When the Monroe City Council passed Ordinance No. 12,309, declaring the deteriorating property at 911 Orange Street surplus and authorizing its sale to the Eta Delta Lambda Chapter Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Educational Foundation, Inc. for $20,000, it marked a praiseworthy moment of civic initiative.
Councilman Rodney McFarland rightly commended the fraternity for stepping forward to transform a neglected property into a functioning community asset for District 4.
Since the old fire station closed years ago, civic groups from across the city have asked the city to donate the facility so it could serve as a central source of self-help in the community. Those requests were routinely ignored, and the building sat vacant and deteriorated for years.
The men of Alpha Phi Alpha decided to stop asking, put cold, hard cash on the table, and get the city’s attention.
At the August 11 City Council meeting, fraternity representative Ernest Muhammad graciously thanked the city for the opportunity to acquire the building for educational purposes.
But looking at the broader picture, the gratitude ought to flow in the opposite direction.
The city should be thanking Alpha Phi Alpha and should share the cost of this worthwhile project.
For years, 911 Orange Street stood as a blighted eyesore, burdening local leaders and surrounding neighbors. By taking ownership, Alpha Phi Alpha is solving a problem the city failed to address on its own. The fraternity plans to renovate the site into an educational center, bringing active mentorship, youth programming, and neighborhood beautification directly into the heart of District 4.
Asking a community-minded non-profit to bear the double weight of purchasing the structure for $20,000 and funding its extensive refurbishment entirely out of pocket is counterproductive.
Instead of charging the fraternity $20,000 for taking a public liability off its hands, Monroe should craft a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA). Under this structure, the city ought to:
- Refund the $20,000 purchase price directly into the project’s construction budget.
- Match the fraternity’s revitalization efforts dollar-for-dollar, committing up to $50,000 more toward the capital improvements needed to bring the facility back to life.
Politicians should not take credit for selling the building, only for putting down the cash necessary to help the Alphas get the job done with less cost.
The Alpha’s are not asking for anything. They are willing to step up and get it done on their own, but they certainly won’t turn down a check for $70,000 or more to help.
Louisiana law explicitly permits municipalities to enter into Cooperative Endeavor Agreements with civic and educational organizations when a clear public benefit is delivered. Eliminating blight, providing educational resources to youth, and stabilizing neighborhood property values easily meet that threshold.
When private service organizations step up to perform the heavy lifting of urban renewal, government should step in as an equal partner—not a property vendor.
Matching Alpha Phi Alpha’s financial commitment wouldn’t be a handout; it would be a smart, targeted public investment in Monroe’s future.
