In 2018, the Louisiana Legislature passed a new law that raised the penalty for landlords who keep security deposits without good reason. The law increased the amount a tenant can receive if they win their case to three times the amount of the stolen deposit. For example, if a landlord refuses to return $800 of […]

Last month the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down New Orleans’ short-term rental (STR) regulations—specifically the part of our rules that require STR operators to have a homestead exemption and live on the property. This would have opened up the floodgates to more out-of-town STR speculators scooping up homes in our neighborhoods and renting […]

1. Consider Renters Insurance. It’s definitely not in everyone’s budget, but if you are able to afford renters insurance, it’s worth looking into. You can sometimes get surprisingly affordable coverage that will cover you in the event of a hurricane, flood, fire, or theft. Coverage will often help you replace furniture and personal items that […]

Did you know that LaFHAC leads interactive Fair Housing workshops for students in grades K-8, free of charge? If you’re an educator, administrator or parent who would like to bring housing justice to your school during the 2022-23 school year, please reach out to LaFHAC’s Education Coordinator Silas Eames at seames@lafairhousing.org. You can read more about […]

Kennedy LeJeune is an Eviction Defense Staff Attorney with Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center (LaFHAC). He was licensed in September 2020 and is a recent graduate of Southern University Law Center. Prior to attending law school, Kennedy received his Bachelor’s in English Literature from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2016. He currently resides in Baton Rouge […]

Louisiana tenants officially have new protections! Just in time for peak hurricane season, tenant advocates and LaFHAC staff joined Governor Edwards and Rep. Mandie Landry to celebratenew protections going into effect for families who face illegal evictions, especially after storms. Thank you to renters who shared their stories, Rep. Landry and her coauthors, and Governor […]

Attention Louisiana renters: you have new rights and protections starting August 1st. This past legislative session, LaFHAC worked with our partners and supporters to help pass legislation that protects Louisiana renters from illegal evictions, including after hurricanes and other disasters. There are three key protections in this new law: First, renters whose landlords change their […]

LaFHAC’s Southwest Louisiana Eviction Defense Project will be closing at the end of this week and LaFHAC will no longer be offering eviction defense services in the Acadiana region. We will, however, still be providing eviction defense services to tenants in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. LaFHAC would like to thank Amber Mason for all of […]

It’s that time of the year again. Be sure to check out these tips presented by LaFHAC’s Director of Housing Counseling Giazzlyn Duncan to help you get prepared. For captions, click here to watch via Facebook video.

Homeownership is an important defense against gentrification, and is often a way for families to build wealth and equity. Owning the home where you usually live offers a much greater degree of stability than renting. June is National Homeownership Month, and we’d like to highlight that for many families in Louisiana, this stability is out […]