enviRenew Forum

RE: Broadmoor Corridor

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:22:25 GMT

Mr. Cuntard,

It is a pleasure to get to understand the broadmoor neighborhood and the envirenew global initiative. It seems as if it is an innovative model for global collaboration on a localized level. I would be interested in interviewing this MR. Barnes at some point to get his take on other revitalization strategies for a publication I write for. Can you arrange Bagnets and cafe this week with him to discuss?

Warmest Regards,

Cody Jenks Esq.

RE: Broadmoor Corridor

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:12:23 GMT

Mulvaney,

Your a baller and a shot caller. When can we get together for bagnets? I hear that Tipitinas is the spot.

-H. Cunhard

RE: Broadmoor Corridor

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:00:55 GMT

You guys have it all right. Glad to see you working together and cooperating.

When is this project actually going to get going anyway?!?!?

Mr. Jones

RE: Broadmoor Corridor

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:39:44 GMT

Cunhard-

Can't wait to work with you as we help these people fix their city and take it "Green to the Future."

JJ Mulvaney

RE: Broadmoor Corridor

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:31:39 GMT

I think Broadmoor is an excellent choice for your endeavors. Charles Barnes, a long time resident of the community, told me and I quote "Broadmoor is the heart of New Orleans, you need to build it before you rebuild any of the other neighborhoods. I know that a lot of people don't like to here that but lets face it, this is where Mitch Landrieu lives. This is where John Goodman lives and this is where you can get the best po-boys and fried chicken." Barnes has lived in Broadmoor a little more than a year now.

other neighborhoods in Algiers

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:15:35 GMT

In regard to neighborhoods near Algiers Point, will Salvation Army's EnviRenew organization be able to assist other Algiers residents with rebuilding? I heard about your program through the Times Picayune and my neighborhood in Algiers has been waiting a long time for assistance in developing the area. A part of the neighborhood was developed by Indiana Homes for low income families. But the organization was not selling these homes. I would like to build a home similar to the Indiana layout but have not heard of a program I may qualify for in this neighborhood.

Please let me know if you know of an organization for the Elmwood Park subdivision of Algiers. Thank you,
Ms.Romano

FAQ

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:11:41 GMT

Below is a running list of questions that we have been asked throughout the RFP Process. We hope that you find this useful. Please feel free to add questions of your own in the RFP Forum.

Q1: Can neighborhood partners split the development load. In other words, can our CDC commit to X amount of houses and the neighborhood association to another X amount, and another CDC X amount, all together committing to 25? Do we need to form a new organization? Can we use more than one contractor/builder? Obviously the intent would be to collaborate where and when helpful such as issues pertaining to economies of scale.

A1: Yes, neighborhood organizations may partner to each create a specific number of houses. However, please keep in mind that the focus of the grant is on neighborhood level development. Accordingly, it is important to provide clear justifications for the chosen scale of development.

Q2. Do houses have to be Leed certified? If we implement siding, spray foam insulation, energy efficient HVAC, energy star windows, tankless water heaters, bamboo flooring etc. would this be enough to pass the energy efficiency/green building requirements?

A2: No, homes do not need to be LEED Certified, but you should plan to be compliant with at least one major national standard. You should look to the EnviRenew guidelines that provide some suggested national standards.

While certification is not required, EnviRenew will likely conduct audits of homes after construction to ensure that they meet one of the nationally recognized standards with an emphasis on ensuring long-term affordability for the homeowner.

3. Can we do renovations not just new builds? We have a number of houses in our neighborhood that need rehabbing. To date this is what we've focused on with a strong lean towards energy efficiency.

A3: Renovations and rebuilds are not eligible for EnviRenew grant money designated for this RFP, only new homes are eligible. However, if a given neighborhood is selected it will become eligible for the EnviRenew Green Home Sustainability program, an energy efficiency upgrade program that focuses on assessing the needs and improving affordability of existing homeowners.

4. Do homebuyers have to be solely first responders and teachers? Can we establish other community leaders like pastors, businessmen and women? With so few homeowners in our neighborhood, each new homeowner brings an exponential amount of strength to our neighborhood.

A4: It is up to the neighborhood organization to provide a definition of community capacity builders that most fits the local context. While the Salvation Army recognizes the inherent value of teachers and first responders in building up community capacity, it is open to broader definitions should a neighborhood organization be able to make a persuasive case.

5. Are we penalized if we don’t build all the houses or any of the houses? We would have the full intention to complete what we set out to do but there are several factors outside of our control that can effect home sales such as the economy, job loss, natural disasters, etc.

A5: Neighborhood organizations are expected to have all homes in progress (ie construction has commenced) by September 2011. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the conditionally awarded grant not being delivered to the neighborhood organization.

6. What is the time frame that all houses must be built and sold in? The guidelines mention a 2011 deadline so I'm assuming that we would be expected to build & sell all 25 homes within an 18-month period.

A6: There are two important deadlines here:

· August 29, 2011 - all homebuyers must be lined up.

· September 30, 2011 - the $2 million grant will expire if all home construction is not commenced by this point.

7. Can we define our target area? Specifically wondering if we could include two neighborhoods in one area since they are both in the same planning district and are only a few miles apart.

A7: Yes, neighborhood organizations may define their target area for development, but should plan to provide a justification for that decision.

Summarized Transcript of Bidders’ Briefing Session Q&A Session

Q1: What is considered a neighborhood?

A1: It is important to designate a neighborhood by the limits put in place by city planning designations OR a demonstration of other circumstances if they provide more appropriate boundaries (i.e. if there is a reason why your neighborhood organization considers a given area a neighborhood, give the grounds for that designation in the RFP).

Q2: Clarification: homeowner selection criteria

A2: 80-120% AMI are strongly suggested guidelines, as are identifying Teachers and First Responders. However, EnviRenew is open to neighborhood-specific definition of community capacity builders as long as a compelling case is made as to why it is most important for these residents to receive the homes.

Q3:Are there post-occupancy commitments for residents, like how long they need to stay in the house?

A3: We are in the process of building in a house-flipping prevention measure on a programmatic level. However, because this measure is not yet in place, we will have to determine a way to prevent the reselling of homes on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis. If it is possible to address this issue in the RFP that would be fantastic.

Q4: Clarification: The CDC must have the financial capacity to build the 25 homes and receive the grants of up to $75,000 at the end of construction.

A4: Yes. Due to the high volume of questions surrounding the financing process, documents and further clarification regarding the flow of finances will be available at the next briefing session on December 18th.

Q5: If residents do not need to use the full $75k to fill the gap between their approved mortgage and the purchasing price, can those funds be used to build more homes?

A5: Because of the income group we would like to target combined with the quality of home we would like to build, it is unlikely that there will be a huge excess of grant funds. If a homebuyer can afford such a high mortgage that they would use only a small amount of the allocated grant, it is unlikely that they fall within the specified AMI range. Conversely, if a home is so inexpensive to build that a small amount of excess grant money could fund its construction, it is unlikely that it meets the green building and quality of life standards held by EnviRenew.

Q6: Is the AMI range according to the Greater New Orleans index or a regional one?

A6: New Orleans. Even more specifically, neighborhood AMI if that data is available to you.

Q7: Clarification: Community Review Process

A7: It is important that the respondent demonstrate the community needs and show that they (the respondent) are in fact adequate representatives of the community. The minimum of two community meetings do not need to occur prior to RFP response submission.

Q8: Do homeowners have to carry a mortgage?

A8: If a potential homeowner has enough equity so that they do not need to take out a mortgage, it is likely that he or she is not the most vulnerable candidate to receive the grant. Additionally, the homeowner should hold some stake in the building in order to prevent them from flipping the house.

Q9: Should homes or specific community capacity builders be strategically located throughout the neighborhood?

A9: That is up for each neighborhood to determine, based on their specific need. Applicants representing neighborhoods should be more familiar and better equipped to determine what will be most beneficial to that community than the EnviRenew team.

Q10: What is EnviRenew’s position on Community Land Trusts?

A10: While our team supports the idea of a city-wide CLT in New Orleans and sits on a committee whose goal is to develop an institution as such, EnviRenew’s current position on neighborhood-specific CLTs is that they are unreliable. If a respondent can effectively demonstrate that a CLT would be possible and long-lasting on a neighborhood-level, we are willing to consider it as an element of a proposal.

RE: Design competition entries

Thu, 27 May 2010 16:26:10 GMT

Nice presentation, what were the fall-backs that you encountered? I liked the floor plan with a separate secondary room, and you were able to incorporate a ramp. Well done

Solar Panels/Water Heaters

Wed, 19 May 2010 16:01:19 GMT

We have been in the energy efficiency business since the mid-90s. We are state licensed in both residential and commercial construction. We have installed over 175kW in Louisiana. We are actively pursuing commercial projects such as this one in order to give back to the community. Please contact me for more information.

Thanks,

Justin St. Pierre
Solar Works
www.solarworksnola.com
504-891-8885 office
504-512-4632 cell

Tyson Construction

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:13:11 GMT

Local Residential Contractor with over 20 years of combined experience. Licensed and Insured.

Larry Tyson- Cell Phone- 504-905-1042
Zach Tyson- Cell Phone- 504-905-1042

Tyson Construction Fax- 985-783-1004

website- tysonconstructionofla.com

Design competition entries

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 17:20:07 GMT

Well the local competition is out but our project did not make it unfortunately. There are many great proposals out there but i thought it would be good to see some that didn't make it to the finals. In the hopes of having a broader view of available options and perhaps starting a discussion, I have posted our boards.

EnviRENEW Announces Neighborhood Grant Recipients

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:41:31 GMT

MEDIA ALERT

Media Contact:
Mark Jones
Public Relations Director/PIO
Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi Division
Cell: (601)278-2100
Mark_Jones@USS. Salvationarmy.org

The Salvation Army to Announce $10 Million in Envirenew Recovery Grants in Five Neighborhoods

What: Envirenew Recovery and Renewal Grants Announcement

Where: The Salvation Army Greater New Orleans Area Command
4526 S. Claiborne Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70125

When: 2:00 P.M.
April 1, 2010

Why: To announce the five Greater New Orleans neighborhoods that will receive 125, $75,000 for community capacity and funding for additional Green Home sustainability projects.

Guests: Capt. Ethan Frizzell, Area Commander,
The Salvation Army of Greater New Orleans

New Orleans, La. (April 1, 2010) The Salvation Army invites you to attend the Envirenew Recovery and Renewal Grant announcement at Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse on Thursday, April 1, 2010 at 7:00 P.M.

Envirenew is a $12 Million initiative by The Salvation Army focused on promoting long- term affordability for homeowners through advocating for a comprehensive green building standard for households and neighborhoods. Prompted by ongoing recovery efforts in New Orleans, the program focuses on achieving and sustaining long-term sustainability by increasing energy efficiency.

Energy efficient housing lowers owner occupancy expenses over the long term enabling greater long term savings for low and fixed income households. Working side by side with neighborhood associations, rebuilding agents, and community members themselves, Envirenew will establish replicable, sustainable standards for community-based revitalization efforts going forward.

The pilot phase of Envirenew will target five Greater New Orleans neighborhoods to create “Green Renew Zones” by the summer of 2011. These “Green Renew Zones” will be the sites of Envirenew’s four programs:

• Grants for the new construction of 125 affordable, sustainable homes and homeownership grants for community-capacity builders (i.e. teachers and first responders)
• 125 home rehabilitations
• 250 $500 Green Home Sustainability Packages (home weatherization)
• Envirenew Home Solar Program

“Kicking off Envirenew is a great way to celebrate Easter by giving continued hope to those waiting to return home after a long journey of despair,” stated Captain Ethan Frizzell of The Salvation Army in Greater New Orleans.

Information regarding the Envirenew program can be found at www.envirenew.org
# # #

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.

Project Sprout

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:58:17 GMT

GTECH Strategies, our partner in the local effort Project Sprout, is involved in the Pepsi Refresh project, an online voting platform whereby Pepsi is giving away $1.3 million per month to social enterprises. Right now, GTECH stands to win $50,000 in February if they can move up at least 1 spot in the rankings (they are currently ranked 11th and the top 10 get funding), and half of this money would come to New Orleans in support of Project Sprout. What is Sprout, you ask?

Project Sprout is a joint-venture between two Echoing Green fellows from the class of 2008, Green Coast Enterprises (GCE), a New Orleans-based green real estate company, and GTECH Strategies (GTECH), a vacant land management social enterprise based in Pittsburgh, PA. Project Sprout has adapted GTECH’s innovative and successful model to the unique circumstances of New Orleans, by emphasizing vacant land reclamation and green jobs development. This model is coupled with GCE’s innovative real estate practice to create a joint venture that provides unique solutions for community revitalization.

GTECH’s bioenergy gardens grow sunflowers on local vacant lots to reduce blight, engage community, phytoremediate contaminants, and create a biofuel feedstock. This transitional strategy provides a platform for more productive vacant land use such as parks, urban food gardens, and building development. Project Sprout projects will use this premise to transition vacant land into opportunities for redevelopment in communities devastated by lack of investment.

But Sprout is best understood in images, like the attached rendering showing before and after on a Sprout lot in New Orleans. Help make this happen on blighted property throughout NOLA! Your vote can help us get over the edge. Go to the link below (up to once a day through February 28th) and please tell your networks about this project and ask them to vote as well. With your help, we can bring much needed resources to blight removal in New Orleans! Want to vote, just go to the link below.

Thank you,

December 18th Bidders' Briefing Location

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:36:35 GMT

The December 18th Bidders' Briefing Session will be held at in the chapel of the Annunciation Mission at 4505 S. Claiborne Avenue, New Orleans.

The session will last from 10AM-11AM, and we look forward to seeing you there.

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:50:34 GMT

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions can be found under the Neighborhood Tab at the Top. It is linked here for your convenience. http://envirenew.org/neighborhoods/faq.aspx Please continue to submit questions to this forum so that we can answer them.

-The EnviRenew Team

RE: Design Competition Briefing

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:20:19 GMT

USGBC website with more details re: design competition:

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=257

Design Competition Webcast

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:18:17 GMT

USGBC has released a webcast for local chapters and applicants to introduce the design competition. To watch it, click below:

https://usgbc.webex.com/ec0605l/eventcenter/recording/recordAction.do?programFlag=yes&theAction=poprecord&path=pop_program_info&siteurl=usgbc&recordID=35469847

Letter of Intent

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:10:43 GMT

For clarification purposes:

All parties interested in responding to the RFP must submit a simple letter of intent by Friday, December 11th. The letter only needs to include the following:

-Contact information for neighborhood organization or development group applying
- Expression of intent to respond to the EnviRenew Neighborhood RFP

This is simply so the EnviRenew staff can get a sense of what to expect when applications are due on January 15th.

Please email letters to recovery@envirenew.org
or post them in the mail to:

EnviRenew c/o the Salvation Army
Greater New Orleans Area Command Headquarters
4526 S. Claiborne Ave
New Orleans, LA 70125

Thanks!

RFP RELEASE

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:15:18 GMT

May God Bless the recovery of New Orleans!

Design Competition Briefing

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:50:35 GMT

See attached file for competition details:

Directions to RFP Release Event

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:00:30 GMT

For a map indicating the location of the groundbreaking/ RFP release event on Friday, copy/paste the link below into your browser window.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1213+Leboeuf+new+orleans&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=36.778911,64.072266&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1213+Leboeuf+St,+New+Orleans,+Orleans,+Louisiana+70114&t=h&z=16

RFP Introduction and Press Release

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:47:25 GMT

Beginning Friday, November 20th the EnviRenew Neighborhood Request for Proposals will be available for download on the EnviRenew website. For a preview of the document, see the introduction attached to this post. To see the release issued to local media, see the RFP Press Release, also attached.

New Logo!

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:49:33 GMT

In preparation for the release of the EnviRenew Neighborhood RFP later this month, we have updated our visual identity (see attached file). Look out for our new logo at upcoming conferences and stay tuned for website adjustments that reflect this change.

Louisiana Solar Legislation

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:41:05 GMT

Three bills focusing on issues of sustainability authored by Louisiana Senator Nick Gautreaux, SB 91, 92 and 224, in the categories of Tax/Energy, Tax/Taxation, and Energy Development, respectively, are all in various points of progress of being passed for the state.

The first, SB 91, permits the creation of commercial energy tax credit, which may be capitalized with SEP ARRA funds, and an amendment has been added to help fossil fuel-burning plants burn cleaner by incorporating biomass. It will be voted on today by the full House.

The second, SB92, improves current renewable energy tax credit by allowing for the transferability and stacking of credits. It will be voted on only if a similar bill that accomplishes the same goals will not pass today in addition to SB 91.

Lastly, SB 224 authorizes local government subdivisions to establish sustainable renewable energy financing districts, which will provide financing bonds for renewable energy on any type of building (residential, governmental, commercial, religious, etc.). This bill was passed last night and is waiting for authorization from the governor.

Nick Gautreaux can be reached at gautreauxn@legis.state.la.us.

RE: Workforce Development through Housing Development

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:17:32 GMT

This would be a tremendous opportunity to increase the skill level and knowledge level of the local workforce and future workforce by engaging local participation in the process. Green Jobs and Sustainability are key areas of future job growth and career interest and a major construction / design / build project such as enviRenew would be a good opportunity to promote sustainability by training local workers and youth in related careers ...

Design; Architecture; Construction; Landscaping; Horticulture; Arborists; Lawn care; agriculture; gardening; re-cycling; waste disposal; storm water management; environmental technicians; scientists, etc...

The list goes on. Definitely an opportunity to promote sustainability by developing the workforce through housing development.