NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell said in a release that the City wants to identify and recruit landlords in order to create new housing opportunities for residents in need of safe and affordable homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The City is partnering with HousingNOLA, the Housing Authority of New Orleans, Unity of Greater New Orleans, Depaul USA and other Louisiana state partners on the project.
“My vision from day one has been to coordinate the efforts of Housing Authority of New Orleans, Finance Authority of New Orleans, New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and the City of New Orleans to improve services provided to our citizens,” said Cantrell. “We are engaging landlords and our citizens, and this work is an example of the City being laser focused on affordable housing and meeting the needs of our people.”
Cantrell said these groups are receiving support from a city advisory panel as they develop a long-term post COVID-19 housing strategy. The initiative is designed to encourage and motivate property owners to list vacant units they wish to lease.
Landlords can participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Landlord incentive comes in the form of a $500 signing bonus offered by HANO for units leased to new program participants from its Tenant-Based and Project-Based Voucher waiting lists. Participating landlords will be required to lease their units at fair market rates.
“Right now, more than 1,600 tenants have housing vouchers, but they still don’t have a place to live, despite having over 19,000 vacant properties in the city,” states Andreanecia Morris, HousingNOLA executive director. “We need landlords to see the opportunity here to not only get their units rented at a fair price, but also to do the right thing and help out our community. It’s time to match up the housing insecure with the vacant properties across our city, and the landlords are the glue that will bring it all together.”
Cantrell said the HCVP is beneficial to both landlords and renters because:
- Voucher participants benefit by finding quality affordable housing in the City of New Orleans;
- Landlords benefit by receiving guaranteed monthly Housing Assistance Payments;
- Landlords are not limited in the number of units that can be added under the incentive program;
- And HANO will offer a $500 signing bonus to landlords for units leased to new program participants selected from its Tenant-Based and Project-Based Voucher waiting lists.
All new admission lease-ups must be completed between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1, 2020.
Landlords wanting to sign up for the new program should contact HANO’s Landlord Liaison Wendy Demery Andrews at wdemery@hano.org or call (504) 670-3488 for more information on the Landlord Incentive Program. To find out how to become a landlord and register your property with HANO, visit http://www.hano.org/Landlords.
HousingNOLA is also working with LAHousingSearch.org to help landlords advertise their vacant properties for free. Tenants in search of properties can use the site to find rental properties in their desired area. Landlords can register for LAHousingSearch online at LAHousingSearch.org or by calling (877) 428-8844 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
