BATON ROUGE — Affordable housing is expanding with 132 new units across East Baton Rouge Parish.

There will be six new developments in North Baton Rouge, South Baton Rouge, and Mid City. The mayor's office says these projects will address the housing needs of the community.

“Affordable housing is important because it lifts people out of poverty, giving them an option so they don’t have to spend all of their income on housing,” Mark Armstrong, the mayor-president's chief communications officer, said

The total investment for the projects is $6.16 million in state and federal funding.

The six housing developments include the Hotel Lincoln Housing Development, The Villas at Mohican, Dayton Street Housing Development, Melrose IV Housing Development, 1335 North Residences Project at the Historic Prince Hall Masonic Temple, and Melrose III Housing Development.

The Hotel Lincoln and Prince Hall Masonic Temple are historic buildings in Baton Rouge. Armstrong said these developments are not only creating homes, but they’re also preserving history and revitalizing neighborhoods.

“They’re important cultural assets that we have here in Baton Rouge, and we want to maintain and bring them back into commerce. Have people living in them again, with storefronts on the first floor,” Armstrong said.

Reggie Meade is the project manager for Kimble Property, the owner of Hotel Lincoln. He said it felt great to see the building come back to life.

“To be able to take something with such a rich history in the community and preserve it, while also bringing it up to modern standards for the people in the community, means a lot to me,” Meade said.

Meade said Hotel Lincoln will be transformed into 12 one-bedroom units and two commercial spaces that will house local nonprofits.

Construction on the projects is set to begin in early 2025.