Community Data Center Reports on New Orleans’ Housing Needs

Good decisions are based on good data.  That’s why the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s Community Revitalization Program gave a grant to the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center funding its new report, Housing Production Needs: Three Scenarios for New Orleans.

One of the most highly respected community data organizations in the country, the Data Center has been the go-to source for relevant, accurate, unbiased data on New Orleans for 12 years.  The Data Center is referenced 500 times annually by the media and has provided data to the U.S. President, federal, state and local agencies, neighborhood leaders, national think tanks and many others.  The Chronicle of Philanthropy highlighted the Data Center after its challenge to the U.S. Census Bureau’s post-Katrina population statistics released an additional $46 million for the city’s recovery.

“Our mission is to democratize information,” says Denice Warren Ross, the Data Center’s Deputy Director.

The first in a series of annual reports on housing in New Orleans, this report was produced to supply the region with the facts needed to inform an ongoing dialogue among policymakers, housing professionals, and the public about the housing challenges facing the area.

“Because of the Foundation’s work in housing, it is essential that we use up-to-date data to inform decision making both for current development projects and for planning future investment. It is crucial that we explore all aspects of housing demand as we make future decisions,” said Liza Cowan, program officer for the Community Revitalization Program.