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Army Corps outlines nonstructural home‑elevation program and pilot success in Southwest Louisiana
Summary
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District reported completion of a pilot home‑elevation and nonstructural program in Southwest Coastal Louisiana and outlined plans to scale via a MATOC approach; Corps officials said the program will inform a larger South Central program authorized for 2,240 structures.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (New Orleans District) briefed the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board on a nonstructural flood‑risk program that raises existing homes and uses other nonstructural measures to reduce flood risk across Southwest Coastal Louisiana.
Colonel Cody Olson, representing the Corps, described the program as a concerted effort to pair structural and nonstructural measures and to learn from a small, federally executed pilot before scaling up. “This is the first home that we were able to federally execute this, and that is a huge win,” Olson said, describing the completion of the Corps’ first elevated home and the second home currently being raised.
Scope and cost estimates: Olson said the Southwest Coastal effort looks at roughly 4,000 homes and includes both flood‑risk management and ecosystem restoration elements. He said the Corps’ current estimate for the Southwest Coastal portfolio came in around $6.8 billion. The Corps also noted an authorization for a related South Central Coast project that addresses floodproofing of 2,240 structures with a current estimated cost of about $1.25 billion; that project is authorized for construction under WRDA 2022 but is awaiting funding for preconstruction engineering and design.
Pilot approach and contracting: The Corps described its approach as staged: a first priority group of about 17 structures used to validate the engineering and business processes; a multiple‑award task order contract (MATOC) planned for June 2026 to provide capacity for many repeated home‑elevation tasks; and a later, larger contract to scale implementation after lessons learned. Olson said the district had designated the district as a center of excellence for nonstructural work to build institutional knowledge and contractor capacity.
Technical challenge and rationale: Olson emphasized the program’s technical complexity and the need to assess home‑by‑home structural and substructure conditions before lifting a house. “Every home is different. Every home was built at a different time,” he said, explaining the Corps’ deliberate pace during screening and initial execution to avoid costly errors.
Timing and next steps: The Corps said it is finishing screening and homeowner selection for the first groups, completing surveys and refining contract conditions for the MATOC. Olson said the district intends to carry lessons from Southwest Coastal into South Central projects and continue to refine costs and efficiencies as contractors gain experience.
Board questions and context: Board members asked about the inclusion of ecosystem components in the South Central authorization; the Corps said the South Central authorization covers flood‑risk management measures specifically and that other ecosystem work would need separate authorization or partnerships. Members praised having local leadership and said they were encouraged by the Corps’ pilot results and designation of a nonstructural center of excellence.
