New Orleans Builders Come Together for Annual Community Build Day

Volunteers came together in the Greater New Orleans area earlier this month to add to the city’s housing supply. unCommon Construction (uCC), a nonprofit organization that helps provide youths with real-world construction experience, collaborated with Airbnb for its annual Community Build Day. The event brought together 18 volunteers from Airbnb, Tulane University, and the local construction community, who worked side-by-side with 35 uCC apprentices and staff on residential construction projects.

During the event, volunteers contributed to two projects—a new two-story residential construction project as well as the construction of a new deck on an existing home—all while giving uCC apprentices hands-on experience and one-on-one building advice. In conjunction with the Build Day, Airbnb also announced $150,000 in community investments to four local New Orleans organizations that will provide support for youth development, education, and housing initiatives across New Orleans.

Community Build Days are a core part of uCC’s model, creating opportunities for adults in the community to collaborate directly with youth apprentices on real job sites. These hands-on experiences elevate youth leadership, as apprentices guide and support volunteers throughout the day. Volunteers contributed to two active projects: a new two-story residential construction and a construction of a new deck on an existing home.

“unCommon Construction is helping strengthen New Orleans by preparing the next generation of builders while adding to the city's housing supply,” said Nia Brown, Airbnb Public Policy Manager. “Airbnb is proud to support this Build Day, where community members get to work side-by-side with talented apprentices who are developing the skills that will help shape the city’s future.”