Shreveport to benefit from $140M affordable housing, retail space investment

Kendrick Dante, Shreveport Times
·1 min read

More than 300 apartments are set to open within walking distance of downtown Shreveport in early 2022 as part of a $140 million investment into residential and commercial real estate./

Bayou Grande, according to a news release from the Housing Authority of the City of Shreveport, is a mixed-used development. The project will include 5,000 square feet or retail space in addition to mixed-income housing options.

That means low-income families can apply for a sliding scale rent arrangement, and grocery stores or other businesses will be open to the public on the ground floor.

The project will serve the Allendale and Ledbetter Heights neighborhood. Per the release, "It will result in 2,500 direct, indirect, and induced jobs."

Bobby Collins, Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Authority of the City of Shreveport, stands outside of the Bayou Grande's construction site, which benefits from the federal Choice Neighborhood Initiative.
Bobby Collins, Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Authority of the City of Shreveport, stands outside of the Bayou Grande's construction site, which benefits from the federal Choice Neighborhood Initiative.

“This is such a wonderful opportunity for Shreveport. It will expand affordable housing, provide supportive services and revitalize an entire community,” said Bobby Collins, Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Authority of the City of Shreveport. “While I want to make certain the work is done well and on schedule, I’m most excited about seeing residents begin to live, work and play in the space.”

The total investment includes local, state and federal money.

It includes a $24.2 million grant from the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development program designed to “to help transform high-poverty, distressed neighborhoods into mixed-income neighborhoods with the affordable housing, safe streets, and good schools every family needs,” according to a HUD website.

Kendrick Dante writes for the USA Today Network and is a government watchdog reporter in Shreveport, Louisiana. He enjoys cooking, concerts, and content. Email him at kdbrown1@gannett.com or connect on Twitter @kendrickdante.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: $140 million investment creates affordable housing, jobs in Shreveport