Volunteers of America Breaks Ground in Terrebonne Parish
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Donna Betzer
Volunteers of America
(o) 504-486-8667 | (c) 504-722-9575
dbetzer@voagno.org
New Orleans, LA (October 15, 2014) – The Bayou Cane Apartments located on Synergy Center Boulevard in Houma will add 82 newly-constructed apartment homes to the community next summer. The 4-acre landscaped site will feature five, two- and three-story garden-style apartment buildings, a playground, community center, dog park, on-site parking and a nature trail.
“We welcome Volunteers of America and their development to Terrebonne Parish,” says Parish President Michel Claudet. “Residents, families and our ever growing workforce will certainly benefit from this much-needed quality housing.”
The Bayou Cane Apartments was made possible through $5.7 million in Community Development Block Grant funding awarded by Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government to Renaissance Neighborhood Development Corporation (RNDC), which was leveraged with additional private investment equity and bank financing. RNDC is a subsidiary of Volunteers of America whose mission is to provide quality rental housing that is affordable to working households in Southeast Louisiana. The general contractor for the apartments is Donahue Favret Contractors, Inc. and the Architect is MSH Architects, LLC.
Volunteers of America will maintain a presence at the property offering employment readiness services to Bayou Cane Apartment residents. Future program services will be expanded based on the needs of the community. “This is an exciting development for us, and we feel privileged to help serve this community,” says Jim LeBlanc, Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans President/CEO.
Bayou Cane Apartments will be a mixed-income community with all of the units affordable to individual and families earning up to 80 percent of area median income. Pre-leasing of these new one- and two-bedroom apartment homes will begin in spring 2015, and the first residents should be moving in by early summer.
In addition to Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government financing, partners included Louisiana Housing Corporation, State of LA Division of Administration Office of Community Development, Enterprise Community Investment, Inc., American Express, Capital One, National Association and First NBC Bank.
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About Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives and reach their full potential. Since 1896, our ministry of service has supported and empowered America's most vulnerable groups, including at-risk youth, the frail elderly, men returning from prison, people with disabilities, and those recovering from addictions. Our work touches the mind, body, heart-and ultimately the spirit-of those we serve, integrating our deep compassion with highly effective programs and services.
About RNDC
Renaissance Neighborhood Development Corporation (RNDC) is a locally managed subsidiary of Volunteers of America. Through the creation and rehabilitation of neighborhood-based multi-family rental housing, RNDC is dedicated to providing affordable and safe housing to the working people of our communities. For more information please visit: http://www.rndcnola.org