Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation built 109 eye-catching, affordable homes in New Orleans for a community where many people were displaced by the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Today, this subdivision is in full dismay. The vast majority of newly built homes are riddled with construction-related issues that have led to mold, termites, rotting wood, flooding, and other problems.
Structural and other issues have many residents fearing for their health. Make It Right, despite what its name might suggest, did not solve these problems and stopped helping residents. Instead, the nonprofit organization run by movie stars has seemingly disappeared.
As an urban geographer who researches housing development, I’ve been following the woes of Make It Right since 2018, when residents tried to involve the New Orleans City Council and have homes inspected by local authorities. municipal authorities. The situation has only deteriorated since then, highlighting the perils that can accompany non-profit housing development.
Supposedly sustainable housing
Located in New Orleans’ historically black and low-income Lower Ninth Ward, this cluster of affordable homes built between 2008 and 2015 was unusual for several reasons. In particular, these residences were sold rather than rented to their occupants.
The architects who created these homes also tried to make them green and sustainable by following a ‘cradle to cradle’ philosophy that revolves around the use of safe and reusable materials, clean water and renewable energy. . All homes were equipped with solar panels and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.
Make It Right said it spent $26.8 million on housing. To make the homes, which fell short of the group’s original goal of 150 residences, affordable, they were sold for less than it cost to build them, mostly around $150,000.
The nonprofit housing developer says its mission is to “improve the design and performance of affordable housing” and to “share the best practices associated with the construction of such homes.”
Make It Right also sought to revitalize the Lower Ninth Ward and bring people together. For example, he built a community garden and held regular meetings for new owners.
Although some of these structures are not yet ten years old, my data shows that only six of them remain in reasonably good condition. Most have undergone partial repairs or been completely renovated due to structural problems. Two were demolished due to severe mold issues.
Many homes lacked ordinary, essential features such as gutters, overhangs, waterproof paint or covered beams – all of which are necessary to withstand New Orleans’ subtropical climate and heavy rains.
“As of early 2022, six homes are vacant due to mold, rot, flooding, and various structural issues.”
Brad Pitt, who took credit for starting this organization in 2007 and often served as a public face in subsequent years, was still on the board in 2018.
Pitt’s lawyers argued he couldn’t be prosecuted over the housing estate failures, but a judge ruled in 2019 that the movie star would remain a defendant because of his role as founder and chief fundraiser by Make It Right.
“Completely in shambles”
I interviewed 11 residents, as well as seven urban planning experts who worked on the case. Additionally, I gathered data on development and homes by reviewing New Orleans property assessments and building permits. During my stay myself in the Lower Ninth Ward, I personally took a census of the development and mapped its current state.
More than one resident told me that they were initially very excited to be part of something bigger.
A resident of Make It Right whom I call Harry – I promised anonymity to all residents I interviewed – had to move during major renovations which did not solve all the problems he is facing.
“They kind of had a second chance to hurt, not to do it again,” Harry told me. “They got it wrong twice.”
As of early 2022, six homes are vacant due to mold, rot, flooding, and various structural issues. Hanna, a young first-time homeowner, moved away from her Make It Right residence, which was later demolished.
Just eight months after moving in, Hanna told me, her house “was completely in shambles.” Its flat roof couldn’t withstand heavy New Orleans rains, causing massive water intrusion and termite and mold infestation.
Hanna struggles with health issues caused by toxic mold. “I would like to say there is always a silver lining, but with this situation I really don’t see a silver lining because it really changed a lot of my plans that I had for myself in life,” said- she declared.
Most of the residents I interviewed faced a similar state of constant uncertainty.
They don’t know how long their home will last, if the mold they’ve been exposed to affects their health, and worse, what will happen to their finances if they lose their home.
“There’s just no way to turn that off,” Harry lamented. “Sometimes I think I’m sitting on a ticking time bomb in this house.”
Others described being still ‘on edge’, with the situation being ‘very stressful’ and feeling like they had been ‘taken advantage of on a grand scale’.
They wonder where to turn for help at this point.
“Something that’s been an incredible disappointment is Make It Right’s lack, retirement, of any form of accountability,” William told me.
A fabric of legal turbulence
When Make It Right failed to provide the assistance residents requested, several landlords filed lawsuits. This litigation is still pending.
Some residents also accuse local authorities.
“We also have a problem with the city, because those who inspect (the house) and are supposed to keep it safe have not done so,” said Claire, who tried to involve the security and services department. New Orleans permit.
My numerous efforts to contact Make It Right by mail, email and in-person visits remain unsuccessful. When I went to his New Orleans office in December 2021, I did not meet any staff. Instead, I witnessed a moving team that had been hired by the organization to move its furniture and other belongings into a warehouse.
The organization apparently did not file a Form 990, the annual filings the Internal Revenue Service requires of all nonprofits, covering any year since 2018. Local media reported that a bank pursued her. His website has become outdated, and the phone number he included in his 2018 IRS documents no longer works. Even the person who mows vacant Make It Right properties told reporters that the non-profit organization owes him money. Make It Right, in turn, is suing several former executives and its chief architect for alleged mismanagement.
The Conversation US also attempted to contact the Make It Right Foundation by phone and email, without success.
Make It Right halted a similar affordable housing development that was underway in Kansas City, leaving empty lots there in limbo. The nonprofit had also engaged in projects in Montana, where other legal issues arose, and in New Jersey.
Who ultimately pays?
Because one of the abandoned properties becomes a safety hazard, the city takes action to seize it. Make It Right’s 2018 filings with the IRS indicate that it was then spending more on legal services than on construction and maintenance.
This reflects the experiences of residents, who have not seen evidence of the organization’s engagement with their community in years. Many are beginning to pay for repairs out of pocket rather than waiting for the nonprofit builder to fix the problems caused by its shoddy construction.
“I did most of the work myself,” Mario told me. “The porch ceiling tiles were falling off and the wood was rotting, so I just replaced it, slowly, you know, so we could afford it.”
Despite their experiences, some residents said they still believe the Make It Right founder had good intentions. “I don’t blame Brad Pitt,” said fellow resident David. “He had a vision to build low-income homes and bring people back to the Lower Ninth Ward.”
While nonprofit housing developers can play a vital role in creating affordable housing, many questions remain about their responsibility in this and other cases, in places like Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Poorly managed housing estates, even when built with ambitious goals, only compound the hardships of the low-income people they are meant to serve.
Judith Keller is an international geography scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This was first published by The Conversation — How Brad Pitt’s green housing dream for Hurricane Katrina survivors turned into a nightmare“.
Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation built 109 eye-catching, affordable homes in New Orleans for a community where many people were displaced by the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Today, this subdivision is in full dismay. The vast majority of newly built homes are riddled with construction-related issues that have led to mold, termites, rotting wood, flooding, and other problems.
Structural and other issues have many residents fearing for their health. Make It Right, despite what its name might suggest, did not solve these problems and stopped helping residents. Instead, the nonprofit organization run by movie stars has seemingly disappeared.
As an urban geographer who researches housing development, I’ve been following the woes of Make It Right since 2018, when residents tried to involve the New Orleans City Council and have homes inspected by local authorities. municipal authorities. The situation has only deteriorated since then, highlighting the perils that can accompany non-profit housing development.
Supposedly sustainable housing
Located in New Orleans’ historically black and low-income Lower Ninth Ward, this cluster of affordable homes built between 2008 and 2015 was unusual for several reasons. In particular, these residences were sold rather than rented to their occupants.
The architects who created these homes also tried to make them green and sustainable by following a ‘cradle to cradle’ philosophy that revolves around the use of safe and reusable materials, clean water and renewable energy. . All homes were equipped with solar panels and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.
Make It Right said it spent $26.8 million on housing. To make the homes, which fell short of the group’s original goal of 150 residences, affordable, they were sold for less than it cost to build them, mostly around $150,000.
The nonprofit housing developer says its mission is to “improve the design and performance of affordable housing” and to “share the best practices associated with the construction of such homes.”
Make It Right also sought to revitalize the Lower Ninth Ward and bring people together. For example, he built a community garden and held regular meetings for new owners.
Although some of these structures are not yet ten years old, my data shows that only six of them remain in reasonably good condition. Most have undergone partial repairs or been completely renovated due to structural problems. Two were demolished due to severe mold issues.
Many homes lacked ordinary, essential features such as gutters, overhangs, waterproof paint or covered beams – all of which are necessary to withstand New Orleans’ subtropical climate and heavy rains.
“As of early 2022, six homes are vacant due to mold, rot, flooding, and various structural issues.”
Brad Pitt, who took credit for starting this organization in 2007 and often served as a public face in subsequent years, was still on the board in 2018.
Pitt’s lawyers argued he couldn’t be prosecuted over the housing estate failures, but a judge ruled in 2019 that the movie star would remain a defendant because of his role as founder and chief fundraiser by Make It Right.
“Completely in shambles”
I interviewed 11 residents, as well as seven urban planning experts who worked on the case. Additionally, I gathered data on development and homes by reviewing New Orleans property assessments and building permits. During my stay myself in the Lower Ninth Ward, I personally took a census of the development and mapped its current state.
More than one resident told me that they were initially very excited to be part of something bigger.
A resident of Make It Right whom I call Harry – I promised anonymity to all residents I interviewed – had to move during major renovations which did not solve all the problems he is facing.
“They kind of had a second chance to hurt, not to do it again,” Harry told me. “They got it wrong twice.”
As of early 2022, six homes are vacant due to mold, rot, flooding, and various structural issues. Hanna, a young first-time homeowner, moved away from her Make It Right residence, which was later demolished.
Just eight months after moving in, Hanna told me, her house “was completely in shambles.” Its flat roof couldn’t withstand heavy New Orleans rains, causing massive water intrusion and termite and mold infestation.
Hanna struggles with health issues caused by toxic mold. “I would like to say there is always a silver lining, but with this situation I really don’t see a silver lining because it really changed a lot of my plans that I had for myself in life,” said- she declared.
Most of the residents I interviewed faced a similar state of constant uncertainty.
They don’t know how long their home will last, if the mold they’ve been exposed to affects their health, and worse, what will happen to their finances if they lose their home.
“There’s just no way to turn that off,” Harry lamented. “Sometimes I think I’m sitting on a ticking time bomb in this house.”
Others described being still ‘on edge’, with the situation being ‘very stressful’ and feeling like they had been ‘taken advantage of on a grand scale’.
They wonder where to turn for help at this point.
“Something that’s been an incredible disappointment is Make It Right’s lack, retirement, of any form of accountability,” William told me.
A fabric of legal turbulence
When Make It Right failed to provide the assistance residents requested, several landlords filed lawsuits. This litigation is still pending.
Some residents also accuse local authorities.
“We also have a problem with the city, because those who inspect (the house) and are supposed to keep it safe have not done so,” said Claire, who tried to involve the security and services department. New Orleans permit.
My numerous efforts to contact Make It Right by mail, email and in-person visits remain unsuccessful. When I went to his New Orleans office in December 2021, I did not meet any staff. Instead, I witnessed a moving team that had been hired by the organization to move its furniture and other belongings into a warehouse.
The organization apparently did not file a Form 990, the annual filings the Internal Revenue Service requires of all nonprofits, covering any year since 2018. Local media reported that a bank pursued her. His website has become outdated, and the phone number he included in his 2018 IRS documents no longer works. Even the person who mows vacant Make It Right properties told reporters that the non-profit organization owes him money. Make It Right, in turn, is suing several former executives and its chief architect for alleged mismanagement.
The Conversation US also attempted to contact the Make It Right Foundation by phone and email, without success.
Make It Right halted a similar affordable housing development that was underway in Kansas City, leaving empty lots there in limbo. The nonprofit had also engaged in projects in Montana, where other legal issues arose, and in New Jersey.
Who ultimately pays?
Because one of the abandoned properties becomes a safety hazard, the city takes action to seize it. Make It Right’s 2018 filings with the IRS indicate that it was then spending more on legal services than on construction and maintenance.
This reflects the experiences of residents, who have not seen evidence of the organization’s engagement with their community in years. Many are beginning to pay for repairs out of pocket rather than waiting for the nonprofit builder to fix the problems caused by its shoddy construction.
“I did most of the work myself,” Mario told me. “The porch ceiling tiles were falling off and the wood was rotting, so I just replaced it, slowly, you know, so we could afford it.”
Despite their experiences, some residents said they still believe the Make It Right founder had good intentions. “I don’t blame Brad Pitt,” said fellow resident David. “He had a vision to build low-income homes and bring people back to the Lower Ninth Ward.”
While nonprofit housing developers can play a vital role in creating affordable housing, many questions remain about their responsibility in this and other cases, in places like Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Poorly managed housing estates, even when built with ambitious goals, only compound the hardships of the low-income people they are meant to serve.
Judith Keller is an international geography scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This was first published by The Conversation — How Brad Pitt’s green housing dream for Hurricane Katrina survivors turned into a nightmare“.