing 7,000 units of housing - both single-family homes and apartments:

Re-establish 1,500 affordable apartments for seniors
Repair and rebuild 1,200 homes for the most vulnerable
Develop 500 units of supportive housing for special needs populations
Develop 2,600 mixed-income apartments
Develop 1,200 affordable homes

On August 12, 2007, Providence and Enterprise hosted our first annual Tremé-Lafitte community fair. Thanks to all who participated to make the event a resounding success! For more pictures from the fair, please click here.

What have we done? Click here for a summary of our plans & progress!

Where are we working? Click here for a map of our current projects!

How can I apply to live in a Providence home or apartment? Click here to see an up-to-date list with contact information on all of our properties.

12/7/07 - Providence breaks ground at Annunciation Inn! The project, located in the St. Roch Neighborhood, will bring back 106 affordable apartments for senior citizens.

Articles on the groundbreaking:
New Orleans Times Picayune
New Orelans City Business

Providence has sponsored the formation of the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance, a coalition of non-profit housing builders and CDCs.

For a list of GNOHA member orgnanizations, click here.

Providence & Enterprise have broken ground on a number of projects throughout the city. Among our first projects to break ground were Annunciation Inn (106 affordable apartments for seniors in St. Roch) and Delille Inn (51 affordable apartments for seniors in New Orleans East).

12/20/07 - By a unanimous 7-0 decision, the City Council has approved the redevelopment of 4 public housing complexes in New Orleans.

Providence & Enterprise are excited about this opportunity to begin rebuilding the community for returning Lafitte & Tremé residents.

For more information about the historic vote, click here.

12/25/07 - The New York Times has endorsed the Providence-Enterprise Lafitte redevelopment plan!

For a link to the article, click here.

Providence has spearheaded the formation of the NEWCITY Neighborhood Partnership, over 50 organizations focused on community, economic, and housing development in Tremé/Lafitte and Tulane/Gravier.

For a list of NEWCITY member organizations including a map of the target area which includes open schools and health centers, click here.

1/9/08 - Providence and Enterprise begin construction on 474 affordable homes for low-income seniors and families in New Orleans & Marrero!

The total investment in these 4 projects totals $59 million. For more information, click here.

3/25/08 - Mayor C. Ray Nagin has signed the demolition permit for Lafitte, clearing the way for redevelopment to begin onsite.

94 units will be repaired for temporary residency.

5/23/08 - Providence & Enterprise begin construction on 51 affordable apartments for seniors in New Orleans East!

For more information, click here. For a Times Picayune article on the groundbreaking, click here.

4/20/08 - The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has released a report detailing its response to the Katrina crisis.

The work of Providence and our partner Enterprise (a RWJF grant recipient) is profiled here.

8/22/08 - Providence & Enterprise begin construction on 10 homes for the Lafitte Redevelopment!

The buildings will be rehabilitated into beautiful 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom single-family homes. Click here for more information.

Our largest project is a joint effort with Enterprise to plan and develop a new community on and around the site of the former Lafitte public housing development, in the historic Tremé/Lafitte neighborhood of New Orleans.

When complete, the project will feature 1500 homes & apartments: a one-for-one replacement of all 900 subsidized rentals and the development of an additional 600 homes for sale to working families and first-time homeowners. All 865 residents/families will be welcomed back.

For Lafitte designs & site plans, click here.

For more in-depth information about the project, including an archive of our communications with residents, click here.

11/6/08 - Providence teams with The Salvation Army to "Welcome Home" 43 seniors at St. Ann Apartments with brand new furniture!

Click here for more information about our exciting partnership with The Salvation Army to provide $1.2 million in furnishings to hundreds of new and returning senior residents.

4/6/09 - The NYU Wagner School of Public Service published an article profiling the work of Providence staff members Kathleen Mullin (MUP '05), Rosalind Ross (MUP '05), and Olivia Stinson (MUP '06). Click here to read it!

On May 15, 2009, Providence & Enterprise held a ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of St. Bakhita Apartments in Marrerro, comprised of 100 green, affordable townhouse apartments and a 4,000 square foot clubhouse. Click here for a press release about the project, and here to see more photos!

5/15/09 - Providence & Enterprise open 100 new green, affordable apartments on the westbank!

Click here for more information.
Click here for a Times Picayune editorial endorsing the project.