rebuilding homes.

serving the Lower 9th Ward since 2007

Photograph courtesy of John Rosenthal

homes rebuild

repair & renovation projects

volunteers

lowernine.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to restore and revitalize New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward, one of the hardest-hit communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing levee breaches of 2005, which rendered 100% of Lower 9th Ward homes uninhabitable. As we approach the 20th anniversary of Katrina, our work continues – not just to repair buildings, but to invest in the future of this resilient, historic Black community.

about us

one house at a time

lowernine.org works directly with Lower 9th Ward residents to rebuild homes that were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Initially engaged in mold remediation and gutting work, we soon saw the need for a sustained long-term recovery effort, and discovered that under skilled supervision, unskilled volunteers could fully rebuild flood-damaged homes, and complete new construction projects for legacy residents.

see our projects

#howardbuild: complete

Ms. Howard had lived in the Lower 9th Ward for her entire life up to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. After the storm she moved away, but in 2011 Ms. Howard bought her house on Tricou Street to be closer to family, and was able to move back to the neighborhood. Ms. Howard works for the New Orleans school system. Due to the age of the home, damage caused by bad plumbing, and a tree that fell on the house, repairs were needed. What started as the need for roof repairs and new flooring, quickly turned into the renovation of nearly […]

#foucherbuild: complete

A lifelong resident of the Lower 9th Ward, Mrs. Foucher has faced more than her share of hardships. After the damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina, she lived with her adult daughter and her husband, a veteran, in their Urquhart Street house full of mold under a faulty roof on the verge of collapse. Her family then became victims of contractor fraud, leading to further unsafe living conditions. When her husband became gravely ill with pancreatic cancer, Mrs. Foucher became his sole caretaker and head of the household while working only a part time job. lowernine.org stepped in to completely renovate […]

#cusherbuild: complete

Like most Lower 9th Ward residents, Alita Cusher and her family were forced to move outside of New Orleans following the disaster in 2005. Obtaining funds for the rebuilding of their home has been a struggle. lowernine.org has been sending volunteers to help the Cushers afford the rebuild of their double shotgun property on Flood Street for the past couple of years. The last stages of this project were finishing the interior drywall and electricity. Completed December 2016.

#josephbuild: complete

Errol and Esther’s home on Forstall was built by Errol’s father. Errol had lived there for 62 years before it was flooded in 2005. When residents were finally able to return to the Lower 9th Ward after Hurricane Katrina, Errol gutted his house and began the salvage process. Along the road to recovery the Josephs have dealt with numerous obstacles including navigating the Road Home program, which was found to be discriminatory in a federal court of law. lowernine.org partnered with the Josephs to finish their home, completing the project in 2016!Read about the Joseph family’s journey at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/us/katrina-red-tape-keeps-new-orleans-homeowner-in-limbo.html