"Building Today's Communities for Tomorrow" is at the heart of Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation's (UREC) work. Whether transforming communities with quality and affordable housing, empowering East Baton Rouge residents to become homeowners, or providing opportunities that give youth an advantage in their college and career endeavors, UREC is fully committed to the capital region.
The commitment requires collaboration with strong community partners who have a shared desire to see communities thrive -- particularly in areas that experience economic barriers.
"At UREC, we understand that access to affordable housing, asset building through homeownership, and employability helps stabilize families and communities," said Carl Dillon, UREC's president and CEO. "Our initiatives empower and equip families with modest incomes to thrive in these areas, and we continue to see favorable results."
UREC Transforms Communities
To date, UREC has developed more than 140 single and multi-family homes throughout Baton Rouge thanks to partnerships with East Baton Rouge City-Parish, Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC), and community and banking partners. This includes the development of three neighborhoods -- Satinwood Grove, Foster Oaks, and Hollywood Garden -- all in a 3-5 mile radius in North Baton Rouge on what was once vacant land.
A forthcoming development along Winchester Avenue will create additional housing options. In addition, a partnership with LHC and the City of Baker is providing critical repair needs to eligible homeowner-occupied properties in the area.
Cultivating New Homeowners
UREC also invests in preparing individuals to become first-time homebuyers. The agency offers homebuyer seminars and comprehensive homebuyer education through its Lock & Key Club initiatives.
Both programs are instrumental in helping individuals navigate the homebuying process through topics such as budgeting, credit, and access to capital and downpayment assistance grants.
"Closing on my home was a monumental moment, and I credit the Lock & Key Program for helping me get there," said Khristopher Lewis. "The program's step-by-step approach allowed me to take each stage of the process with confidence, whether it was securing financing or negotiating the final sale."
Preparing Youth for The Future
With a steady eye on the future, UREC offers youth development opportunities throughout the year. More than 5,000 youth have participated in UREC's programs since the organization was founded in 1992. The youth programs focus on career exploration and college and career readiness through the UREC Academy pre-law, Certified Nursing Assistant, technology, entrepreneurship, and ACT prep institutes.
In a recent survey of program alumni, UREC found that 100% of the respondents enrolled in college or technical training programs after graduating from high school. In addition, the average ACT score of program participants was 23, which is significantly higher than state and national averages.
Matthew Evans, a student at Louisiana State University, graduated from high school in 2024. While in high school, he participated in UREC's Entrepreneurship and ACT prep institutes. Evans said, "The programs taught me presentation, project management, business planning, and test-taking skills. It also helped me to increase my ACT score from 19 to 30."
Dillon said, "Our participants' success motivates us to remain proactive in providing quality youth and community development initiatives. We are truly grateful for our staff, board members, funders, and community partners who believe and invest in our mission and work."
UREC is a nonprofit community development with a mission of transforming communities by investing in people and restoring neighborhoods. To learn more, get involved, or contribute, visit www.urecbr.com. Follow @urecbr on Facebook and Instagram, and text URECBR TO 22828 to join the email list and stay abreast of UREC's initiatives.