NEW ORLEANS — The state's affordable housing crisis is not getting any better, especially in New Orleans. HousingNOLA says rising costs across the board are making it harder for individuals and families to keep afloat.
For the third year in a row, New Orleans has gotten an "F" in the HousingNOLA annual report card.
Tashia Gaspard enlisted in the military when she was 18. 90 days in she broke her tibia and fibula, causing injuries to her knees and ankles.
“I was on the street in a wheelchair,” Gaspard said. “I was in the homeless shelter for six months before I got my housing.”
She was eligible for veteran housing assistance but said no landlord would accept vouchers.
“There’s this disdain, like a tainted view that veterans who need housing or anyone who needs help with housing, they’re dirty or they’re not going to take care of the property… and that’s just not true,” Gaspard said.
HousingNOLA says in New Orleans the median rent has risen to $1,082, but the median income dropped to almost $4,000 since 2019. With 63% of renters and 30% of homeowners spending more than 30% of their income on housing.
The report card found that low-to-moderate income households are struggling to navigate the Housing Choice Voucher Program, with many using vouchers struggling to find housing.
Andreanecia Morris from HousingNOLA says a way to reduce crime is to improve people’s quality of life.
“We have 1000 section 8 vouchers that we’re not able to use, because landlords are refusing to accept,” Morris said.
“We cannot talk about addressing crime without making sure you have opportunities, mainly housing for folks who are making truly unfathomable and life and death consequences.”
“We’re bouncing from crisis to crisis, our leaders are throwing up their hands, going we’re not sure what to do or we’re trying, but they’re failing,” Morris said.
As for Gaspard, she’s been in her apartment for four years. Her doctors said she would never gain full mobility back in her legs, but the determined young woman says she aims to prove them wrong.
The HousingNOLA 10 Strategy & Implementation Year Plan found the city needs to build 47,000 affordable housing units to help with the crisis. Eight years into the 10-year plan, only 2,452 units have been built, HousingNOLA says that number should be 7,500 by now.