City of New Orleans and Partners Release Housing Ecosystem Plan

July 31, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

City of New Orleans and Partners Release Housing Ecosystem Plan

NEW ORLEANS - The City of New Orleans today released the City's "Housing Ecosystem Plan," a ten-year strategy for addressing the local housing crisis. The plan is a collaborative effort reflecting feedback received from residents, community stakeholders, affordable housing developers, policymakers and local elected officials. The plan represents actionable steps the public sector housing agencies should take to improve the City's affordable housing landscape. These agencies include the City's Office of Community Development (OCD), the Mayor's Office of Community Assets and Investment (OCAI), the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO), the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and Finance New Orleans (FNO).

"Quality, safe and affordable housing is the key to healthy stable communities," said OCD Director Tyra Johnson Brown. "This Housing Ecosystem plan, developed by a formalized collaboration of stakeholders and resources, is the pathway to fair, equitable and affordable housing for all."

The plan was developed by Thomas Consulting Group, in partnership with HR&A Advisors, and it provides recommendations based off input from a variety of stakeholders. Over nine months, consultants engaged the Housing Ecosystem leaders for multiple convenings. They also held focus group sessions with housing advocates, affordable and market-rate developers and other City officials. All City Council members and their staff were invited to sit down individually with the consultants to offer feedback. Finally, OCAI conducted a public engagement survey with 1,000+ responses to field community opinion on the state of housing in the city.

"We face a profound number of challenges regarding housing affordability in New Orleans, and we believe this plan offers a great many solutions to these issues," said OCAI Director Tyler Russell. "We believe this 10-year plan can provide a blueprint for New Orleans' housing future for this administration and beyond. As stated in the plan, we need to increase local funding for affordable housing, we need to reduce regulatory barriers to affordable housing, we need to better leverage public land for affordable housing, and we need to increase coordination among public and private sector actors to make safe, healthy and affordable housing available to all New Orleanians."

Three key recommendations emerged from the plan:

1. Reform land use and zoning to support new housing development
2. Invest in affordability
3. Strengthen the housing ecosystem

Each of these recommendations is further broken down into specific, actionable strategies - 43 in total. Three of these strategies are deemed urgent by the plan:

• Adoption of the Housing Trust Fund proposition on the November 5 ballot
• Increase public input on potential policy changes
• Establish a coordinated annual funding cycle across the Housing Ecosystem partners

"The City of New Orleans Housing Ecosystem plan succinctly outlines a blueprint to strengthen our communities," said HANO Executive Director Evette Hester. "As we continue laying a foundation for stability and sustainable growth, the road map for expanding affordable housing is a long-term commitment and investing in our family's best interest. HANO is committed to executing the plan with all aligned partnerships."

"The City of New Orleans Housing Ecosystem plan provides a strong foundation for new affordable housing and economic development opportunities for future families and communities across our city," said NORA Executive Director Brenda Breaux. "New Orleans Redevelopment Authority is dedicated to ensuring that the plan is fully realized."

"Finance New Orleans is proud to support the City of New Orleans Housing Ecosystem Plan, which aligns perfectly with our mission to improve the quality of life in New Orleans by investing in affordable housing, economic development and climate resilience projects that produce quality jobs and wealth for our residents," said FNO CEO Damon Burns. "By addressing the critical affordable housing crisis, this plan not only tackles immediate challenges, such as rising costs, labor shortages and the impacts of climate change but also paves the way for a more equitable and sustainable future. Our commitment to financing sustainable housing, green infrastructure and renewable energy projects is integral to this initiative. We look forward to collaborating with a diverse group of stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that will make New Orleans a model for resilience and sustainability."

"The status quo is inadequate to address New Orleans' housing affordability crisis, and the Housing Ecosystem Plan outlines steps to address our city's urgent housing needs," said Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center Director of Policy and Communications Monique Blossom. "The Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center looks forward to collaborating with administrators, elected leaders, fellow advocates and the public to secure investments in affordability through the Housing Trust Fund, collaboration within the new housing ecosystem and smart land use reforms to ensure everyone in New Orleans has a safe, healthy and affordable place to live."

"The Housing Ecosystem Plan is a crucial component to addressing the city's ever growing housing crisis," said HousingNOLA Executive Director Andreanecia Morris. "We are particularly supportive of the creation of a standalone Department of Housing because it would provide the necessary accountability to the City's efforts to put housing first."

The full Housing Ecosystem Plan can be viewed here.

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