In July 2010, in association with the Assembly of First Nations, Mike Holmes announced a pilot project to build new housing units and retrofit some existing homes on the native reserves. Holmes says he wants to help address the "neglect and poor conditions for housing" in many First Nations communities.
Mike Holmes: (When he was asked about his experiences helping Brad Pitt's "Make It Right" Foundation in New Orleans) Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw the first time I visited the Lower 9th Ward. It was almost three years since Hurricane Katrina and the devastation looked like it had just happened. This was a vibrant area before the levees broke. There was no sign of rebuilding. No infrastructure. No plans in place to get people back into their homes. I offered the Make It Right New Orleans project my commitment to build a home that was not only LEED-platinum certified, but would also be able to withstand future hurricanes and floods. It was a huge challenge for me and my crew, but it was also one of the most inspiring and rewarding experiences of my life.