Lower Ninth Ward Homeownership Association
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| Lower Ninth Ward Homeownership Association | |
|---|---|
| Name | Lower Ninth Ward Homeownership Association |
| Formation | 1990s |
| Type | Community organization |
| Purpose | Neighborhood revitalization and homeownership advocacy |
| Headquarters | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Region served | Lower Ninth Ward, St. Bernard Parish |
| Leader title | President |
Lower Ninth Ward Homeownership Association is a community-based organization focused on promoting residential stability, property ownership, and neighborhood revitalization in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana. The association has engaged with municipal agencies, federal programs, civil rights advocates, and philanthropic organizations to address housing, rebuilding, and planning after major disasters. It has been active in civic debates involving flood protection, urban planning, and cultural preservation.
History
The association emerged in the context of late 20th-century civic organizing alongside groups such as Common Ground Relief, St. Bernard Parish civic networks, and neighborhood associations associated with Treme (New Orleans) and Bywater. Founding activity paralleled initiatives by entities including Housing Authority of New Orleans, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and regional chapters of Neighborhoods USA. Early interactions involved regional actors like Entergy New Orleans, Mayor Marc Morial's administration, and educational institutions such as Tulane University and Xavier University of Louisiana. The organization’s formation reflected broader trends in urban community development also seen in cities like Detroit, Chicago, and New York City. It engaged with policy frameworks influenced by legislation such as the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and programs administered by Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Mission and Activities
The association’s stated mission centers on promoting homeownership, preserving cultural heritage in the Lower Ninth Ward, and facilitating access to reconstruction resources. Activities have included coordinating with Federal Home Loan Bank programs, advocating through coalitions with ACORN-style neighborhood groups, and seeking grants from foundations like the Ford Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The group has liaised with service providers including Red Cross (United States), Habitat for Humanity, and regional contractors working under Army Corps of Engineers contracts. It has collaborated with legal advocates in matters involving organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center and civil rights leaders connected to NAACP chapters and clergy networks tied to Southern Christian Leadership Conference-affiliated congregations.
Post-Katrina Recovery and Advocacy
Following Hurricane Katrina the association became a focal point for local recovery efforts, interacting with national responses led by Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Congress members, and presidential administration officials. It participated in debates over levee reconstruction involving the United States Army Corps of Engineers and policy discussions with officials from the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The association worked alongside community organizations such as Common Ground Relief, Make It Right Foundation, and neighborhood coalitions that included participants from Tsunami Relief-era groups and faith-based organizations like Salvation Army (United States). Advocacy included engagement with legislative actors from Louisiana Legislature, representatives from New Orleans City Council, and federal representatives on housing policy committees. The association contributed to planning conversations involving institutions such as Urban Land Institute and academic research from University of New Orleans and Louisiana State University.
Governance and Membership
Governance structures have generally mirrored nonprofit neighborhood organizations that use elected boards, volunteer committees, and partnerships with municipal agencies like City of New Orleans departments. Membership has included long-term residents, clergy from congregations in the Lower Ninth Ward, small business owners operating near St. Claude Avenue and Florida Avenue, and students or faculty from institutions such as Tulane University School of Architecture. The association has engaged with philanthropic funders, municipal grant programs administered through offices of mayors including Ray Nagin and Mitch Landrieu, and regional planning agencies such as Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority.
Notable Projects and Initiatives
Notable projects attributed to or associated with the association include neighborhood rebuilding efforts, home repair programs, and cultural preservation initiatives in the tradition of local civic projects like those by Make It Right Foundation and Propeller. Initiatives have involved coordination with construction firms contracting under Community Development Block Grant programs, participation in planning workshops with Congress for the New Urbanism practitioners, and collaboration with community arts groups that tie into New Orleans traditions such as second line parades linked to organizations like Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs. The association has also been part of corridor improvement discussions involving Industrial Canal revitalization and flood risk mitigation projects championed by regional coalitions including environmental groups like Sierra Club affiliates and restoration advocates linked to National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Criticisms and Controversies
Criticisms leveled at the association have mirrored broader disputes over post-disaster redevelopment, affordable housing allocation, and the role of external foundations in neighborhood change. These debates have referenced controversies involving actors such as Make It Right Foundation, municipal administrations like those of Ray Nagin and Mitch Landrieu, and federal programs under FEMA and HUD. Observers comparing redevelopment outcomes in the Lower Ninth Ward have cited comparisons with recovery patterns in neighborhoods like Gentilly and St. Bernard Parish, and drawn parallels to national controversies over displacement, gentrification, and the influence of philanthropy in urban planning debates involving groups like Urban Land Institute and scholars from Princeton University and Harvard University. Allegations in some media reports have implicated tensions with contractors, grant administrators, and partner organizations similar to disputes recorded in cases involving Habitat for Humanity affiliates and community development intermediaries.