Baton Rouge Reporter

Baton Rouge, LA  – On March 11, 2024, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced she approved a $7.6 million grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide funding for various initiatives, including a new grocery store in North Baton Rouge, construction of affordable housing, blight remediation, after-school programs, and community violence-intervention programs.

“My administration has aggressively utilized federal funding to revitalize our disinvested communities in Baton Rouge, including securing more than $59 million during my administration that is being used to build over 1,000 affordable housing units, rehabilitate over 350 homes, provide shelter to thousands of individuals experiencing homelessness, and serve tens of thousands of low-income residents. Now we are ready to tackle additional needs through this latest round of funds from our partners at HUD,” said Mayor Broome.

Funding Breakdown:

• $3 million for a grocery store(s) in North Baton Rouge. The Mayor’s Office of Community Development (OCD) will soon open a notice of funding opportunity for interested developers and grocery store operators to submit proposals.
• $1.4 million for resilient, affordable housing. The OCD will partner with the Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC) to support affordable housing projects in East Baton Rouge Parish. Interested developers should apply with LHC.
• $750,000 for blight clean-up in disinvested communities. Interested small businesses, particularly businesses owned by minorities, women, and veterans, should participate in the bid process through the City-Parish Department of Development.
• $500,000 for after-school programs with the Boys and Girls Club at the Inspiration Center at Howell Park. 
• $634,000 for community violence intervention strategies with Safe Hopeful Healthy BR. Attend the monthly ecosystem meeting, which is held on the third Tuesday at 5 p.m. at the River Center Branch Library in downtown Baton Rouge, to learn more about opportunities to engage with community-led violence intervention strategies.

Read the entire CDBG Disaster Recovery Action Plan at brla.gov/communitydevelopment.

Original source can be found here.