Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development

Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development’s (CSED) mission and purpose is to stimulate civic engagement and restorative rebuilding, repopulate, sustain natural systems, assist community leadership and preserve resources in New Orleans ’ Lower Ninth Ward neighborhoods. CSED’s goal is the re-creation and repopulation of a strong community mindful of its history, resources and vulnerabilities as active, engaged, resilient, prosperous, energy independent and beautiful as possible.

Activities: The CSED assists returning residents with resources and training on rebuilding homes and community through bulk purchasing, enabling low or no cost rebuilding materials for residents, using sustainable technologies and materials, enabling aggressive, targeted civic engagement and taking positive, responsible advantage of the Lower Ninth Ward’s unique natural systems especially its protecting wetlands.

CSED enables and promotes active participation by non-profit, education, corporate and government partners.

Why? 2006 data indicates that 100% of Lower Nine/Holy Cross homes and businesses sustained significant damage or destruction and 100% of the population was dispersed by post-Katrina levee breaks. Less than 30% of 17,000 pre-Katrina residents have returned to live in the community.

Who benefits? Lower Ninth Ward residents returning to rebuild.

Who we are: The CSED began as a project of the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association with start-up funding from Mercy Corps, Blue Moon Fund, Tulane-Xavier Center for Bio-Environmental Research, Louisiana Bucket Brigade and the Sierra Club.