Resources
Helpful links on housing statistics from the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center (GNOCDC), an information center supporting nonprofit planning in a rapidly changing post-catastrophe environment:
Beyond Disaster Recovery: Building a Prosperous New Orleans
In this ten minute briefing based on The New Orleans Index, Dr. Allison Plyer of the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center explains population, housing, economic and infrastructure recovery in the New Orleans metro four years after Katrina. Plyer also covers how New Orleans is faring in the national recession, neighborhood recovery indicators, and local, state and federal policy recommendations.
Data Brief Summary
One of the most talked about problems in the New Orleans area post-Katrina has been the increase in housing costs. This report provides the first picture of the increase in all housing costs relative to income changes from 2004 to 2007. This analysis is critical for a better understanding of housing affordability challenges in the New Orleans metropolitan area within the national context.
Percent Recovery by Neighborhood
This report with a detailed map reveals that 16 out of 50 neighborhoods that flooded have less than half of the households they had in 2005.
Greater New Orleans Community Data Center
Four years after Katrina, population shifts in New Orleans neighborhoods are being driven by large-scale redevelopment projects as well as by disaster recovery.
Helpful links to the impact of the 2005 hurricanes and the progress of recovery:
The New Orleans Index, August 2009
The New Orleans Index gives us a fact-based overview of the progress made and the challenges that lay ahead in 17 pages of compelling analysis, easy-to-understand graphs and informative maps.
Orleans Parish Housing Statistics(MS Word)
From a variety of sources, these stats reveal the damages to New Orleans housing stock caused by the hurricanes of 2005.
Helpful links on the evaluation of the State of Louisiana housing recovery programs from Policy Link, a national research institute dedicated to advancing economic and social equity:
A Long Way Home: The State of Housing Recovery in Louisiana 2008
Over the last three and a half years, PolicyLink has served as housing policy advisor to a number of different governmental and philanthropic entities, and this report is a comprehensive evaluation of housing recovery programs for Louisiana and the region.
Affordable Housing 101
People mean many things when they say “affordable housing.” Affordable to whom? Affordable for how long? Learn the many different answers to those questions.
PolicyLink
A comprehensive list of PolicyLink reports, papers and expert testimonies addressing the recovery process of the Gulf Coast region.
Helpful links from the New Orleans Housing Institute, a series of seminars supported by the Urban Institute and the Greater New Orleans Foundation on housing strategies that work:
Restoring Vibrant Communities
Anne Kubisch of The Aspen Institute presented an interactive discussion entitled “Restoring Vibrant Communities.” She presented lessons learned from comprehensive community change initiatives that can help inform rebuilding of neighborhoods in New Orleans.
Connecting Housing to Jobs and Services
Radhika Fox, Associate Director at PolicyLink described state-of-the-art strategies for linking affordable housing with workable transportation options including transit-oriented development and walkable neighborhoods that are close to jobs, shopping, and essential services. She will discuss what we know and what’s working in other communities to cut commute times, reduce traffic congestion, and make cities more livable.
Reducing Homelessness
Mary Cunningham, formerly the Director of Policy Research at the National Alliance to End Homelessness and now an Urban Institute researcher will showcase promising solutions to the problem of homelessness. She will describe both local models and rigorous research on prevention strategies, the “housing first” approach, and permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals and families.
Promoting Affordable Homeownership
Jeff Lubell, Director of the Center for Housing Policy summarized lessons from research and local practice to frame a discussion about what it takes to expand opportunities for secure homeownership. Topics included helping moderate-income families overcome barriers to home purchase, sustaining homeownership, subsidies to enable low-income families to become homeowners.
Attracting a Vibrant Mix of Urban Residents
Alan Berube, Director of Research for the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, discussed the changing mix of people who live in cities, what these trends imply for housing policy, and possible strategies cities can employ to attract a diverse and healthy mix of residents. Discussion explored opportunities and challenges posed by the aging of the baby boom generation, immigration and the increasing diversity of the US population, claims that the “creative class” can fuel a city’s prosperity, questions about whether cities can and should attract more families with children, and concerns about the welfare of low-income residents in a rapidly changing city.
