NEW ROADS- The Louisiana Office of Community Development began construction Monday at the future site of Audobon Estates, a resettlement community for residents of the flood-prone Pecan Acres subdivision.

Nicknamed 'Flood City,' most homes in Pecan Acres have flooded over 15 times in the past 30 years, according to a Louisiana Office of Community Development news release. 

The infrastructure construction is to include road installation and utilities to bring Pecan Acres residents closer to living on higher and drier ground.

The state is to issue a request for proposals for a homebuilder in the coming weeks and should begin building houses over the summer. Residents could start moving into their new homes by spring 2021, according to the statement.

“After all the planning with the residents to get to this point, it’s exciting to finally break ground, bringing us one step closer to moving residents out of harm’s way,” OCD Executive Director Pat Forbes said. “As flooding becomes more frequent throughout Louisiana, resettlement communities like this will serve as models as the state moves toward sensible, smart solutions to mitigate flood risks.”

The project is part of the state's Sustainable Resettlement Program, funded by grants from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, to help property owners on Pecan Drive West and Pecan Drive East. 

The OCD says they worked with Pecan Acres residents to select the Audobon Estates resettlement site and to plan and name the new community, located north of Nelson Lane on La 10.

Located outside of the 100-year flood zone, officials say the 22-acre site is large enough for all eligible Pecan Acres homeowners to move there.

For more information on the resettlement of Pecan Acres, click here.