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Recovering, Restoring, Rejoicing
Before Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in August 2005, Avon was one of the city’s more than 484,000 residents. Less than two years after the storm devastated the city and forced Avon to evacuate, she was back home.
Avon rented property in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans for more than 50 years. In 2007, she became the first homeowner in the Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative, a partnership between Episcopal Relief & Development and the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana.
Jericho Road builds quality, affordable homes for low-income families in the city. The program aims to construct or renovate up to 150 homes in the Center City neighborhood of New Orleans.
Avon thought that renting was her only option until she was directed to Jericho Road. “When the banks saw I had my new job for less than a year, they said I was a risk. I had worked at the same job for seven years before the hurricane but couldn’t keep that job after I evacuated,” said Avon. “When I applied for a house with Jericho Road, they took care of all that,” she said.
Avon purchased her home on Philip Street after visiting Jericho Road’s Open House. “I had to go to two classes. I learned a lot about owning a home and taking care of it. Without Jericho, I would be renting. I tell all my friends, if you get a chance to own a home, go for it. Now, I’m paying for my mortgage, not someone else’s.”
Working with local Episcopal partners in areas destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, Episcopal Relief & Development is restoring lives and giving hope to people such as Avon.
