Homegrown in Hollygrove

For generations, the Irons family has called New Orleans' Hollygrove neighborhood home. That history became part of the foundation for Grove Place, a 32-unit affordable housing development led by New Orleans Restoration Properties (NORP), a fourth-generation, Black-owned development company operated by siblings Paul Irons and Marseah Delatte.¹

Located at Earhart Boulevard and Monroe Street, Grove Place occupies approximately 1.8 acres on a block that had been largely vacant since before Hurricane Katrina. The $14 million development restored 23 historic units and constructed nine new units, returning housing to the property while preserving existing homes that remained on the site. Construction was completed in January 2024, followed by a ribbon cutting that March.²

Two years after its completion, Grove Place remains a useful example of how affordable housing development can address multiple community priorities within a single project. By combining historic rehabilitation, new construction, public-private financing, and local ownership, the development offers lessons for housing professionals working to increase affordable housing supply while preserving existing neighborhood character. With a second phase now underway, Grove Place also demonstrates how an initial investment can create opportunities for continued neighborhood development. 

Preserving Neighborhood Character While Adding Housing 

NORP’s connection to Hollygrove reaches four generations. The Irons family has longstanding ties to the neighborhood, and Grove Place gave the company an opportunity to invest in a place closely connected to its own history.³

"This project allows us to give back to an area that gave us so much," NORP Principal Paul Irons said at the 2022 groundbreaking.¹

The site stretches across a full city block with approximately 360 feet of frontage along Earhart Boulevard. Before redevelopment, portions of the property were underused or vacant, including land that had previously housed a Church’s Fried Chicken. Several historic residential structures remained and were incorporated into the new development. ³

Rather than replacing the entire block with new construction, Grove Place combined rehabilitation with newly built apartments. The completed development includes 16 one-bedroom, 11 two-bedroom, and five three-bedroom homes. Each unit connects to shared green space, with additional amenities including off-street parking, a community room, picnic area, and community garden.³

The approach demonstrates how affordable housing developers can make use of existing neighborhood assets while increasing the number of available homes. For communities with aging housing stock and vacant properties, rehabilitation and new construction can serve complementary roles in neighborhood reinvestment. 

Housing for a Range of New Orleans Households 

All 32 Grove Place apartments are reserved for households earning between 20 and 60 percent of Area Median Income (AMI). Eleven apartments also participate in the HUD Section 811 program, providing supportive housing for adults with disabilities. The Louisiana Housing Corporation provides resident services for those units.³

The location also puts residents near neighborhood services and transportation. A grocery store and pharmacy are within walking distance, and a bus stop is located directly across from the property.³

At the 2022 groundbreaking, then-Louisiana Housing Corporation Executive Director Joshua G. Hollins described the development as "a critical project in the heart of New Orleans."¹

When Grove Place opened in 2024, then-LHC Executive Director Marjorianna Willman said, "These new homes will revitalize the area, giving back to its community, and provide support in the affordable housing shortages we are seeing in Louisiana."3 

Grove Place illustrates how a relatively small development can serve households with different housing needs through a combination of affordable rental units, supportive housing services, and access to neighborhood amenities. 

Making Neighborhood-Scale Development Financially Feasible 

Completing Grove Place required financing from several public and private organizations. Development partners included the City of New Orleans, Louisiana Housing Corporation, and Finance New Orleans, with private equity and financing support from Enterprise Community Partners, Stonehenge Capital, and JPMorgan Chase.  

Enterprise provided a $6.7 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity investment along with up to $750,000 in backup financing through its Equitable Path Forward Standby Guaranty Facility.³

The supplemental financing helped NORP qualify for financing and complete its first major development as lead developer. The arrangement also created an opportunity for NORP to earn developer fees that could be reinvested into future projects. 

The City of New Orleans committed approximately $4.8 million to the project. At the groundbreaking, then-Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the investment reflected the city’s commitment to “providing more affordable, quality housing within the city.¹

Finance New Orleans also provided public financing for Grove Place. President and CEO Damon Burns said NORP’s continued investment demonstrates its commitment to Hollygrove and described the project as the type of locally focused development the city needs.³

The financing structure offers a useful lesson for affordable housing professionals: bringing smaller, community-focused projects to completion often requires multiple funding sources, coordination among partners, and financial tools that support developers as well as individual developments.