Elysian Courtyards Grand Opening

On October 5, Elysian Courtyards of Gentilly, a new Renaissance Neighborhood Development Corporation housing initiative in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans, held its grand opening. Formerly known as Chateau Carre, Elysian Courtyards is located in Gentilly and is functional for the first time since it flooded after Hurricane Katrina. It consists of 150 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

Pictured from left are Dr. Albert Ruesga, President/CEO, Greater New Orleans Foundation; Charles Rice, Jr., President/CEO, Entergy New Orleans, Inc.; our President/CEO Jim LeBlanc; Kurt Maloney, our Board Chair; Robin Keegan, Executive Director, La. Office of Community Development; Nick Harris, Dillard University; Mike King, President/CEO, Volunteers of America, Inc; Victor Smeltz, Executive Director, Renaissance Neighborhood Development Corp.; New Orleans City Councilmember Cynthia Hedge Morrell; State Sen. Edwin Murray; Barbara Blackwell, Sugar Hill Neighborhood Association; Steve Hemperly, Greater New Orleans Marketing President, Capital One Bank, and Melissa Persaud, Director, Major League Baseball Players Trust.

Groves Groundbreaking A Great Success

On Thursday, September 23, our Renaissance Neighborhood Development Corporation, a subsidiary of Volunteers of America hosted its groundbreaking ceremony for the Groves, a new housing initiative in Covington. Upon completion, The Groves will provide 94 mixed-income rental apartment homes and 35 single-family homes for purchase by first-time home buyers. It is located near the West 30's neighborhood in Covington.

Pictured, from left, Pastor Gerard Ramsey, Jeff St. Romain, Habitat, Rep. John Schroder, Jim LeBlanc, President/CEO, Volunteers of America, Senator Jack Donahue, Greg Hettrick, VP/Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, Milton Bailey, President/LHFA, Victor Smeltz, Volunteers of America/RNDC, Robin Keegan, State of Louisiana, Office of Community Development, Covington Mayor Candace Watkins, Maureen Clary and Councilwoman Francis Dunn.

Thank you to our financial partners: Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, Louisiana Office of Community Development, First NBC Bank, First NBC Community Development LLC, St. Tammany Parish, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Living Cities, Major League Baseball Players Trust, and Entergy Charitable Foundation.

Special thanks to: Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West, Concordia LLC, MSH Architects LLC, Scalfano Engineering Inc., Villere Town Planning Associates LLC, Donahue Favret Contractors Inc., Larry Loyd Construction Inc., Latter & Blum Property Management Inc., & Maureen Clary.

Click here to watch WWL-TV's coverage of the groundbreaking. Click here to read a Times-Picayune article about the event.