Jackson Free Press

Gulf Coast Renaissance Corporation, a nonprofit organization that focuses on affordable housing in the Mississippi counties hardest hit by 2005's Hurricane Katrina, has revised and improved its standards for affordable housing redevelopment on the Gulf Coast. The organization, founded in 2006 by several south Mississippi business leaders, formed the Renaissance Builder & Development Guild in 2008 "as a means to cultivate the highest level of housing redevelopment during the Gulf Coast's rebuilding process," according to a release.

"The recent revisions to our guild standards reflect the flexibility in application while maintaining the guidelines that reflect the most current best practices in the building industry. At the end of the day, we want our guild endorsement to always stand for quality," said Gulf Coast Renaissance Corporation President and CEO Kimberly LaRosa,

The guild's mission focuses on ensuring that coast redevelopment is environmentally, economically and socially sustainable, and it promotes mixed-use and mixed-income communities. Since the guild's formation, they have reviewed six projects with a combined 942 housing units; three of the projects have received a Guild endorsement.

Among the guild's guiding principles are: Creating a range of housing types and affordable price levels; creating "walkable" neighborhoods; considering transportation needs and options; creating energy efficient buildings; and creating healthy living spaces. Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast four years ago this month.

For additional information go to the Gulf Coast Renaissance Corporation Web site or call 228-896-3386.