William and Tess Monaghan established Build Now in 2008 with the mission of building quality, affordable housing in the greater New Orleans area for people affected by Hurricane Katrina. Since the storm, our mission has expanded to assisting first time homebuyers and other residents who want to build in New Orleans’ blighted and underpopulated neighborhoods. To date, we have constructed over 50 homes and have more than a dozen under construction in the greater New Orleans area. This amounts to 64 families (and counting) for whom we have helped make home ownership a reality! Click here to see the homes Build Now constructed in 2011.

A state-affiliated agency is expected today to send the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority the first $450,000 of $25 million held in escrow so NORA can finally start putting hundreds of Road Home buyout lots back into commerce. The long-awaited money will help launch a more aggressive effort to sell abandoned lots to developers. Click here to read more.

To date, Build Now has built 10+ homes in the Lower 9. Hopefully between the City of New Orleans, concerned citizens, and groups like Build Now we can all work together to ensure positive “urban growth” occurs in this great neighborhood. Click here to read more.

Did you know that HMGP funding is available for new construction? Great article by Times-Picayune’s David Hammer discussing how many residents thought it was only for elevating homes. Click here to read more.

BP and the private plaintiffs in the massive Gulf oil spill litigation have reached a settlement that BP estimates will cost $7.8 billion. But that is an uncapped amount, as the court still must supervise the payment of damages. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier also issued an order delaying the trial for a second time in light of the settlement. Click here for more information.