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NEW ORLEANS — Today, the City of New Orleans and the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) announced that the 150th project as part of the $5 million Community Adaptation Program (CAP) was recently completed. Cumulatively, the first 150 completed CAP projects are able to capture 441,579 gallons (the equivalent of approximately 5,452 bathtubs) of stormwater in the Gentilly area, allowing it to remain on site and gradually replenish underlying soil instead of entering the City’s drainage system.
The program, which is managed by NORA, provides an opportunity for low-to-moderate income Gentilly homeowners to work directly with a team of local landscape architects and construction contractors (Dana Brown and Associates, Thrive New Orleans, Ubuntu Construction and Wingate Engineers) to retrofit their properties with up to $25,000 worth of residential-scale stormwater management interventions. Participating CAP homeowners can choose from a variety of “green infrastructure” improvements such as the installation of permeable pavement (to replace impervious concrete surfaces), stormwater planter boxes, tree plantings, infiltration trenches, rain barrels and rain gardens.
"With our infrastructure work, we are always looking for ways to make it greener. The Community Adaptation Program does just that by providing homeowners the ability to remodel their properties to hold water onsite and divert it from the storm drains," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "The Gentilly project is one of the most comprehensive green infrastructure projects we have seen in our city so far. This program also engages low-to-moderate income residents that otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to build elements like this on their properties. I can't wait to see what this program does into the future."
“With 150 projects completed, the Community Adaptation Program continues to benefit not only a growing number of homeowners, but also the entire Gentilly community as a whole,” said Project Delivery Unit Manager Joseph Threat. “Together, we are building a path to a more resilient future by learning how to live with water. Our community's efforts to hold water on their own property is an important and effective green infrastructure intervention. As part of the HUD-funded Gentilly Resilience District (GRD), the CAP program continues to thrive in reaching this milestone. The City of New Orleans is actively looking for future opportunities to expand this valuable concept.”
“The Community Adaptation Program has just been recognized by the Atlantic Council’s Arsht-Rockefeller Resilience Center [learn more at https://mappingresilience.onebillionresilient.org/neworleans] as one of two model programs to address extreme precipitation,” said NORA Executive Director Brenda M. Breaux. “I am so proud of the team here at NORA and the work we have completed with our homeowner and contractor partners. Additionally, I would like to thank the homeowners for their desire to make their homes and neighborhood more resilient. These first 150 installations are already making a difference in Gentilly, and NORA will continue to educate citizens, develop small businesses and expand residential green infrastructure across the city.”
One of the most significant recently completed projects is in Gentilly’s Pontchartrain Park neighborhood, designed and constructed by the Wingate Engineers team. The project removed over 100 Square Feet (SF) of impervious concrete from the property and added over 1,000 SF of green infrastructure interventions which included a new permeable paver patio, infiltration trenches, rain gardens, stormwater planter boxes, rain barrels and trees. Cumulatively, these interventions can capture 6,170 gallons of storm water which equates to the first 1.98 inches of rainfall on the property during a major storm event.
"The project looks beyond what I envisioned. We had a rainy day and I came out just to see if I had any settling water and the permeable pavers area was totally dry. It was amazing," said Homeowner Lydia Taylor. "I now have a space that is both beautiful and helps with some of the water retention I was having. I think that this program is going to help Gentilly. This is definitely a project that all of New Orleans should partake. I would like to thank NORA and the City of New Orleans for this much needed program."
Public engagement continues to be an integral part of the CAP and GRD. Virtual “CAP Chats" is the online event series that the City uses to showcase completed projects and the homeowners experience throughout the process. View previous episodes here. For more information about the Community Adaptation Program, visit nola.gov/resilience, send an email to roadwork@nola.gov or call (504) 658-7623.
RoadworkNOLA encourages contractors and small businesses to attend the upcoming Infrastructure Industry Day conference on Jan. 12, 2022 from 1-3 p.m., location is TBD. Topics of discussion include, contracting opportunities with the City, networking and mentorship, and resources will be available for small businesses. Visit roadwork.nola.gov to pre-register.
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