Police Jury recognizes Ben Taylor Jr. for 44 years with Lake Charles Housing Authority; highlights RAD conversion and Choice Neighborhood grant

The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury on May 22 presented a certificate recognizing S. Benjamin Taylor Jr. for 44 years of service with the Lake Charles Housing Authority and noted his leadership in major housing initiatives, including the agency’s conversion to the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) model and winning a Choice Neighborhood Initiative grant.

The recognition matters because Taylor’s leadership is tied to two policy-relevant accomplishments the Police Jury cited: converting public housing in the agency’s portfolio to the RAD model, which the presentation describes as a privatization mechanism intended to allow flexibility in financing and improvements; and securing a Choice Neighborhood Initiative grant described in the meeting as a multi-decade revitalization that will bring more than $200,000,000 in investment to Lake Charles’ Mid-City area over the next 25 to 30 years.

Tarek, the meeting presenter, introduced the certificate and summarized Taylor’s 44-year career and accomplishments. S. Benjamin Taylor Jr., identified in the presentation as executive director of the Lake Charles Housing Authority, spoke briefly and thanked the Police Jury for its support, noting the jury’s role in supporting infrastructure funding that enabled the Choice Neighborhood grant work. Mister Abshire, Police Juror, also offered brief remarks thanking Taylor for his work.

The presentation was ceremonial recognition of Taylor’s retirement; no action items, funding approvals, or implementation steps were taken by the Police Jury during the item beyond presentation of the certificate. The meeting transcript does not include documentary links to the Choice Neighborhood grant agreement or specific budgetary breakdowns for the cited $200,000,000 investment.