A Change in Priorities - A Writers Village

We've forged a strategic agreement with Habitat for Humanity to provide housing solutions for New Orleans writers wishing to stay or return to the city. The program will provide transitional and permanent housing for local poets and authors.

The planned New Orleans Writers Village will be located near Habitat for Humanity’s Musicians Village development in the upper Ninth Ward area of New Orleans. It will provide affordable housing solutions for writers through rental and home ownership programs.

It will help revitalize, support and institutionalize Louisiana as a place with a rich literary environment full of stories for poets, historians, novelists, playwrights and journalists.

The impact of Hurricane Katrina has threatened our very culture and heritage. A New Orleans Writers Village will, indeed, celebrate, maintain and strengthen our contributions in the literary arts in the near and long term.

The strategic agreement between LWF and Habitat for Humanity contains three key components, with one additional component under discussion:

1) Transitional — writers may rent a two bedroom home for a year at approximately $500 per month; following this period, they would have the option to purchase the home under the standard Habitat terms and requirements. If they do not purchase the home, it will be refurbished and sold within the Habitat program;

2) Purchase — homes will be made available under the standard Habitat ownership program. These are 2-3 bedroom homes purchased at $75,000 and financed with no interest. No labor except skilled trades is included in the cost.

3) Writer-in-residence — a sponsor would pay $6000 directly to Habitat for one year of rental so the writer may focus on writing.