A new report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development finds that the median price of rental housing in New Orleans has risen from $662 in 2004 to $882 today.
"The HUD report attributes this rise in price to a loss in 'mid-priced' rental units. According to the Times-Picayune, it was not uncommon for families to pay about $300 a month for an apartment before Katrina, but now, 'That's long gone'. If one doesn't think very hard, it seems bizarre that rents should go up in a still disaster-ravaged city-the report estimates there are 72,500 vacant housing units in New Orleans. But this blight translates into scarcity, and scarcity into demand. According to the report, the number of mid-priced rental units in the city went from 66,300 in 2004 all the way down to 19,300 in 2009-less than one-third its previous level. The rental market, among other things, was decimated by the storm."
The report finds that owner-occupied housing has fared better, as has public housing and subsidized housing in maintaining affordable values.
FULL STORY: New Orleans’ Rental Market: Dismal
Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
US Rents Squeezing Low-Income Tenants
Despite a recent — and slowing — apartment construction boom, renters at the lower end of the income scale are still struggling to find housing.
Good Cause Eviction Policies Don’t Hamper Construction, New Research Shows. Legislators Are Still Concerned.
Multiple states have ongoing pushes for good cause eviction protections. A frequent obstacle: a now disproven claim by developers.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie