Clancy DuBos: Affordable housing in NOLA finally getting the attention it deserves
By Clancy DuBos

While the presidential race is still very much a toss-up, some winners are already certain when the votes are counted in New Orleans on Nov. 5: advocates of affordable housing and persons in need of housing assistance.

The New Orleans City Council is asking voters to approve an amendment to the City Charter that would dedicate 2% of annual general revenues to affordable housing initiatives. That measure appears on the ballot as Proposition 1.

The council is taking no chances, however. It passed an ordinance doing pretty much the same thing last March.

The main difference between the two is permanence, or lack thereof.

If voters approve Prop 1, the 2% dedication would be locked into the charter and could be changed or removed only by another referendum or by unanimous vote of a council quorum during a declared emergency. If voters reject the proposed amendment, the ordinance could be changed by the council at any time by majority vote and mayoral signature.

Neither would create a new tax. Instead, each would require the council to spend a similar amount on housing initiatives.

The charter amendment would put 2% of the city’s existing general revenue funds — about $17 million in 2025 — toward addressing the city's shortage of housing for low- and moderate-income residents. General revenues are those that are not already dedicated to specific needs or agencies and account for 18.7% of the city’s total capital and operating budgets, according to District B Council member Lesli Harris, who authored the proposed amendment.

The backup ordinance, authored by District A Council member Joe Giarrusso, sets a goal of $20 million with the amount to rise with inflation. Unlike the amendment, federal money that the city already receives could conceivably count toward the total.

Both Prop 1 and the ordinance would establish a housing trust fund administered by agencies outside of City Hall — the quasi-public Finance Authority of New Orleans and the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority — but all disbursements would be subject to council oversight.

A seven-person advisory panel, with members appointed by the council, the mayor and housing nonprofits, would advise the two agencies in determining which initiatives to fund. Advocates have suggested programs to support first-time homebuyers, to provide gap financing for affordable housing developers and to subsidize fortified roofs and other weatherization work for homeowners and small landlords.

A second proposed charter amendment also appears on the Nov. 5 ballot. Proposition 2 would add to the charter’s bill of rights a nonbinding expression of the city’s support for worker rights.

“It’s aspirational and does not have the force of law,” says City Council President Helena Moreno, the proposed amendment's author, “but it’s important to state what kind of city we want to be — one that supports equal pay, fair and safe work environments, health care pay and a living wage.”

So far, only Proposition 1 has received significant public attention.

In addition to the unanimous backing of the City Council, a handful of New Orleans developers and housing advocates have provided financial support to the Nola First Political Action Committee. The PAC created the Yes to Nola Housing website and is behind other efforts to support the creation of the NOLA Housing Trust Fund, according to financial filings and interviews.

“We’re setting the stage for real change,” says Andreanecia Morris, executive director of HousingNOLA, an affordable housing advocacy group. “These dollars, which are in addition to federal dollars for housing programs, are flexible — but there are guard rails put in. The council will oversee the administration of the money. It will also allow the city to respond when there is a crisis.”

Housing advocates have pushed officials for years to do more to address the local housing shortage. They say the city needs at least 47,000 new affordable units. 

The nonprofit Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) has issued a report on Prop 1 and opposes it.

“The city can and should make new housing investments as part of its strategy to alleviate the problems,” BGR stated. “While the proposed charter amendment would guarantee consistent new funding for housing, it would also be difficult to alter or undo. It would unnecessarily limit the city’s budget flexibility as it confronts substantial new costs for personnel, infrastructure and other needs.”

BGR instead recommends that the council strengthen the affordable housing ordinance already in place by increasing the annual local appropriation, adopting a long-term financial plan for the housing fund and adding greater transparency and accountability to the fund’s advisory panel.

Whatever New Orleans voters decide, affordable housing is finally getting the attention it deserves.

Clancy DuBos is Gambit's politics editor. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

New Orleans plans to turn a 100-year-old firehouse into affordable housing, childcare center

By Joni Hess | Staff writer

Construction is set to begin on a blighted, century-old firehouse on Louisiana Avenue that will become New Orleans’ first city-owned property to include both affordable housing units and an early childhood education center, city leaders said Wednesday.

As part of a joint initiative between the city and the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, the $8 million project will have seven second-floor housing units above a childhood education center on the first floor.

City officials said at a Wednesday news conference that they hope the renovation will help address blight, an affordable housing crisis and the need for more childcare seats.

The project will be the first under a new Redevelopment Framework between the city and NORA that puts neglected city-owned properties back into use in the form of affordable housing and commercial development.

“It also highlights the power of public-private partnerships in addressing our city’s most pressing needs," NORA Executive Director Brenda Breaux said in a news release.

City leaders said they hope the project serves as a model for investments in other vacant and abandoned properties.

Early education

The childcare center will have a 65-seat capacity and will accept both private pay and publicly funded assistance, while the housing units will be open to families who earn 50%, 60% or 80% of area's median income.

Funding is pooled from a mix of sources with a large chunk coming from state and federal tax credits.

A slice of the money is expected to come from the city-wide early childhood education millage, which along with state matched funds, supports 2,000 children annually from low-income households.

A spokesperson with the millage-funded City Seats program facilitator Agenda for Children said all publicly funded seats — including state-funded programs — are at capacity, which speaks to the “overall need for more child care centers and options in New Orleans.”

Local affordable housing developers People's Housing+ and Alembic Community Development are leading the project, with CDW Services as the general contractor and Kiro Studios as the project architect. 

“We're really excited to bring this important building back into service to the community,” Oji Alexander, CEO of project developer People’s Housing+, said Wednesday.

The building is expected to be operational by the start of the 2026 school year. 

Housing a priority

Council member Lesli Harris, whose district includes the firehouse, and Alexander said the project is an example of one that could be supported through a permanent affordable housing fund that voters will consider on the Nov. 5 ballot.

The Housing Trust Fund would not be a new tax, she said, but rather a reallocation of 2% of the city’s budget to affordable housing programs.

“This is a reinvestment of ourselves into our city to make sure that we're not using New Orleanians; to make sure we're keeping people in city centers so they can get to their homes and jobs easier,” she said.

If passed, the City Council’s proposed housing fund would be cemented into the city charter, where it could only be diverted by a unanimous council vote for an emergency or another public vote.

The measure has drawn support from housing advocates, developers and policy experts, while critics — such as policy research group the Bureau of Governmental Research — say redirecting millions from the city’s budget is too restrictive for other priorities.

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

New Orleans pushing for new retail, including grocery stores, in Lower 9th Ward

By Joni Hess | Staff writer

The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority is launching a study in the Lower 9th Ward that will try to find ways to bring new retail activity to an area still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Funded by a $2 million allocation from the City Council, the study will first explore strategies to support a full-service grocery store in the area for the first time in at least 20 years. Funding will also go to financial assistance programs for new and existing neighborhood businesses and future redevelopment projects.

At the Tate Etienne and Prevost Center on St. Claude Avenue this week, NORA held a public forum where residents discussed wide-ranging neighborhood issues that could affect the success of a grocery store in the future, including affordable housing and a dwindling population.

"We talk about these grocery stores, but we don't have the people here like we used to. They're building townhouses and three-story homes. What about more single family homes?" said Freddie Hicks.

In the nearly two decades since Hurricane Katrina decimated homes and businesses and pushed out thousands of long-time residents, boarded-up buildings and empty lots still cast a shadow over the area.

Designated a "food desert" by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, gas stations and small stores, including the Lower 9th Ward Market and the Fresh Start Market, are among the few grocery options available to residents.

During the public forum, some area residents recalled a neighborhood with grocery stores on every corner, pharmacies, restaurants and multiple Black-owned businesses in the 1980s and 1990s.

Lifelong resident Keisha Hnry, 46, said prior to Katrina, people invested much of their own money into launching new businesses, as she and her family did when they opened the now-shuttered Cafe Dauphine restaurant.

After the storm, new residential zoning codes imposed by the city were a blow to many small business owners. Many operated their businesses on the same property of their homes, but a change to "residential only" in some areas meant they had to close up shop.

“People would have their business on one side and operate on the other. It was easier. Less overhead,” Henry said, adding that getting residents to invest in the community again should be a driving factor in the study.

NORA has partnered with Washington, D.C.-based firm &Access to conduct the study, expected to be complete by early 2025.  

Over the next few months, the firm plans to engage residents, homeowners associations and other stakeholders on grocery store concepts that fit the needs of the community, said Access strategist and founder Bobby Boone.

Boone said they will collect resident grocery receipts to understand shopping patterns, speak with major grocers about their location preferences, and use data collected as the backdrop to attract more commercial development. 

“We want a grocer rooted in community, rooted in the culture while making certain that whatever is put here is viable,” Brenda Breaux, executive director of NORA.

Breaux said the goal of the overarching project, called the St. Claude Revitalization Program, is to grow the Lower 9th Ward without displacing residents — an event witnessed over the last 10 years on the other side of the Industrial Canal.

In the Upper 9th Ward west of the canal, St. Claude Avenue is a bustling strip of bars, eateries, and short-term rentals. A Starbucks and Robert’s Fresh Market sits on the corner at Elysian Fields Avenue, and a food co-op nestled within the New Orleans Healing Center offers organic produce and prepared meals.

But this redevelopment came at a price. As home prices, rent and property taxes rose, much of the majority Black residents could no longer afford to stay, and many crossed over into the Lower 9th Ward. 

"I don't think a community has to do better by pushing the people who are there out," said City Council member Oliver Thomas, who's district includes the Lower 9th Ward. "I think the community can be better by everybody banding together and investing in that community and fighting for the same thing that everybody wants."

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

Louisiana Avenue Firehouse to Become Affordable Housing & Education Center

October 8, 2024  | By 

NEW ORLEANS (Oct. 8, 2024) – The historic Louisiana Avenue Firehouse is set to be transformed into a mixed-use development featuring seven affordable apartments and an early childhood education center. This marks the first project under the new Redevelopment Framework between the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and the City of New Orleans.

NORA, in partnership with developer People’s Housing+ (PH+), is leading this initiative to leverage underutilized City-owned properties for affordable housing and economic growth.

“This project is a prime example of what we aim to accomplish with the new Redevelopment Framework,” said NORA Executive Director Brenda Breaux in a press release. “It highlights the power of public-private partnerships in addressing our city’s most pressing needs.”

The mixed-use project is being developed by PH+ and Alembic Community Development, with Kiro Studio, a woman-owned business, serving as the architectural firm, and Black-owned CDW Services as the contractor. PH+ CEO Oji Alexander emphasizes the importance of addressing affordable housing and early childhood education in New Orleans.

“This will be the first co-location of affordable housing and early childhood education in the city, and we are excited about the replicability of this project,” said Alexander. “Our approach aims to increase the supply of stable, affordable rental housing in a city where over 60% of renters are cost-burdened. The ground-floor early education center will provide up to 65 seats, offering accessible childcare for the residents above.”

Councilwoman Lesli Harris believes this renovation serves as a model for future developments and exemplifies how the proposed housing trust fund, on the ballot Nov. 5, can support similar projects.

“Since taking office, I’ve made it my mission for New Orleans residents to have safe, affordable housing that creates a pipeline to transportation, higher wages, education, and childcare,” Harris said. “The redevelopment of the Louisiana Avenue Firehouse embodies the purpose of the Housing Trust Fund, which could help finance affordable housing projects and assist current homeowners in rehabilitating their homes.”

Biz New Orleans reported in Aug. 2022 that the new apartments, located on the second floor and loft of the firehouse, will be affordable to families at 50%, 60%, or 80% of area median income under a land trust model that would ensure permanent affordability. The early childhood education center located on the ground floor was estimated to provide up to 50 seats for children from the surrounding neighborhoods and would accommodate schedules for shift workers outside of traditional operating hours. The development team said it would work with For Providers By Providers to partner with an operator for the early childhood education center and will apply for funding for construction and operations raised through the Early Childhood Education property tax millage approved by New Orleans voters in April 2022.

The project is located 1.8 miles from the CBD and lis located near a medical center, retail options and a grocery store. It is accessible to Xavier University via the No. 27 and No. 57 RTA bus routes.

BY DESIREE STENNETT | Staff writer / The Advocate

Aaron and Psytia Jordan spent years eyeing the boarded-up building on Lake Forest Boulevard near Read Boulevard in New Orleans East before they finally bought it six years ago.

The Jordans' print shop, Universal Printing, had outgrown its space in the strip mall next door. Instead of paying the escalating rent for a larger unit in the mall, they bought and renovated the eyesore from the owner, bringing back a building that had been blighted since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the area in 2005.

"We did it because we care about the East," said Aaron Jordan, who added that the couple's 13-year-old print shop replaced services lost when Office Depot left the community after the storm. "We thought, 'Hey, that's a blighted piece of property. This will add to beautifying the area, and we provide a service to the community.’"

The Jordans are part of a growing contingent of Black residents, in New Orleans and across the nation, who are "buying back the block," or becoming property owners and revitalizing communities where they live and work. City policy experts tout such investing as key in the revival of predominately Black neighborhoods, which often struggle with devaluation, speculative investing and other barriers to economic growth.

While Black neighborhoods need big, catalytic redevelopment projects, "for every one of those, there are ten smaller projects that could be shovel-ready with much less difficulty — projects with development budgets of $100,000 to $2 million," wrote Lyneir Richardson and Tracy Allen Roh of the Brookings Institution, a think tank that focuses in part on city policy, in a July report.

In other gentrifying areas, buy the block efforts can ensure long-time residents have a say in neighborhood development, the authors said.

The Jordans want to see national investors return to the East, an area that has long struggled to attract big-box retail. But while they wait, they are taking the first steps to reimagine the once-vibrant area.

"You got to tell yourself you can do it. And you've got to take the chance,” Aaron Jordan said. “It's a risk involved. We put our money on the line."

A national movement

The Buy Back the Block movement has been popularized in recent years by rap artists such as Nipsey Hussle, Rick Ross and Jay-Z, who have urged Black residents in various lyrics to move from renting in their communities to owning residential and commercial property.

In majority-Black areas in Rochester, New York, Chicago and Baltimore, either local private investors have answered that call buy ponying up cash independently, or local governments have created incentive programs aimed at encouraging such investing. 

Though city officials didn’t respond this week to questions about similar local programs, at least three aim to make it easier for long-time residents to own property in their neighborhood.

They are the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority’s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, which aimed to create more homeowners in the city’s Lower 9th Ward; the Lot Next Door, another program from that agency that lets people buy adjacent government-owned property at fair market value; and the city’s Mow To Own program, which gives residents the chance to buy nearby city-owned property after maintaining it for at least a year, for below its fair market value.

At the Mow to Own program’s launch in 2021, Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who worked to pass the local law to create it as a council member, called it “another tool to fight blight, and build transferable wealth for residents in their neighborhood.”

The city has also offered direct assistance to first-time homebuyers with lower incomes through various programs.

Combating misconceptions

Even with motivated local investors and government aid, it can be difficult to build momentum for development in Black neighborhoods forced to fight against misconceptions about crime and limited business viability, and that also struggle with low property values.

To combat some of those problems, the Jordans in 2022 launched the Greater New Orleans East Business Alliance. About 30 other small business owners have already joined. Together, they try to court major retailers and restaurant chains and work to raise the profiles of the small mom-and-pop businesses serving the East.

Aided by a federal tax break, the Jordans say taking a risk on the neighborhood they love is paying off. Years after their first renovation of the building Universal Printing calls home, the Jordans bought a portion of an empty row of offices nearby. They have renovated three of the units so far, bringing in as tenants a workers' union and a law practice, and opening an event venue.

As business at their print shop keeps growing, they are also making plans to move a portion of the operation into the new space.

'Investing in a legacy'

DJ Johnson opened Baldwin and Co. Bookstore and coffee shop on Elysian Fields Avenue in the Marigny near his childhood neighborhood in 2021. He also bought the former Gene’s PoBoys building next door at corner of Elysian Fields and St. Claude avenues, renting it to Credit Human, a credit union opened in what was once a banking desert.

The book store and the credit union are part of Johnson's vision to increase literacy and access to financial institutions for Black and other residents, giving them a fighting chance to escape poverty. He said he hopes his success inspires others to be part of the growth of their own blocks.

Johnson said he hopes to continue to invest in his neighborhood while also looking to open Baldwin and Co. locations in Black neighborhoods in other cities. When longtime residents invest, he said, that is the key to development without displacement.

"We have to reclaim ownership in communities that have long been ours," he said. "It's a stand against the erasure of our culture and history. For me, I'm not just buying real estate. ... I'm investing in a legacy and the idea that this block can be a beacon of Black excellence and resilience."

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

More Articles ...