Healthy Neighborhoods Project
The Healthy Neighborhoods Project (HNP) ran from 2018 to 2024 with a simple but powerful goal: every neighborhood in New Orleans should be a safe, happy, and healthy place to call home. Years of uneven investment across the city had left some neighborhoods struggling with vacant lots, abandoned houses, and limited access to resources that support health and well-being.
HNP worked directly with residents to understand the strengths and challenges of their neighborhoods and to inform policies and programs that promote equitable community development.
Why Neighborhoods Matter
Violence is a major public health issue in the U.S. and worldwide. Research shows that neighborhood conditions, like abandoned buildings and vacant lots, can influence rates of youth and family violence and overall community health. HNP took a public health approach, addressing the environment itself rather than focusing only on individual behavior. By transforming blighted spaces into safe, maintained areas, the project aimed to reduce opportunities for violence and increase trust, social control, and community pride.
The HNP Approach
HNP was a neighborhood-focused research study that examined how cleaning up vacant lots and abandoned properties impacts the health and safety of communities. Through a cluster-randomized trial, it tested whether property remediation could:
- Reduce youth and family violence, including assaults, homicides, and domestic violence.
- Improve community well-being, including sense of safety, social connection, and civic engagement.
HNP partnered with the City of New Orleans, Tulane University, Columbia University, and local organizations such as the Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies (IWES) and Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO Works) to ensure that the work reflected both scientific evidence and residents’ experiences.
HNP tested two types of interventions:
- Vacant Lot Remediation: Clearing and greening empty lots, sometimes adding fencing or landscaping.
- Vacant Property Remediation: Cleaning, painting, and repairing abandoned homes, including replacing windows and improving the building’s appearance.
These treated lots in treatment clusters were compared with similar clusters that did not receive interventions, allowing researchers to measure changes in violence, social cohesion, and well-being.
Community Engagement
- Residents shared feedback through surveys, focus groups, and interviews.
- Key informants, such as neighborhood leaders, pastors, and local law enforcement, provided insights on community dynamics.
- Youth participants helped HNP understand the impact of neighborhood changes on young people’s safety and mental health.
- Participants were compensated for their time, and confidentiality was strictly maintained.
Key Findings
HNP produced important insights into the impact of neighborhood improvements:
- Residents in neighborhoods where both lots and abandoned homes were improved reported an 83% increase in sense of community.
- Treatment clusters with both vacant lots and homes treated saw a 40% reduction in domestic crimes and a 16% reduction in child maltreatment events (with the strongest impacts seen for neglect and drug exposure). Clusters with only vacant lots treated saw an 11% reduction in domestic crimes and a 17% reduction in child maltreatment events (with the strongest impact seen for neglect).
- Improvements to vacant lots alone led to reductions in neighborhood disorder and worry about community violence.
- Positive impacts were strongest in areas with higher deprivation, concentrated disadvantage, and greater alcohol outlets, suggesting property remediation can help reduce inequality in neighborhood safety.
The project also explored public art, such as youth-created murals, and found potential for reducing violent crime and increasing neighborhood pride.
Responding to COVID-19
During the pandemic, HNP adapted to study how COVID-19 affected stress, social isolation, and violence in communities. This research provided valuable insights into resilience and adaptation during crises, helping understand how structural and social factors influence well-being.
Benefits to the Community
HNP made a tangible difference in New Orleans neighborhoods:
- Remediated over 200 abandoned homes and nearly 300 lots at no cost to residents or the city.
- Provided evidence for policies that reduce violence and promote health equity.
- Strengthened social cohesion and civic engagement through resident participation and feedback.
Partners
HNP was a collaborative effort among:
- Tulane University Schools of Public Health and Tropical Medicine & Architecture
- Tulane Mary Amelia Women’s Center
- Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies (IWES)
- Columbia University
- City of New Orleans
- Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO Works)
The project was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD, NIH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Legacy of HNP
Although the Healthy Neighborhoods Project concluded in 2024, its findings continue to guide community development and violence prevention efforts in New Orleans and beyond. By demonstrating how property remediation, community engagement, and public art can strengthen neighborhoods, HNP provides a model for other cities seeking equitable and evidence-based approaches to building safe, healthy communities.
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1440 Canal Street, Suite 1510, New Orleans, LA 70112
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