GAILILEE SENIOR HOUSING
TRANSFORMATION
Shreveport, Louisiana
Galilee Senior Housing is a longstanding affordable senior community located in the Eden Gardens neighborhood of Shreveport, Louisiana. Originally developed under the HUD 202 program, the property comprises two adjacent three-story buildings, providing a combined 126 deeply affordable studio and one-bedroom apartments for elderly and disabled residents. Operated by a mission-driven nonprofit, the community has served some of Caddo Parish’s lowest-income seniors for more than three decades, offering housing stability and supportive services through a long-standing HUD Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract.
DEVELOPMENT: $24.5 million
UNITS: 126
LOCATION: 1500 Park Avenue & 525 Sycamore Street
Galilee Senior Housing stands as an example of how strategic use of LIHTC, public financing, and long-term reinvestment can preserve aging HUD-assisted senior housing, maintain affordability, and significantly improve quality of life for some of the region’s most vulnerable residents.
Project Overview
By 2021, both buildings were experiencing significant physical needs typical of aging HUD 202 properties, including outdated mechanical systems, deteriorated interior finishes, aging windows, accessibility limitations, and an overall need for modernization to improve energy performance, building functionality, and long-term durability. A comprehensive Capital Needs Assessment confirmed that substantial reinvestment would be required to preserve the property for future generations.
SUBSTANTIAL REHABILITATION
To address these needs, the owner pursued a preservation strategy utilizing 4% LowIncome Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and tax-exempt bond financing, with the transaction successfully closing in September 2022. The final capital stack totaled $24.5 million, including permanent mortgage financing, National Housing Trust Funds, a significant seller note contribution, LIHTC equity, and transferred reserves. The project also incorporated a structured developer fee, reserves funding, relocation budget, and all necessary soft costs to support construction and financial closing.
The rehabilitation scope was designed as an in-place renovation, allowing residents to remain safely housed during construction through phased work sequencing and temporary accommodations where needed. Core improvements included modernization of unit kitchens with new cabinets, countertops, and Energy Star appliances; replacement of PTAC units and domestic water heaters; elevator cab and control system upgrades; refurbishment of emergency call systems; fire alarm panel replacement; new flooring and interior paint; and installation of new energy-efficient windows. Additional work included accessibility enhancements, parking lot improvements, upgraded mechanical and electrical components, and the installation of a new fire-suppression sprinkler system— an important life-safety upgrade for longterm compliance.
At completion, Galilee Senior Housing emerged as a fully rehabilitated, energyefficient, and service-enriched community designed to support aging in place. The redevelopment preserves all 126 deeply affordable units under a long-term HAP contract, ensuring continued housing stability for vulnerable seniors. The modernization effort extends the functional life of both buildings, enhances resident comfort and safety, and strengthens the nonprofit sponsor’s mission of providing safe, high-quality, affordable housing for the Shreveport community.