About Us
We are a volunteer board advocating and coordinating initiatives for equitable economic development in the New Orleans, Historic Lower Ninth Ward.
The District
The Lower Ninth Ward Economic Development District (L9EDD) was created by Louisiana State Statute Title 33 RS 33:2740.54 within Orleans Parish, also referred to as the “District.” The District shall be a special district and political subdivision of the state created to plan and facilitate the revitalization of the residential and commercial areas within the District.
The District shall include the area within the following boundaries: the western will be the Industrial Canal, the eastern boundary will be the St. Bernard Parish line, the northern boundary will be the Intracoastal Waterway, and the southern boundary will be the Mississippi River.
Board of Commissioners
The District shall be governed by an eleven-member board of commissioners.
- William P. Waiters, Chairman
- Rev. Willie J Calhoun, Treasurer
- Randolph Davis
- Yvonne Martin
- Jean Morris
- Stephen Mosgrove
- Dr. Kendall Parker
- Leona Tate
- Otis Tucker
View our projects and follow us on Facebook for more.
What is Economic Development?
“A program, group of policies, or activities that seeks to improve the economic well being and quality of life of a community, by creating and/or retaining jobs that facilitate growth and provide a stable tax base.”
More about the Ninth Ward
The Ninth Ward can broadly be divided into three sections, from where the ward is divided from north to south by the Industrial Canal, and where the area east of the Industrial Canal is divided east to west by the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway/Mississippi River Gulf Outlet.
- St. Claude
- Bywater
- Florida
- Desire
The smallest of these pieces is the area south and east of these canals. The portion of the Ninth Ward along the river down-river from the Industrial Canal stretching to the St. Bernard line is called the “Lower 9th Ward” or “Lower Ninth”. It includes the Holy Cross neighborhood, the twin Doullut Steamboat Houses and the Jackson Barracks. Until Hurricane Katrina, the Lower Ninth Ward had the highest percentage of black homeownership in the city.