UREC Advances Baker Homeowner Rehabilitation Pilot Through Partnerships with LHC and the City of Baker

Initiative bridges the financial gap for eligible homeowners who have critical home repair needs

(Baton Rouge, La.) – Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation (UREC), in partnership with Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC) and the City of Baker are collaborating to provide critical home repair needs to eligible homeowners in Baker, La. through a pilot initiative. The partnership reflects a $1 million investment (over two phases) from LHC to repair and/or bring up-to-code homes owned and occupied by senior residents, individuals with disabilities, homeowners with limited incomes, or those who display a combination of qualifying factors.

LHC, which administers federal and state funds through programs designed to advance the development of energy-efficient and affordable housing for low and moderate-income families, selected UREC to manage the pilot.

UREC oversees construction management for eligible properties through the initiative, and the City of Baker facilitates applicant outreach and intake. The participating homeowners in Phase I say they appreciate the home modifications that have made their homes more comfortable and livable.

UREC President & CEO Carl Dillon said: “The average cost to repair the qualified homes in Baker is forty thousand dollars, and the need outweighs the demand. We’ve encountered homes that need mold remediation, bathroom remodeling, ADA-compliant installations, flooring, air conditioning upgrades, and other enhancements. For the families we’re working with, repairs of this magnitude would not have been possible without the additional support.”

“To ensure that every Louisiana resident is granted the opportunity to obtain safe, affordable, and energy-efficient we rely on collaboration from our housing partners, like UREC, to create innovative programs that can help us assess the affordable housing crisis,” said LHC Executive Director Marjorianna Willman. “By transforming these homes in Baker we are reinvesting in the livelihood of the community and its people. This rehabilitation program also provides a baseline of what LHC and other nonprofit organizations can work towards in the future of the affordable housing industry.”

City of Baker Mayor Darnell Waites said: “The success of the Baker Home Rehabilitation Initiative reflects years of work to solidify partnerships that address the needs of residents to make homeownership and asset maintenance achievable. There has been great anticipation and excitement over the availability of this program that has both provided a valuable service to our residents as well as contributed to improving the safety and structural integrity of the City overall.”

The Baker Home Rehabilitation Initiative reflects the strength of public-private partnerships in providing solutions to make homeownership and asset maintenance affordable and accessible.

For more information, contact UREC at (225) 356-8871 or info@urecbr.com.

Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation (UREC) is a nonprofit community development organization that has served the Baton Rouge area since 1992. UREC’s mission is to transform communities by investing in people and restoring neighborhoods.  UREC’s housing plans focus on providing modern, high quality and affordable homes to as many families as possible—particularly families with low to moderate incomes. Learn more at www.urecbr.com.