Marvin McGraw
The Louisiana Office of Community Development is accepting applications from former residents of Isle de Jean Charles—a community in Terrebonne Parish that is rapidly disappearing into the Gulf of Mexico—who wish to participate in a federally funded, first-of-its kind program designed to resettle individuals and families to safer, higher ground. The deadline for submitting applications is Dec. 31, 2020.
The Resettlement, named The New Isle by island residents who plan to relocate, offers relocation options to current and former Isle de Jean Charles residents seeking more sustainable housing, while also prioritizing the preservation and continuity of the islanders’ shared cultural identities and traditions. The relocation options available to individuals and families vary based on island residence history.
"We have been working with current island residents for some time now to provide them with the information they need to make the best decision for themselves and their families about relocating," OCD Executive Director Pat Forbes said. "Additionally, we're working with past residents who have already left the island, likely due to repetitive storm damage and flooding, but wish to rejoin the Isle de Jean Charles community, providing them with an option to do so. We need help identifying and reaching these past residents who have moved elsewhere in the state, so we can make sure they are aware of this opportunity."
Funded by Community Development Block Grant money, the state has worked with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop multiple options for participants based on a series of eligibility factors. Past permanent residents of Isle de Jean Charles who were displaced before Hurricane Isaac made landfall on Aug. 28, 2012, may be eligible to move into the resettlement community near Schriever if they lived in a Huricane Isaac-impacted parish at time of the storm.
Due to COVID-19, the program office at 1220 Aycock St. in Houma is temporarily closed. For more information or help with an application call 833.632.2976 or email IsledeJeanCharles@la.gov. Updates on office hours and operations will be posted at IsleDeJeanCharles.la.gov.