Outcomes Illustrated

by: Laura Wintroub

Wed Nov 17, 2010 at 15:22:04 PM EST

There's often talk in the community development world about outcomes.  We talk about jobs created, housing units developed, parks built, childcare centers created, and on and on.  But for all the talk, a picture usually tells a much better story than data or words ever can.

And so it is with the most recent photos of the Muses, an affordable housing development project in Central City in New Orleans that non profit housing developer Gulf Coast Housing Partnership is undertaking.  The Isaiah Fund made its first loan of $500,000 to GCHP in June 2009 for several projects, including the Muses.

The photo above was taken just a few weeks ago.  In June 2009, the land where the buildings now stand was vacant and desolate.

The first of two construction phases is complete.  Families have begun moving in.  There is a waiting list for apartment leases.  It's one of the best illustrations of outcomes I've seen.