The United States has a long history of discriminatory arrests, convictions, and incarcerations, the consequences of which can last long after a sentence is completed.  For formerly incarcerated people (FIP), it is more difficult to obtain employment opportunities, to vote, to receive government assistance, and to find housing opportunities. Numerous state and federal laws have […]

Last week marks 14 years since Hurricane Katrina made landfall and forever changed the Gulf Coast. Since that time, New Orleanians have continued to create opportunities for the city and its legendary sense of community to flourish. However, there are still many residents who are finding themselves being pushed out of their homes and losing […]

Searching for housing when you come back to school – whether in the dorm or off-campus – can be a stressful process, especially if you are someone who has an emotional support animal (ESA) because of a disability. An ESA is an animal that provides emotional support that alleviates symptoms or effects of a disability. […]

New Orleans—Today, the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC) announced the settlement of a federal lawsuit against the owners and property managers of a Covington apartment complex, alleging they refused multiple requests to move a resident who uses a wheelchair to available first floor apartments. As part of the settlement, the defendants will receive […]

Last month, the Louisiana State Legislature approved a pair of bills, SB 79 and SB 80, that are designed to address the city’s affordable housing crisis. The passage of these bills, under the leadership of Senator Troy Carter, is a big win for fair housing.  But because changes to tax policy in Louisiana require a […]

After three years of debate and pressure from advocates, neighbors, and city planners to better regulate short term rentals (STR) in New Orleans, the City Planning Commission (CPC) recently voted to endorse the newest STR study – a hopeful step towards passing an effective set of regulations by the July 25th Council meeting. Per the request […]

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently published a proposal that would prohibit financial assistance to persons other than United States citizens or certain categories of eligible noncitizens in HUD’s public and specified assisted housing programs. The proposed rule changes are intended to prohibit families in which at least one member is undocumented from obtaining subsidized […]

On May 23rd, one week before the start of Pride Month, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced their proposal to roll back the protections granted by the Equal Access Rule, which requires federally-funded shelters to house residents in shelters that match their own gender identity. The proposed changes would let […]

Last week, GNOFHAC’s Executive Director Cashauna Hill submitted a letter to the New Orleans City Council and Mayor documenting coded racism and double standards present in the opposition to a proposed mixed-income development in the Bywater neighborhood at 4100 Royal St. Without a vote from the Council in support of a zoning change on Thursday, […]

Mother’s Day is around the corner. Do you know your housing rights? Under the Fair Housing Act, it’s illegal for a landlord to discriminate against families with children. This type of discrimination has been illegal since 1988, but unfortunately, it still happens every day. According to the National Fair Housing Alliance’s most recent report, there […]