Music is very important to the lifeblood of the city. The people of New Orleans breathe music, it’s in the air, it’s in the water, It’s everywhere.

When Hurricane Katrina hit, the feeling of loss, and homelessness was a lot to comprehend. Many people lost everything. 

Branford and Harry wanted to do something special, specifically for the musicians because many of them had been displaced after the hurricane. They wanted them to know that there was a place that they could come back, They just didn’t know what to do.

Finally, they settled on an approach to rebuilding, a habitat approach that involved homeownership, decent safe, and affordable housing for hardworking musicians. The  city would have 72 single-family houses, and 10 duplex units. 

The design of Habitat houses was based on traditional New Orleans housing and was built so they fit into the streetscape in any neighbourhood. They also created what they call sweat equity, which means they help build their own houses, work on other houses, and work alongside thousands of volunteers as opposed to initial down payment.

Your down payment is your sweat equity hours, you do whatever you’re capable of doing; paint, nail, move debris, and it theoretically makes you appreciate your home even more because you’re seeing how it’s put together.

Habitat for Humanity Musicians village is a place for the young musicians to congregate with the older musicians where they can just sit around and perform. 

Living in a community like this where eighty percent of your neighbours are musicians and there’s a performance, I would be the kid that security kept saying you have to go back home now you have to get out of the building and go back to your parents but in my parents would always know where I was because I would be here on that nine-foot grand piano 20- 24 hours a day. – Harry Connick Jr.

I anticipate that many many wonderful things as a result of this village with not only the Music Center but also the camaraderie of the residents, out of all of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, this seems like the creation of a beautiful future.