Gentilly Resilience District

The City of New Orleans submitted an application for funding through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) National Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC) and was subsequently granted $141.2 million (second largest among the 13 total awardees). The goals of this grant included: addressing remaining damage from Hurricane Isaac in 2012 and undertaking projects and programs to fix that damage; building more resiliently to withstand future disasters; and mitigating our unique environmental challenges and urban public health disparities.

For more information about the NDRC grant as well as the contracts procured and created through it, visit the Office of Community Development website.

The City’s NDRC application proposed the creation of its first-ever comprehensive resilience district in Gentilly with projects that invest in innovative and creative solutions so that people, culture, and infrastructure can thrive. A focus on Gentilly presents opportunities to leverage existing projects and investments, to reduce flood risk, and to support the area’s recovery and revitalization. The Gentilly Resilience District (GRD) builds on existing investments in urban water management funded through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).

The GRD is a combination of efforts across Gentilly to reduce flood risk, slow land subsidence, improve energy reliability, and encourage neighborhood revitalization. Working with partners such as the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO), the City is leveraging existing investments in Gentilly and building on the experience of relevant pilot projects—from rain gardens to education programs—to inform our efforts elsewhere.

The city’s first-ever Resilience District will be a model for how other neighborhoods in New Orleans, across the region, and across the country, can adapt-to-thrive in a changing environment. By implementing various approaches to water and land management that have been successfully piloted throughout the district, we see this as a crucial step towards eventually and holistically improving neighborhood quality of life across the city—touching on everything from health and equity to economic opportunity, and from environmental education to recreation, and more.

The Gentilly Resilience District is comprised of the following projects and programs:

Projects:

Blue & Green Corridors: (Phase 1~ $33M and Phase 2/3~ $12M ) ~ Status: Phase 1- In construction; Phase 2/3- In planning~

Phase 1 will encompass neutral grounds of major boulevards being reimagined to slow and store stormwater while facilitating safe and comfortable spaces to travel and recreate; Phase 2/3 will continue to address another major boulevard and seven neighborhood parks by adding underground stormwater storage tanks in the area.

Dillard Wetlands: ($9.1M) ~ Status: In planning~

Retrofitting an existing 27-acre dense woodlands city property along the London Ave Canal to capture water from neighboring areas and serve as a nature preserve.

Gentilly Canal & Lagoons: ($500K) ~ Status: In progress~

In partnership with the New Orleans Arts Council, local artists have been engaged and awarded grants to create public art pieces that will be placed placement along London Canal and other upcoming Gentilly Resilience District projects to enhance public understanding of "Living with Water" and embrace the New Orleans Culture.

Mirabeau Water Garden Phase II: ($10M) ~ Status: In planning~

Continuing to incorporate natural beauty, education and community into the 25-acre site, formerly the Sisters of Saint Joseph convent. The base work for the green infrastructure was completed in phase 1 of the project ($30M under HMGP) but now it is time to ensure the community’s needs are addressed. The total project will store up to 10 million gallons of stormwater.

Dwyer Canal Public Improvements: ~ ($2.5M) ~ Status: In planning~

At the junction of the Gentilly Woods neighborhood and Pontchartrain Park neighborhood the Dwyer Canal receive enhancements to connect stormwater storage lots, streets, and alleyways completing the green infrastructure interventions along with the continued beautification of the neighborhoods.

St. Anthony Green Streets & Parks: (North~ 16.5M and South~ $13.1M and Parks~3M) ~ Status: South – Q3 2026 Construction; North- Q4 2026 Construction; Park- Spring 2027 Construction~

The Green Streets & Parks project retrofitting approximately thirty-three (33) residential street blocks and two (2) neighborhood parks with various stormwater management features, including green infrastructure storage tanks, underground utility upgrades, curb rain garden, and permeable sidewalk and pavement.

St. Bernard Neighborhood Campus: (Phase 1(Storage Tanks) ~ $15.7M; Phase 2 (Recreation Canter) ~ $1M; Phase 3 (Streets & Dock) ~ $ 6M) ~ Status: Phase 1 In construction; Phase 3 Awarded & Q4 Construction; Phaser 2 In Planning)

Phase 1 of the St Bernard project begin in November 2025 with the installation of a 5M gallon underground water tank under the existing Willie Hall Playground. Phase 3 has been awarded and is scheduled to begin construction in Q4 2026. This phase will address 7 roadway blocks by upgrading underground drainage and connect ability for residents. In addition, the infrastructure work of phase 3 will be a Kayak launch/boardwalk, kid’s playground, fitness areas, and outdoor event lawns. The 2^nd phase of this project will create a new NORDC center for the baseball, football and track portions of the park.

Programs:

Community Adaptation Program: investments in stormwater management and other resilience features for Gentilly homeowners;
Reliable Energy & Smart Systems: increase energy and water utility resilience through investments in micro-grids, energy redundancy at critical water infrastructure sites, and a water monitoring network;
Workforce Development: train and prepare a local workforce to build water management projects and develop increasingly vital skills in water infrastructure development and maintenance.