2000 Best Practice Awards

763 Operation Too Smart
Kenner, Louisiana
Elizabeth Bates (504) 468-7588

"Operation Too Smart" is a program designed to assist area youth with homework, computer training, life skills and expose them to extracurricular activities. Certified teachers, college students and counselors are employed to assist these youth in reading, math, science, English, and social studies. Computers are used to help expand the youth’s knowledge about modern technology. The youth also attended a number of field trips throughout the year. Activities also include training in home economics, sign language, conflict resolution, tee shirt decorating classes, wood carving projects and physical fitness. The youth are exposed to motivational speakers and male and female mentorship.

737 Mount Zion Senior Citizen Complex
Alexandria, Louisiana
Brenda G. Ray (318) 449-5072

In 1996, two of the city's worst streets ran through the neighborhood of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. This neighborhood was a high crime area and property values had hit rock bottom. A 20-unit apartment complex was in the heart of this neighborhood and concealed drug users. Due to the rapid deterioration of the area, the neighborhood had been designated as a revitalization district by the City of Alexandria. In addition, elderly church members complained that their new landlords were purchasing property and raising rents. The elderly were being forced out of their homes and into nursing homes, despite good health. The pastor of Mt. Zion Church recognized a solution to both problems.

Mount Zion Development Corporation, the City of Alexandria, Hibernia Community Development Corporation, Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, The Rapides Foundation and Louisiana Housing and Community Development Corporation entered into a public-private partnership for the development of a project that had a great impact on community neighborhood revitalization efforts. This project addressed three critical community needs:

1. it increased the supply of decent affordable housing for elderly low-income tenants;
2. it helped stabilize the neighborhood; and
3. provided a catalyst for future inner city revitalization efforts.

Instead of housing drug dealers, the once-condemned Madrid apartment complex in Alexandria, LA has been transformed into 20 apartment units for senior citizens through a church-inspired public-private partnership. Five buildings with four apartments each located on 14th Street were completely renovated up to all Federal, State and local code standards. The 20 two-bedroom apartments are approximately 800 square feet and have a washer, dryer, stove, refrigerator and central air conditioning and heat. The apartments provide affordable rental housing for low-income elderly tenants.

1632 Head Start Facilities
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Al Gensler (225) 389-3039

The Head Start building program began about 5 years ago. Local Head Start facilities were typically located in rented buildings – facilities that were often marginally adequate for program needs, often subject to periodic changes in location as leases expired, often not located at sites that would be optimally accessible to the families or for available child transportation services, and with inadequate space to meet the needs of those seeking participation in the program. The building program began with development of a long-range plan to identify general, scattered site locations that would optimally serve the geographic areas of the Parish having the greatest need. Head Start identified its needs as to geographic locations, facility needs and related factors. The Mayor made a public, firm commitment to assist with the development of five Head Start buildings, to be constructed and owned by the City-Parish, and operated for Head Start purposes. CDBG assistance to initiate development of the first facility was undertaken through a program amendment. Subsequent buildings have been scheduled through annual action plans. To date, three buildings have been completed, and one is under construction. Site selection for the fifth is underway and expected to be complete before mid-summer of 2000, with construction to be well underway before year-end. The success of the program has resulted in an expansion of the original 5-facility commitment. Site selection is underway for a sixth. The sixth site, is being planned for the vicinity of a proposed HOPE VI revitalization area, in support of a Housing Authority HOPE VI application submitted to HUD in May, 2000. Like the other facilities, the sixth is being scheduled for funding through a combination of CDBG and other City-Parish funds. In addition to CDBG assistance, the City-Parish has allocated other revenues toward development of each facility. For the four buildings that are completed and underway, a total of about $600,000 has been spent/encumbered. Local funds totaling and additional $600,000 have been appropriated toward development costs of the 5th and 6th buildings. Of particular note is the added resource leveraging that has been brought to bear. In addition to the leveraging of CDBG funds with other City funds, each project site has benefited from contributions by third parties. While there exists a common thread of donated resources, no two cases are the same.

1. The building site for the first facility was provided through the East Baton Parish School Board. In this case, the school system granted a long-term, $1 lease to the City for the use of vacant land on an existing elementary school site.
2. For the second site, there existed a long-closed, dilapidated school building located on land owned by the City-Parish. The site was cleared for subsequent construction of the Head Start building and dedicated to that use by the City.
3. The third site involved a combination of land resources. Through the use of its in-house developed GIS system (a prior Best Practices recognition), the Office of Community Development identified potential tax-adjudicated sites that fit within the general locational needs of Head Start. The Baton Rouge Area Foundation, a private nonprofit philanthropic foundation, assisted in finding other possible property. The foundation identified a 3 acre site, adjacent to one of the adjudicated properties, for which the owner was willing to make a land donation to the Foundation. The Foundation, in turn, donated the property to the City for Head Start purposes. The combination of donated and adjudicated property resulted in a roughly 6 acre site at no acquisition cost.
4. Property for the fourth building was purchased. At a purchase price equal to the appraised value $97,000 for this 3.2 acre tract, the property owner accepted a lower amount and donated $57,000 of the purchase price.
5. For the 5th and 6th locations, site selection is underway. In one case, a tentative site on vacant land owned by the City, and proximate to an elementary school has been identified. The City is prepared to commit that site for Head Start. The site is currently undergoing review by Head Start as to whether it meets its needs and by City staff as to site construction adequacy.

Total land provided for the first four facilities is roughly 15 acres, with the overwhelming proportion of the acreage provided at no acquisition cost.

2907 Christopher Homes Eldercare Support Services
New Orleans, Louisiana
Sister Clare Thomas (504) 949-0636

The program is a non medical model Assisted Living Services for low income frail elderly in Christopher Homes 202 housing complexes. It will provide services to residents in the Orleans parishes. the Assisted Living customized support services will arrange the provision of the activities such as education, training for Senior Care Givers, health care provides when needed, assistance with activities of daily living. the services of the Assisted Living with provide assistance with meal preparation, housekeeping, bathing, transportation, escort for medical appointments and case management. Other REMS ID Numbers: 800008026, 800038030, 800008120, 800008121, 800038031, 800008179, 800008180, 800008163, 800008225.

571 Federal Interagency Forum
New Orleans, Louisiana
Eleanor A. Peyton (504) 589-7201

Federal Interagency Forum is a collaborative partnership formed by federal agencies to give Louisiana’s faith-based and community-based organizations access to, and information on, federal agency programs. Determined that there was a need for the forum because many under-served communities do not have a tool for accessing federal dollars and many communities are unaware of the programs that are available to them

815 Regional Collaboration between Alliance for Homeless and Unity of New Orleans
Harahan, Louisiana
Brenda Richard-Montgomery (504) 736-6259

The Alliance for the Homeless, a young coalition of homeless service providers in Jefferson Parish and outlining areas, approached the well-established Unity of New Orleans to discuss the possibility of collaborating. As a result , a regional Super NOFA application was submitted and funded for program year 1999. The relationship is being nurtured with a second regional application currently under development.

980 WEB PAGE
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Al Gensler (225) 389-3039

The OCD maintains a World Wide Web page for the purpose of providing information to its citizens and "partners".

The OCD’s page includes sub-pages that are set up to provide information in the areas of Housing Programs, Census Data, Community Partners, Plans and Reports, Fair Housing, Abandoned Adjudicated Property, Homeless Assistance and Links.

The Housing Programs page includes detailed listing including income qualifications for all housing related programs administered by the OCD. Under this section are also application forms for contractors who wish to participate in the OCD Rehabilitation program and a complete application package for apartment owners who to participate in the local Rental Rehab Loan program. There is also a 42 page map book available in PDF format that detail the Home buyer loan program target area. The Census information is provided through a click-able Census Tract map that include information down to the census block group level.

The Community Partners page includes information of the Public participation process and CAC as well as all know an active CDC and CHDOs. CDC’s and CHDO that have a web presence are linked through this section.

The Plans and Reports section has the entire Five Year Consolidated Plan and Strategy as well as all related Action Plans. Additionally the Baton Rouge PHA plan is also included here.

The Fair Housing page include all relevant information on Fair Housing an its enforcement. It includes links to both the State of Louisiana and HUD. This section also provides a downloadable Fair Housing logo for use by interested parities.

The Abandoned Adjudicated Property page list and/or maps all property sized by the City Parish for non-payment of taxes and details how such property may be acquired by individuals and non-profit organizations.

The homeless assistance page list all homeless shelters in the Baton Rouge area. Along with providing a photo of the facility the page gives descriptions of services, target populations and contact person. This site can be used by social service agencies to refer clients to the appropriate facility.

The Links page contains a plethora of links to useful public and private organization. Some of the linked organization are : Code of Federal Regulations , Community Policing Consortium, Enterprise Foundation, Fannie Mae's Internet Site, Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, Local Initiatives Support Corporation -LISC, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, and The Foundation Center.

Additionally the OCD maintains an Announcement page where public notices and meeting as well as special interest items are listed.

972 Willowbrook Apartments
Lafayette, Louisiana
Tim Breaux (337) 291-8402

Willowbrook Apartments consists of forty (40) units of housing for low and moderate income elderly, handicapped, and large families. The Lafayette Consolidated Government's accelerated approach to affordable housing for the low and moderate income persons developed into a partnership with Hibernia National Bank, the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency (LHFA), along with the Willowbrook Apartments Partnership: Seventh District Pavilion, M. Riemer Calhoun, Jr., T. F. Management, Inc. This approach has enlisted private funding as a leverage to public funds, increasing productivity of affordable housing. Through effective use of federal funds, the Lafayette Consolidated Government has leveraged three dollars of non-federal funds for each federal dollar loaned for the complex. The loan amount was 2.2 million dollars. Of the 2.2 million dollars, $257,182 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds were used for infrastructure, and $256,818 of the Home Investment Partnership (HOME) Program funds were used for actual construction. The remaining 1.7 million dollars consisted of private funding, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and bank financing. Consequently, through its partnership with other organizations, the Lafayette Consolidated Government has administered an aggressive program to provide decent and affordable housing to its citizens and has dramatically increased the production of new affordable rental housing. From the actual start of construction to the first tenant moving into Willowbrook was a span of four and one-half (4 1/2) months.

932 HOME Rehabilitation - Douglas Barrow
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Noel V. Moss (337) 491-1440

The City of Lake Charles, LA's Planning Department utilized HOME funds in an innovative approach to provide:

1. direct benefits to an individual beneficiary;
2. direct and indirect benefits to the community, and
3. direct benefits to the Lake Charles Police Department.

An elderly gentleman (78 years old) lived in a large old two-story house located in a low/moderate income area of Lake Charles. The old house was a community "eye sore" and in need of rehabilitation. The elderly gentleman lived on the second level and the first level was occupied by a friend who was supposedly taking care of the older man. Actually, the friend was allowing the first floor to be utilized for purposes of drug trafficking. The elderly gentleman had applied for rehabilitation assistance through the Lake Charles Planning Department's HOME Program. The house failed city codes, and the cost to rehabilitate it was astronomical. Ultimately, with the permission of the homeowner, the city utilized HOME funds to demolish and replace the old house with a comfortable, compact and energy-efficient one bedroom house. The city also constructed a fence around the new dwelling. This prevented visitors from parking on the grass. Since the house contained only one bedroom, the only person who could occupy same was the elderly gentleman. Home Health Care involved itself by periodically visiting the gentleman to insure his health needs were met. Ultimately, through the use of HOME funds and the logical and creative thinking of the Lake Charles Planning Department, the 78 year old beneficiary enjoys the direct benefits of an affordable home, the community enjoys the indirect benefits of a safer and quieter living environment, and the city's police department benefits indirectly by knowing that at least one incidence of drug trafficking has been deterred.

2587 Donations of Other Agency’s Computers and Furniture to HUD non-profits
New Orleans, Louisiana
Wayne H. Jenevein (504) 589-7265

Through contacts with other Federal Agencies in the Region such as GSA, U.S. Probation, U.S. Bankruptcy, and the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, this project has managed to have those agencies excess their old computers and furniture to HUD for distribution to HUD non-profit organizations and local schools.

Over the years the over all impact of this effort has been overwhelming; to the point where the project no longer keep track of the numbers of PCs or furniture. The project only keeps track of the volume by gross weigh tons.

Last year the MultiFamily Housing people took the director of the project to a grand opening of a computer learning center at Metairie Manor, one of their 202's. All the computers they had they received came from the project.

752 Slidell Public Swimming Pool
Slidell, Louisiana
Martin Bruno (504) 646-4320

Public swimming pool and bath house located in a low/mod area to serve primarily disadvantaged children. The pool is operated by the Boys and Girls Club.

1077 Cultivating Capacity: People, Place and the Community Development Process for Nonprofits
New Orleans, Louisiana
Anita D. Hamm (504) 589-7228

A two-day training designed to provide technical information to nonprofit organizations whose scope of work necessitates community/economic development and the provision of affordable housing. The training provided an in-depth analysis of concepts, case studies and organizational design strategies to support nonprofit developers. Training topics included "Building a Successful Nonprofit", "Accounting", "Business Trends", "Strategic Planning for Nonprofits", and "Grant Proposal Writing". Presenters were a diverse group of professionals from the public and private sectors. The training was designed for a small group of approximately thirty-five (35) individuals to allow for the applied-learning process. There was an adequate amount of time allowed for the transference of knowledge and questions and responses from presenters. The training was the first in a series of trainings designed to assist in the development and enhancement of each organization's foundation. Prior to the planning of the training, a survey was sent to and submitted from each attending organization. The survey was used as a measuring tool, providing information on each organization's strengths and weaknesses. The training organizers used the survey to tailor the training to meet the needs of the attending organizations. Following the training, a database and tracking system were developed and implemented. The database is being used to disseminate information on additional trainings and alternative funding sources. The tracking system is used to assess the progress of each organization and to aid in the planning of additional trainings.

887 Survey to determine CPS needs of East Baton Rouge Citizens
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Al Gensler (225) 389-3039

In an effort to obtain input from the largest group possible and otherwise broaden public participation in the local CPS process and to include those not otherwise represented by any other association the OCD developed a needs survey titled "How Would You Spend These Funds". The survey covered the spectrum of eligible activities that can be funded under the CPS programs (CDBG, HOME, ESGP, and HOPWA). This survey was published in the Sunday Advocate (the newspaper of general circulation), the Baton Rouge Weekly Leader and the Baton Rouge Post (the two local minority newspapers). The survey was also made available at all branches of the public library, community centers, and Head Start centers. Additionally two Metropolitan Council members ,representing a large section of the inner city distributed the survey to their constituents one through direct public meetings and another through a direct mailing. The OCD considered and incorporated, where appropriate, the results of this survey.

843 Louisiana State HOPWA Rent Calculation and Monthly Services Invoice Report Program
New Orleans, Louisiana
Kim M. Winder (504) 568-7473

The State Housing Coordinator for the HOPWA Program, Kim Miguel Winder, has help design a Rent Calculation and Monthly Services Invoice Report Program for the eight CBO’s and seven residential facilities throughout the State. The computer program gathers information on individual HIV/AIDS clients being served. This is in relation to the fair market rent standard and income standard (The higher amount between 30% of the a Families Adjusted Monthly Gross Income or 10% of a Families Monthly Gross Income) and then determines the maximum monthly allowance per HIV/AIDS client. The HOPWA Monthly Services Invoice Report includes: the number of HIV/AIDS clients and family members served, racial and ethnic information, number of beds in the facility, bedroom size of the rental unit, number of persons in residence, number of persons on waiting lists, eligible housing activities and housing assistance services, and operating and administrative costs, ect.

411 Providing Fair Housing Training in Louisiana
Houma, Louisiana
Myra & Cheryl and Fanguy & Breaux (504) 873-6799

April 2000 was the 32nd anniversary of Fair Housing. The Louisiana State Office partnered with Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government to provide education and outreach to citizens of Terrebonne parish.

743 Reverse 911 Communication System
Alexandria, Louisiana
Brenda G. Ray (318) 449-5072

The City of Alexandria Community Development Department places a high priority on citizen input in all planning and communication efforts. To facilitate community input into the city’s consolidated planning efforts, five public hearings were scheduled – one in each city council district. Consistent with most communities, participation at public hearings had historically been very low. The reverse 911 system was added to the communication plan to communicate an endorsement of the meetings by city council members and to impact a portion of the population that may not be impacted by newspaper and television announcements. This program fulfilled the city’s need to empower people in the process and restore public trust.

This City of Alexandria Community Development Department used this new technology to contact all households in the city with a telephone, and personally invite them to a public hearing. The reverse 911 system was used to place telephone calls to city residents inviting them to the public hearing that was scheduled for their city council district. City council members recorded personal invitations to the public hearings. This program was supplemented with television coverage, newspaper ads and public service announcements on the government access channel.

1111 Roundtable Discussion
New Orleans, Louisiana
Chester Drozdowks (504) 589-7251

HUD invited non-profit groups, faith-based organizations, small business owners, housing developers, Public Housing Authorities, CHDOs, CDCs, universities and HUD's Division Directors to participate in a two-hour Roundtable discussion of community issues during its Annual Open House this year. The Roundtable, which was originally planned to join 31 community partners from across Louisiana ina discussion of how we can respond to communities' needs, drew in other visitors from the Open House who stayed to view and participate in the Roundtable discussion. The Senior Community Builder and senior staff from all four program Areas were in attendance and responded to the concerns of the attendees and participants. A moderator was on hand to facilitate the discussion which included such topics as Workforce Development, Partnershiping for Homeownership and Affordable Housing, Redevelopment of Public Housing and Consolidated Planning and Community Involvement.

Content Archived: April 20, 2011