East Baton Rouge Housing Authority Secures $2.5M Grant for Neighborhood Transformation
The grant aims to revitalize three North Baton Rouge neighborhoods, situated between Florida Boulevard and Greenwell Springs Road. EBRPHA will utilize the funds to develop high-quality mixed-income housing and support services for families.
BATON ROUGE, La. — The East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority (EBRPHA) and the BR Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan have been awarded a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, announced by Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman and President Joe Biden.
The grant aims to revitalize three North Baton Rouge neighborhoods, situated between Florida Boulevard and Greenwell Springs Road. EBRPHA will utilize the funds to develop high-quality mixed-income housing and support services for families.
The project includes the completion of all four phases of the Cypress at Ardendale community, set to deliver over 430 homes in the coming years. Phase I is expected to be completed in the next few months, with subsequent phases opening annually from 2025 to 2026.
J. Wesley Daniels Jr., CEO of EBRPHA, highlighted the project's potential to transform the area, attracting more than $330 million in investments. "The Ardendale master plan emulates traditional neighborhood developments across America," Daniels stated.
The community will feature an "Educational Spine" to connect neighborhoods with key education and employment centers. Additionally, the “Ardenwood-Lobdell Connector Road” initiative will fund the construction of a half-mile access road linking Cypress at Ardendale to the west side of Ardendale.
BREC will also contribute by creating recreational pathways and utilizing wetlands walkways within the community. Daniels emphasized the collaborative effort behind the project, saying, "It all begins with a dream for innovation, determination, and vision. The stakeholders of this great city are accomplishing in this new transformed community a New Urban vision based on advancing education, health and wellness, and economic opportunities."
