Delories Francois, Public Housing Activist, Dead At 62
Times Picayune 01-4-1996

*************************************************
Copyright. All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
************************************************  

Delories P. Francois, a public housing activist in the Desire housing complex
for nearly 30 years, died Tuesday of heart disease at Tulane University
Medical Center. She was 62.

Mrs. Francois was born in Plaquemine and moved to New Orleans as a child.

In 1967, she founded the Desire Community Housing Corp., which for three
decades has helped build and manage public housing complexes in conjunction
with the Housing Authority of New Orleans.

Under Mrs. Francois' leadership, the corporation in 1971 negotiated a contract
with HANO to manage Press Park, a subdivision designed to turn the working
poor into homeowners.

Using powers granted by City Hall to develop land and spend federal money, the
agency oversaw construction of Gordon Plaza, an adjacent tract of single-
family houses, complete with a shopping strip and an apartment complex for the
elderly.

During her tenure, the agency also helped develop two commercial strips and a
day-care center in the Desire housing complex and conducted training programs
for first-time home buyers.

Mrs. Francois retired as the corporation's chief executive officer in 1995.

She was a board member of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, a member of
the National Council of Negro Women, a deaconess at Morning Star Baptist
Church, a founding member of the Press Park Homebuyers Association and a
former member of the Desire-Florida Tenant Council advisory board.

She also was a member of the Chamber of Commerce's Target Housing/Rebuild New
Orleans program, the National Federation of Housing Counselors and the Alpha
Rho chapter of Iota Pi Lamba Sorority.

Survivors include her husband, Willie Francois; two sons, James and Reginald
Francois; a daughter, Truda Pierce; and nine grandchildren.

A funeral will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Morning Star Baptist Church,
3124 Florida Ave. Visitation will begin at 8 a.m. Burial will be in Mount
Olivet Mausoleum. Magee Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.