Kristin Gisleson Palmer has dedicated her career to housing, preservation, and community revitalization in New Orleans. Twice director of the PRC’s Christmas in October program (later Rebuilding Together New Orleans), she helped hundreds of families return home after Hurricane Katrina. She also served as coordinator of the PRC’s Historic Preservation Education Program.
Palmer represented District C on the New Orleans City Council from 2010–2014 and 2018–2022, focusing on housing, transportation, and disaster recovery. She played key roles in passing the city’s Master Plan, Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, and Complete Streets legislation, while also leading efforts to reduce blight, regulate short-term rentals, and expand affordable housing.
In 2015, she founded Bargeboard NOLA, a company that has renovated or built more than 80 homes in Old Algiers and operates a mill shop and architectural salvage store. Her work has been recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the City of New Orleans, the Louisiana Landmarks Society, and the PRC.