Lower Ninth Ward Neighborhood Empowerment Network Association, New Orleans, Louisiana
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There is, by now, a familiar narrative that forms the backbone of most coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that features two basic tracks: stories of utter devastation and loss, and stories of people who triumph over extreme adversity. The reality of the situation for the Lower Ninth Ward Neighborhood Empowerment Network Association (NENA) is a combination of those storylines. Housing, economic development with employment opportunities, and education are among the issues they organize community residents — those who have returned and those struggling to make their way home — to advocate for in the struggle for the future of their neighborhood.  

Patricia Jones, NENA’s Executive Director, was born in the Lower Ninth Ward, lived there before the storm, and is currently rebuilding both her own home and that of her father. This means she has a vested interest in helping to create viable solutions that speak to the needs of the people on the ground and those trying to come back home. The primary methodology is rooted in one-on-one case management for those still fighting through the maze of paperwork required by public and private relief efforts, as well as all other avenues, to reconstruct their lives.

NENA provides case management and administrative services for a local not-for-profit organization building 150 new homes, not to mention maintaining an active presence in the lives of people who live near the actual breach in the levee. Moving forward, their biggest challenge is to find the financial resources for a housing loan fund to supplement the Road Home Program, in which homes are being valued at pre-Katrina prices. There is a substantial gap between the amount of money available for rebuilding and the actual costs of construction, leaving residents without a place to turn for help. This capitalization loan fund would offer forgivable loans/grants and low-interest loans to residents who have accountability measures in place. The people of NENA are looking for a helping hand, not a hand-out — loans must be repaid dollar for dollar.