The Monroe Housing Authority has launched a plan to change a crime-infested section of South Monroe into a safe, drug-free community of homeowners. It secured millions of dollars in grants, purchased abandoned houses once used by drug dealers, and erected 23 beautiful homes.
There’s only one problem; many homes remain empty months after completion because the area is generally viewed as “not safe.”
William Smart, director of the Monroe Housing Authority, says the MHA wants to change the overall quality of life of South Monroe residents, especially the twenty blocks of South 3rd and 4th Street, which ranks high on the city list of crime hot spots.
Smart says the MHA is in the first phases of trying to reshape the drug-infested areas. It has purchased abandoned houses on both streets and secured funds through the Louisiana Housing Council to erect 23 single-family homes in areas that o…
