New Orleans Unveils Fresh Model for Housing The Poor

New Orleans Unveils Fresh Model for Housing The Poor.

USA Today (8/4, Jervis, 1.83M) reports, "Following a national trend, New Orleans' traditional model of corralling all subsidized housing into one location is being replaced by newer developments" of mixed housing. New Orleans has around 900 of these units, and over 3,000 more are on order. Similarly designed public housing developments in Chicago, Atlanta, and other cities decrease crime, experts say, "but housing advocates warn that the new plans will steeply drop the number of available public housing units, leaving thousands of low-income families without affordable places to live." New Orleans will offer around 3,500 fewer units of affordable housing under the new model. "Families who don't get into the complexes can apply for a federal voucher and live in market-priced apartments that accept them, says David Gilmore," a contractor hired by HUD to assist the New Orleans Housing Authority, but USA Today notes around 22,000 families are on a waiting list for the vouchers.