In Terrytown on the West Bank, a former golf course is being turned into a new neighborhood called Rising Oaks. The area will feature starter homes with a midcentury-modern style and strong storm protection. A few homes are already finished, and Habitat for Humanity sold its first house just before Christmas 2025. The project is meant to help seniors and essential workers who earn too much for housing assistance but still struggle to afford a home in the area, as reported by NOLA.com.
According to NOLA.com, the first phase focuses on one- and two-bedroom homes marketed to buyers 55 and older, with later phases reserved for larger family layouts. That reporting puts initial list prices at about $190,000 for a one-bedroom, climbing into the low-to-mid $300,000s for the biggest four-bedroom models, and notes that Habitat wrapped up phase-one infrastructure work before it started selling.
Built to Weather the Big Ones
Every Rising Oaks home is being built to FORTIFIED Gold standards, which tie the roof, walls and foundation together and require impact-rated, pressure-tested doors and windows to better handle high winds and debris. The FORTIFIED program, run by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, sets out the Gold-level checklist, including sealed roof decks, beefed-up roof-to-wall connections and a continuous load path from roof to foundation. Those features, according to the program, can significantly cut the cost of cleaning up after a major storm. Local reporting and Habitat’s own materials confirm the FORTIFIED designation and highlight the potential gains in durability and insurance savings that come with it.
Mid‑Mod Look, Local Roots
The houses lean into Terrytown’s midcentury look, with vaulted ceilings, clerestory and plate-glass windows, attached carports and a mix of rooflines, while keeping the floor plans compact and efficient. Habitat worked with architects Garrity + Accardo on the site and home designs, trying to match that retro curb appeal with modern performance behind the walls. The idea is that Rising Oaks should feel like it belongs among the surrounding West Bank neighborhoods, even as it quietly upgrades energy efficiency and storm resilience.
Greens, Drainage And Lower Bills
Open green spaces and engineered water retention areas are built into the plan so that the site can catch and hold stormwater instead of pushing it onto nearby streets. Local coverage notes that this kind of drainage strategy should help reduce flood risk, which in turn can soften long-term insurance and maintenance costs. Studies from the FORTIFIED and insurance industries also point to direct financial incentives for certified mitigation work, including possible insurance premium discounts that can make monthly ownership costs a little less nerve-racking for working families.
Who It’s For — And How Fast It’s Being Built
Habitat’s blueprint calls for around 150 workforce homes across the property, with floor plans reported to range from roughly 766 square feet for a one-bed, one-bath up to about 1,670 square feet for a four-bedroom. A typical house is expected to go from slab to completion in about three to four months, and project reporting says several units are already finished with more underway as Habitat pivots into occupancy and resale to qualifying buyers. NOLA.com reports that the first sale was recorded on December 24, 2025.
What It Means For The West Bank
The development, described as Habitat’s largest project to date, stacks up as a multi-million dollar mix of public and private financing that only penciled out because of a favorable land deal and parish backing. Business coverage of the project details a development budget of roughly $56 million, a land purchase price of about $3 million and parish commitments that helped jump-start the site work, figures that hint at how big a swing the nonprofit is taking on workforce homeownership. The hope is that near-market sale prices, FORTIFIED construction and lower operating costs will keep total monthly housing costs within reach for first-time buyers who have been boxed out elsewhere.
Rising Oaks is going up on the former Plantation Golf & Country Club property in Terrytown and is expected to roll out in phases over the next several years if schedules hold. Habitat’s Rising Oaks information page outlines floor plans, volunteer opportunities and the homebuyer application process, including what prospective owners and community partners need to do next.
For a deeper dive, Biz New Orleans and New Orleans CityBusiness have earlier coverage of the groundbreaking and financing, and the FORTIFIED program explains the technical standards behind the Gold label. For Habitat’s project overview and community materials, see New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity.
