Bayou District Foundation - "A Proven Plan to Renew New Orleans" Sunrise Homes is honored to present the following guest blog post, written by J.T. Hannan, of the Bayou District Foundation. For more information about the Bayou District Foundation, or BDF, please visit their website at bayoudistrictfoundation.org. Bayou District Foundation (BDF) and Sunrise homes have partnered for the last several years on creating high quality affordable single family homes around the Columbia Parc community in Gentilly.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, President Obama, Michelle Obama & and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu during their 2010 visit to the Bayou District Foundation community Columbia Parc. Photo taken on the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.\

As part of its overall neighborhood redevelopment plan, BDF committed to blight abatement and the creation of up to 300 affordable single family homes in the ‘Pilotland’ or ‘Bayou District’ area of Gentilly…a neighborhood bordered on the North by Harrison Ave., the East by Paris Ave., the South by I-610 and the West by City Park/Bayou St. John. BDF has addressed 197 blighted properties in the area and has constructed or rehabbed 8 properties; 6 in partnership with Sunrise using funds first provided for by the Greater New Orleans Foundation neighborhood stabilization fund. Sunrise has brought a level of professionalism, reliability and craftsmanship that is equal to Columbia Parc at the Bayou District… a 53 acre, 685 unit mixed income apartment complex on St. Bernard Ave. Specifically, the new homes that Sunrise and BDF have partnered on are designed to give area renters a home ownership option to take advantage of Educare New Orleans and the coming KIPP Believe K-8 school at Columbia Parc. Several families who were former neighborhood residents pre Katrina have moved back into the community to access the quality housing that is now in place.

Bayou District Foundation Home - Sunrise Homes "Decatur B" Plan

Bayou District Foundation home walk with Sunrise Homes Superintendent Rob Smith

  This speaks well to the level of quality that Sunrise offers, and Bayou District Foundation looks forward to continued partnership as together we work to create additional housing options within the Bayou District.

Bayou District Foundation Meeting with Sunrise Homes Superintendent

Gerard Barousse Jr., Bayou District Foundation Chairman & Rob Smith, Sunrise Homes Superintendent inside a Bayou District Foundation home built by Sunrise Homes in 2016.

  Post written by J.T. Hannan, Bayou District Foundation To learn more about Bayou District Foundation, please visit their website at www.bayoudistrictfoundation.org "The goal of the Bayou District Foundation holistic community revitalization model is to help break the cycle of poverty for a deserving community through providing quality education - "from cradle to college" - and access to affordable housing, healthcare, fresh groceries and community programming for under-served children and families." - "Our Story" at BayouDistrictFoundation.org