Main Street

The mission of Opelousas Main Street is to build long-term sustainable downtown revitalization; we will embrace projects to promote cultural diversity, tourism and business development, while beautifying and celebrating the history of the Opelousas Main Street District.

Melanie Lee-Lebouef, Main Street Manager
(337) 948-5227
(337) 948-5229 (fax)
tourism@cityofopelousas.com

Grants
The Main Street program allows property owners an opportunity to apply for a Redevelopment Incentive Grant (a matching grant of up to $10,000) to help with downtown commercial building improvements. To qualify, the building must be located within the downtown Main Street or Historic District, buildings must be used for commercial purposes, and buildings must be at least 50 years old.

2011 Redevelopment Incentive Grant Application
2011 Redevelopment Incentive Guidelines

Federal/State Tax Incentives
The Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation administers the Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit in conjunction with the National Park Service (NPS) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and two State tax credits in conjunction with the Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR). The purpose of tax credits is to encourage the preservation of historic buildings through incentives to support rehabilitation of historic and older buildings.

Federal/State Tax Credits and Incentives

Restoration Tax Abatement Program
Under normal circumstances, if an owner improves, renovates or adds on to a building, the assessed value goes up and so do the property taxes. Under the recently expanded Restoration Tax Abatement Program, the assessed value and the property assessment can be frozen at the pre-improvement level for five years, resulting in substantial tax savings.

Restoration Tax Abatement Program Information