Kathy Laborde
The Gulf Coast Housing Partnership (GCHP) plans to open the first two projects under its bold Health + Housing initiative this year—The Pearl, a 76-unit development in Jackson, Mississippi, and H3C, a 192-unit development in New Orleans.
Jessica Bachmann
More than housing, the pilot projects will be anchored by on-site health centers to meet the needs of residents and the larger community.
“Most of our portfolio is in Louisiana and Mississippi, followed by Alabama,” says Kathy Laborde, GCHP president and CEO. “Those three states have dismal health outcome statistics, and one of the social determinants of health is housing.”
GCHP’s Health + Housing program recognizes the significant role that affordable housing and access to culturally competent health care has on people’s health. In addition to bringing the two components together, the initiative is changing the financing equation by attracting flexible below-market debt from health care payors, specifically Medicaid managed-care organizations.
“Our job is to connect the dots and then get this work on the ground,” Laborde says. Once The Pearl and H3C open, the team will begin capturing critical data to measure the impact these developments have on the health impacts of participating residents.
The concept has received national recognition and a $2 million grant as one of six winners out of 900 applicants in the national Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge sponsored by Wells Fargo and Enterprise Community Partners.
With a background in real estate development, Laborde was inspired years ago to use her skills to help people, including those struggling with homelessness. “I looked around New Orleans and thought we can do better than this,” she says.
Over the course of her career, Laborde has developed more than 7,000 affordable and market-rate homes and commercial and community facilities both directly and in partnership with local nonprofits, city and state government, and the private sector. Prior to joining GCHP in 2006, she operated a real estate development and consulting company.
In addition to her work at GCHP, Laborde serves on the board of Housing Partnership Network, a collaborative of the nation’s leading affordable housing and community development organizations.
