As the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, CNBC asks “Can New Orleans Save Its Homes From Flooding Again?”

NORA Executive Director Brenda M. Breaux, interviewed alongside several community members and leaders, highlights the organization’s work to return properties to commerce in a deliberate and thoughtful manner with programs that build affordable homeownership and land acquisition opportunities for low to moderate income households while enhancing the city’s commercial corridors.

From CNBC: Twenty years ago Hurricane Katrina flooded hundreds of thousands of homes in New Orleans and killed over 1,800 people. In the aftermath, a quarter of the city's housing stock was left vacant or abandoned. The U.S. government has spent billions to rebuild homes, restore infrastructure, and fortify the levee system. But more may be needed to counteract the city’s slow decline into the sea. On top of that, parts of the federal response have been criticized for their complexity and impact on low-income homeowners. Today, the city is facing a housing crisis as homeowner insurance premiums and property taxes rise.

New Orleans leaders to build new homeless shelter in Mid-City. See details

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE and JAMES FINN

Two weeks after Gov. Jeff Landry opened a temporary homeless shelter in New Orleans to some local criticism, city leaders have signed off on plans to build a new city-run shelter for 65 people living on the street.

The move, which is months or more away from being realized, is an apparent pivot from earlier city efforts to move homeless people from encampments to permanent housing, the pace of which has been criticized by Landry and his allies.

City officials on Thursday said the new shelter – which will offer temporary apartment-style living when it is eventually built – will help address a longstanding shortage of beds available for homeless people.

"There's a strong need and political will to solve the homeless issue in New Orleans and provide wrap around services and housing for our residents," said Tyler Russell, director of the Mayor’s Office of Community Assets and Investment.

The plan, pitched by Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration and approved Thursday by the City Council, would see the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, a public agency tasked with revitalizing city neighborhoods, select within six months a developer that will design and eventually construct a temporary shelter.

The apartment-style shelter, the first of its kind in the city, would be built on a vacant lot between South Gayoso and South Dupre streets, which before Hurricane Katrina housed the city’s former crime lab.

Homeless services providers say that such shelters --- officially non-congregate shelters -- can be a better option for some homeless residents, especially those with mental illness who may struggle to share close quarters. City officials have also acknowledged that more “transitional” support is needed before some with mental illness are stable enough to be permanently housed.

Cantrell's administration will dedicate $8 million in federal Department of Housing and Urban Development funds to develop the site. It will also reimburse the redevelopment authority up to more than $880,000 annually to oversee the site.

The developer selected by the redevelopment authority will be tasked with securing other project financing.

The move comes at a time when other shelters in the city – such as those operated by The New Orleans Mission, Ozanam Inn, and the city’s 296-bed low-barrier homeless shelter – are at capacity almost every night. Those facilities are also all shared living spaces, not apartment-style living.

The decision also comes as Landry and his supporters have criticized the speed of the city’s effort to permanently move people off of the streets. A spokesperson for Landry said she did not have enough information on the project to comment Thursday night.

Meanwhile, critics of Landry's temporary 200-bed shelter have questioned the state spending -- up to $16 million for three months of operation -- on a shelter, rather than permanent housing.

City Councilmember Lesli Harris has blasted that shelter as lacking needed services, though shelter officials dispute her claims.

Harris, who sponsored the proposal for the city's shelter at Cantrell's request, said the project was "a win for the city of New Orleans and will provide much needed housing for some of the city's most vulnerable population."

New Orleans is at a Pivotal Point in the Real Estate Market

December 31, 2024 | By Brenda M. Breaux

The real estate market in New Orleans is resilient and constantly evolving to reflect broader economic trends and address local challenges. Like many urban centers, New Orleans grapples with the complexities of affordability, supply and rising construction costs. However, it is also navigating the effects of post-pandemic economic shifts and national interest rate policies. Amid these challenges, the city is experiencing a transformative moment, implementing strategic policies and investments designed to reshape its housing landscape forever.

A Mixed Market: Affordability and Demand Challenges
New Orleans remains a highly desirable location for its unique culture, rich history and diverse neighborhoods. However, the city faces persistent affordability issues. Rising property values, rental rates and insurance costs have made housing less accessible for many residents, with home prices increasing by approximately 6% annually over the last five years, according to regional market data. Renters — who make up more than half of the city’s residents — are particularly affected, with median rent increases outpacing wage growth.

At the same time, the demand for housing remains steady, driven by New Orleans’ appeal to new residents, investors and businesses. Areas like the Garden District, Uptown and parts of Mid-City continue to see strong buyer interest while emerging neighborhoods like the Seventh Ward and New Orleans East offer opportunities for both residential and mixed-use developments. However, inventory shortages, increased insurance costs and high construction costs have slowed new housing starts, exacerbating supply challenges in a market already constrained by historic preservation guidelines increased insurance costs and unique infrastructure requirements.

A Bright Spot: The Housing Trust Fund and Redevelopment Efforts
Against this backdrop, voters’ overwhelming passage of the Housing Trust Fund represents a beacon of hope for New Orleans, signaling a commitment to addressing the affordability crisis head-on. This fund, designed to create and preserve affordable housing, provides new resources to tackle some of the city’s most pressing housing needs. These funds are set to catalyze redevelopment projects that increase housing options and strengthen the city’s social and economic fabric.

One such example is the Louisiana Avenue Firehouse project, which exemplifies the transformative potential of thoughtful redevelopment. We were thrilled to be part of breaking ground on this project — a transformative development that reflects our commitment to creating affordable, sustainable housing and expanding early childhood education access in New Orleans. This project showcases the incredible impact of thoughtful redevelopment of city-owned properties through the redevelopment framework.

With the passing of the Housing Trust Fund, we have an unprecedented opportunity to preserve and create affordable housing opportunities and bring even more projects like this and others to life — projects that can empower our residents, support economic growth and strengthen our neighborhoods.

Looking Ahead: Building a Resilient, Inclusive Future
The Housing Trust Fund and the Redevelopment Framework pave the way for more projects prioritizing equity, sustainability and resilience. Initiatives like this address not only housing supply but also the interconnected needs of the community, such as education, workforce development and economic revitalization.

As New Orleans continues to navigate its real estate challenges, its efforts to implement innovative solutions offer a path forward. Leaders and citizens aim to create a city where all residents can thrive by prioritizing affordable housing and fostering inclusive development. The real estate market’s trajectory will depend heavily on the success of these programs and the partnerships that drive them.

New Orleans is reshaping its housing landscape. These efforts are not just about creating homes; they are about building a more substantial, more inclusive city where residents can live, work and contribute to a thriving community.

Brenda M. Breaux is the executive director of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, a catalyst for the revitalization of the New Orleans region, partnering in affordable and equitable strategic developments that celebrate the city’s neighborhoods and honor its traditions. She may be reached via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Guest column: Housing Trust Fund vote gives New Orleans a chance to move forward

By Michelle Whetten | Jan 10, 2025

New Orleans is in the midst of a housing crisis, fueled by the effects of the pandemic, skyrocketing insurance rates, higher costs of utilities, a lack of new housing stock and stagnant wages.

More than 40% of households in this city spend more than half their income on rent, and family homelessness has soared 69% in the past two years.

Centuries of history have indelibly shaped our streets and culture — it seeps out of our urban landscape. That also means we have aging homes, which are expensive to maintain or repair to bring up to today’s standards, especially for low- and moderate-income owners and landlords. Housing stability, let alone homeownership, is becoming increasingly out of reach.

On Nov. 5, New Orleanians took a bold step and voted overwhelmingly to establish the first ongoing funding source for the city’s Housing Trust Fund.

This amendment, supported by 75% of voters, directs 2% of the city’s annual budget to create and preserve affordable housing and will be the largest local investment in housing affordability in our city’s history — with no new taxes for residents. This sustained funding is projected to create roughly $17 million per year for this purpose and, when paired with other private and federal funding sources, has the power to generate more than $1 billion to invest in New Orleans neighborhoods over the next 20 years.

But passing the amendment was just the beginning. Now comes the task of turning this commitment into real homes for real people.

To solve a problem as large and complex as the one we face, we need to think big and about making consistent and compounding progress. This money will go toward building new affordable rental apartments, preserving existing ones and creating pathways to affordable homeownership.

Working together is key to making this vision a reality. The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and Finance New Orleans will guide the fund, joined by a city council-appointed advisory committee to help prioritize projects. Affordable housing developers, nonprofits and financial institutions can now rely on a stable public funding source, enabling them to scale up their efforts.

For Leiana Quintero, a lifelong resident of New Orleans and a single mother raising her son, it was often difficult to save for anything after paying for the bare necessities like food and rent each month.

But with help from People’s Housing+ and others, Quintero has returned to her family’s neighborhood in Treme as a homeowner. The commitment to this fund will allow for more families to follow in her footsteps, achieving stability while preserving the unique culture and community of New Orleans.

“Thanks to community partners and organizations like People's Housing+, not only am I reaching my dreams,” Quintero said. “I'm also returning to the very neighborhood where my family has lived for generations. My son now makes the 7th generation to grow up in the Treme neighborhood.”

This is the type of impact we can achieve through committed public-private partnerships — impact that honors our history while making a brighter future possible.

In an era when federal funds often can’t fully address local needs, the public support for this amendment reflects a deep civic alignment to tackle our housing crisis head-on. As the national spotlight on affordable housing grows, this devoted funding can serve as a catalyst, attracting more investment and grants from state and federal governments, nonprofits and other private funders to not only support the rehabilitation of blighted areas, but also preserve affordable homes and ensure residents aren’t displaced.

Capable and dedicated city leaders like Council Member Harris, alongside for-profit and nonprofit partners, have worked tirelessly to address these housing challenges. Now, they can accelerate their essential work and focus on creating and preserving the 47,000 affordable homes New Orleans needs.

New Orleans, let’s keep this momentum going. By working together to make sure these funds are used effectively and strategically, we can turn this vote into real, lasting change. Let’s ensure every resident has a stable, affordable place to call home and that future generations can thrive in the neighborhoods that have shaped their families for decades.

Michelle Whetten is a vice president at Enterprise Community Partners.

Demolition to resume on New Orleans Six Flags site after scrap metal issue. What to know.

By Ben Myers | Staff writer

The stalled demolition of the former Six Flags in New Orleans East appears to be back on track now that developers have gotten city approval for a new contractor to tear down the abandoned amusement park.

Bayou Phoenix still plans to pay the company with scrap metal sales, despite previous objections from public officials. The group may also keep a portion of the proceeds for themselves, according to the most recent contract.

The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, a public agency that owns the 227-acre site, recently objected to Bayou Phoenix’s plans to sell off the scrap, claiming that it retains ownership of about 90 old roller coasters and buildings – though some have already been demolished and sold.

Bayou Phoenix says it is granted title to all structures on site under the lease it signed with NORA in October 2023. It won development rights three years ago in a competitive solicitation, and has laid out plans to build a youth athletic complex, water park, two hotels, a movie studio and a plethora of amenities.

“The Bayou Phoenix position hasn’t changed. It’s our property, it’s our assets,” said Troy Henry, a Bayou Phoenix partner. "We are going to do with it as we see fit."

Asked if NORA officials had agreed to that, Henry said “they don’t have to, the lease is self explanatory.”

Bayou Phoenix will get a 30% to 40% cut of any scrap metal sales that exceed $450,000, according to the contract.

NORA’s executive director, Brenda Breaux, said the two sides had "come to an agreement to reinvest any funds received" into the overall development. She didn't say what that might entail, but said the two parties "are working together to bring this important property back into commerce."

Scott Hedlund, also a partner in Bayou Phoenix, confirmed there had been a verbal agreement but declined to go into specifics.

"It's reinvestment into the project," Hedlund said. "It's an agreement so we can keep the project moving forward."

City officials ordered a halt to the long-awaited demolition last month after learning the prime contractor, Smoot Construction and Consulting, didn’t have a licensing classification for rigging and dismantling. The new contractor, Christian Korver, has that credential, according to the state licensing board. Korver had been working as a subcontractor to Smoot.

Henry said that about 25% of the demolition had been completed before the city’s stop work order last month, and the new contractor indicated Korver had already received $112,000 from scrap metal sales.

The licensing mix up wasn’t the only snag. The state Dept. of Environmental Quality also notified Bayou Phoenix that it was required to complete asbestos inspections. That has been done, and the state has cleared the way for the demolition to continue, Henry said. An inspection report the group shared shows no suspected asbestos on the site.

While Bayou Phoenix worked to straighten out the licensing and inspection issues, Breaux notified the group in a Nov. 21 letter that plans to sell off the scrap metal violated its lease.

Breaux said the lease made NORA the owner of all structures on the site, and that Bayou Phoenix must pay for the demolition at its own expense. She also said the provision transferring title to Bayou Phoenix was temporary, and that the title transfers back to NORA at the end of a 50-year lease term.

Breaux on Monday did not address the underlying question of who owns the scrap.

City Council Vice President JP Morrell also recently urged NORA to take control of the scrap metal and use proceeds for the site's infrastructure. Morrell did not respond Monday to questions about whether the recent deal satisfies those concerns.

The City Council added $5 million to the 2025 city budget for NORA to use on the site, but specific plans for spending that money aren't clear.

NORA and Bayou Phoenix have worked through tense disagreements in the past. The two sides publicly criticized each other during lease negotiations, and Breaux skewered the group’s initial master plan.

Email Ben Myers at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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