Shreveport Choice Neighborhoods Initiative
Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments and City of Shreveport, Louisiana, Shreveport, LA
A plan for revitalizing Shreveport neighborhoods
Located just west of downtown Shreveport, the neighborhoods of Allendale, Ledbetter Heights and West Edge had experienced more than 30 years of disinvestment. They suffered from population loss, high poverty levels, and widespread vacancies—yet they were home to historic sites, an emerging arts district, and more than 5,000 residents. In 2010, the Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments and the City of Shreveport were awarded a federal Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant to enable an integrated, comprehensive, and inclusive planning process for these neighborhoods to address housing, neighborhood, and social/education issues.
Goody Clancy led creation of the plan, which included:
- An “urban villages” strategy that used public input to identify well-defined areas for concentrating local infrastructure investment and other public improvements to attract private investment in the neighborhood
- Design guidelines for the phased redevelopment of a mostly vacant 12-block area into a new, affordable workforce housing development, providing 150-300 new housing units
- Collaborative strategies for improving educational outcomes for students at the neighborhoods’ two schools, expanding workforce development opportunities, and supporting residents’ health and wellness by leveraging nearby health centers
IMPLEMENTATION
- $1.4 million in state and city funding to support land acquisition, housing development, infrastructure improvements, and creation of a botanical garden at Heritage Place
- $1.2 million awarded for storm water improvements to address local flooding issues
- $250,000 in grant funding to launch ongoing neighborhood arts and cultural events; additional funding to establish bike facilities and restore historic assets within the neighborhoods
