Pontchartrain Park sets the bar for NOLA redevelopment
VIDEO - The Pontchartrain Park project is at the core of a massive undertaking to acquire and sell 4,500 formerly occupied lots ...
After Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA), sought out entities that could redevelop all of the storm-ravaged properties in Pontchartrain Park, an historic African-American community that was devastated by some of the highest flooding in New Orleans. The Pontchartrain Park Community Development Corporation (PPCDC), led by actor and native son Wendell Pierce, answered the call.
The Pontchartrain Park project is at the core of a massive undertaking by NORA to acquire and sell 4,500 formerly occupied lots that the state purchased from residents using money from Road Home, a hurricane-relief program. The plan entails the state transferring ownership to NORA, which will then transfer many of the properties to the PPCD to build new eco-friendly homes. As the fifth anniversary of the storm approaches, many residents say they’re frustrated that the property transfers are taking too long, leaving them in limbo.
