OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY) — Opelousas is among six Louisiana communities to receive the Thriving Communities Grant aimed at revitalization and economic growth.

The grant funding is intended to help Opelousas explore economic potential and implement projects that align with community visions.

Ray Scriber, from Louisiana Main Street, explained that the grant will enable communities to implement projects based on local ideas and visions.

This week, a community vision walk took place in downtown Opelousas, allowing residents to tour vacant buildings and share their ideas for future development.

Participants wrote their ideas on sticky notes, which were collected for consideration in redevelopment plans. An economic development specialist worked with building owners to provide information on potential redevelopment costs.

Plans for transportation improvements and sidewalk repairs are being considered alongside community visions for the city’s future.

The goal is to occupy the buildings again, driven by community needs and ideas.

The Thriving Communities Grant will provide technical assistance over the next two years to help Opelousas and other communities thrive.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KLFY. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KLFY staff before being published.

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