For Immediate Release
For More Information: Otey White at 225-907-6839 or Angela deGravelles at 225-202-5073
Formerly Elm Grove Gardens apartments, The Banyan Foundation, Inc. and Partners Southeast officially open their newest community in East Baton Rouge Parish, Capstone at Scotlandville, on August 2, 2023. Located at 8900 Elm Grove Garden Drive, the new community constructed by Milton J. Womack boasts 84 modern two and three-bedroom units, offering affordable housing for families struggling in the current housing market.
In 2018, due to the neglect and deplorable living conditions by the previous property owners, the property was shut down. To assist in relocating families, the East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority provided emergency housing vouchers, providing an opportunity for families to relocate to better living conditions. The Banyan Foundation purchased the 6.4-acre property in 2020, launching the planning process of reimagining the community beyond providing quality affordable housing but also providing access to social, health and educational services that include job training, GED classes, and financial wellness training.
Through a collaborative effort, The Banyan Foundation and Partners Southeast were able to bring to fruition the $23 million community, with the support and partnership of the Louisiana Housing Corp. (LHC) affordable housing tax credit and supplemental funding programs. The City of Baton Rouge Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) financing and rental assistance by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD).
EBRPHA and Partners Southeast CEO J. Wesley Daniels Jr. explained. “It’s really about quality affordable housing. We have many families living in substandard housing, so this is a great opportunity for our families to thrive.”
The property also features a fitness center, basketball court, community garden, picnic area, playground, clubhouse, business center, and paved walking trails. They provide residents of Capstone at Scotlandville Apartments with access to an online Resident Portal. Here residents can pay rent, request maintenance, and review their past payment history.
Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said, “Our administration has been focused on uplifting disinvested communities, and when you think about the Old Elm Grove apartments that were there prior, it was deplorable, it was an eyesore, it was a pain for the community.” Marlee Pittman, interim director of community development with the Mayor’s Office, added, “It’s not just about housing, it’s about bringing wrap-around services that have educational and enrichment activities, especially for this apartment complex.”
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For the past 20 years, Partners Southeast has sought to use housing as a vehicle to make measurable impacts in Education, Economic Opportunities, and Health & Wellness in communities throughout the Southeast. Partners Southeast provides and develops quality housing opportunities for individuals and families while promoting self-sufficiency and neighborhood revitalization. Focusing on strategic investments in People, Neighborhoods and Housing, seamlessly mixing market-rate and affordable units, creating vibrant and diverse communities. For more info on Partners Southeast, Call: 225.923.8112
The team of The Banyan Foundation has spent twelve years learning how to be responsible with their donor’s generosity. It’s now time to take the effort to an entirely different level that leverages its relationships, experience, and philosophy to make a huge impact for our members and their kids, deserving children, and our surrounding communities. Our board members are passionate about the new model because it accomplishes everything; transparency, empowerment, education, sustainability, and cost efficiency.
