The Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center Publishes New Study on Voucher Acceptance in New Orleans: 2 out of 3 Landlords Deny Housing Choice Vouchers

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Today, the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center (LaFHAC) is proud to release its new report, The Mobility Myth: Housing Choice Voucher Discrimination in Orleans Parish. This investigation, written and researched in partnership with Enterprise Community
Partners, used mystery shoppers posing as renters to contact 100 housing providers in New Orleans and inquire about their willingness, or lack thereof, to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program. In the investigation, the vast majority (68 percent) of landlords either outright denied a voucher or offered no answer to our testers.

A breakdown of housing provider responses to the request to accept a housing choice voucher as rent payment:

● Flat out denial (40%)
● No final answer (28%)
● Imposed additional fees or conditions (20%)
● Accepted vouchers without extra requirements (12%)

LaFHAC also found that individuals are more likely to find housing providers who will accept their voucher in areas of extreme and concentrated poverty. While the refusal to accept a housing choice voucher is not necessarily illegal, discrimination against housing choice voucher recipients can easily serve as a proxy for other, illegal forms of discrimination based on race, family status, and disability.

This investigation documents the extreme odds voucher holders face to locate housing providers in neighborhoods of their choice that will also accept a housing choice voucher as payment. With almost 16,000 vouchers in use across New Orleans and Black families making
up the majority of such voucher holders, these findings demonstrate the far-reaching impacts discrimination has on finding and securing housing in the neighborhood of one’s choosing.

“As we approach the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we should be wary of overstating our success in recovery, especially when it comes to housing. Despite the progress that’s been made, we are a city in distress. While much has been made of the affordability aspect, and rightfully so, this investigation reveals that even when you solve for affordability, equal access is not guaranteed,” commented Ameca Reali, Executive Director of the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center.

“The information gained from this report will contribute to our continued efforts to dismantle discriminatory housing practices across Louisiana, in addition to advocating for the safe, affordable, and healthy housing that everyone deserves. Although the findings are alarming,
may they serve as a catalyst for mobilization and change,” Ms. Reali continued.

The Mobility Myth: Housing Choice Voucher Discrimination in Orleans Parish also lays out policy recommendations for the City of New Orleans and its Public Housing Authority, including:

1. The federal government, the state of Louisiana, and local municipalities should adopt
   legislation that prohibits Source of Income Discrimination.
2. The federal government, the state of Louisiana, and local municipalities should adopt
   legislation that increases the minimum wage to a livable housing wage.
3. HUD should regularly assess and update payment standards to ensure housing
   vouchers stay up-to-date with rising housing costs.
4. HANO and other Public Housing Authorities should develop incentives in order to reduce
   barriers to landlord participation, including outreach to housing providers in
   high-opportunity areas with public transportation, green space, and other amenities.
5. HANO and other area Public Housing Authorities should implement expanded
   opportunities to improve voucher utilization, including mobility support, financial
   assistance, and expanded search times
6. The City of New Orleans should expand the Healthy Homes Program and enforcement
   of Minimum Habitability Standards in order to ensure renters have a healthy and safe
   place to call home.

Read the full report here.

For media inquiries, contact Monique Blossom at 504.410.1476 or
mblossom@lafairhousing.org