Christopher Homes Projects

Christopher Homes, also known as Christopher Park Homes, was a public housing project in Algiers, New Orleans, operated by HANO, with 150 townhouse style units which opened in 1971.[1]

Overview

It was celebrated as the nation's first rent-to-own public housing project.[2] By the early 1990s Christopher Homes fell victim to New Orleans's economy crises as crack cocaine devastated New Orleans's West Bank area in the late 1980s. The 150 unit complexes became a hot spot for drug activity along with the DeGaulle Manor apartments and the infamous Fischer Projects. In 2003 16-year old Jasmine Jackson was stabbed to death during a block party in Christopher Homes.[3] The death of Jasmine shocked new Orleans residents. Conditions in Christopher Homes were bad, before and after hurricane Katrina with dead grass and broken windows. HANO stopped leasing vacant apartments at the complex several years before Hurricane Katrina, and by 2005 only 80 units were occupied.[4] In 2013 HANO demolished Christopher Homes due to high vacancy and crime.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Christopher Park Homes Projects - New Orleans, Louisiana". wikimapia.org. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  2. ↑ "Housing Authority of New Orleans wronged Christopher Park residents: An editorial | NOLA.com". nola.com. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  3. ↑ "New Orleans Struggles With a Homicide Rate That Belies Its Size - New York Times". nytimes.com. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  4. ↑ "Christopher Park housing development to be demolished | NOLA.com". nola.com. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  5. ↑ "Officials witness demolition of Algiers public housing complex | NOLA.com". nola.com. Retrieved 2014-05-10.