NEW ORLEANS – A new report by HousingLOUISIANA and the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) finds a national shortage of 7.2 million affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income renter households (those with incomes at or below the poverty level or 30% of their area median income, whichever is greater), resulting in just 35 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income renter households nationwide.
The report, “The Gap 2026: A Shortage of Affordable Homes,” also reveals that there are 184,085 extremely low-income households in Louisiana, and just 42 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 of these households in the state. Housing advocates say proposed federal policy changes could affect housing assistance programs nationwide.
HousingLOUISIANA: Shortage Highlighted in New Report
“Ahead of the legislative session, it is important to understand what these numbers mean to the people of Louisiana when it comes to affordable housing,” said Andreanecia Morris, President of HousingLOUISIANA. “The fact that only 42 out of 100 families can find sustainable housing is a recipe for disaster, and a disaster is exactly what we have. It’s a slow-moving disaster that has already cost us thousands of our neighbors, family members and friends. With the session starting next week, this Gap report must help inform the solutions our lawmakers will be working on to close this untenable gap.”
Released annually, The Gap investigates the affordability and availability of rental homes for households of different income levels nationwide and in every state and major metropolitan area. The report finds that the supply of affordable rental housing for extremely low-income households falls far short of demand nationwide and in Louisiana.
As a result, 73% of extremely low-income renters in Louisiana are severely housing cost burdened, spending more than 50% of their income on housing, with little left over for food, healthcare, and other basic necessities.
“Rents are rising faster than families can keep up, while incomes remain far too low to meet the reality of today’s housing market,” said Kentrell Jones, East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity. “Across Louisiana, families are cost-burdened, forced to choose between keeping a roof over their heads and meeting other basic needs. This is not sustainable. We need a comprehensive housing strategy that addresses wages, housing supply, and affordability together. We need a dedicated funding source for our State Housing Trust Fund. Without immediate bold action, the gap between what families earn and what housing costs will only continue to grow. It’s too expensive to live in Louisiana and if we don’t address these issues, we will continue to lose residents to neighboring states.”
“The housing crisis is no longer a silent myth in our state or country,” said Verni Howard, Director of Community Development for the City of Shreveport. “Its depth and breadth extend across every parish, city, and neighborhood; the ALICE (asset limited, income constrained, employed) population bears the brunt of the gaping hole. It is critical that we act now to ensure a housing future for the next generation.”
HousingLOUISIANA: Why the Affordable Housing Market Struggles
The private market, without subsidy, is unable to provide an adequate supply of housing affordable to the lowest-income renters. What extremely low-income renters can afford to pay for rent does not cover the development and operating costs of new housing, and it often is not sufficient to provide an incentive for landlords to maintain older housing.
The result is a systemic shortage of affordable housing for extremely low-income renters impacting nearly every community, including in Louisiana. The HousingLOUISIANA report states that subsidies are often required to produce new affordable housing, preserve existing units, or bridge the gap between what the lowest-income renters can afford and market rents.
“The findings from The Gap show that no state or major metropolitan area has an adequate supply of affordable and available homes for extremely low-income renters,” said NLIHC President and CEO Renee M. Willis. “It is a sad fact that only one in four households who qualify for housing assistance receive it. When renters are housing cost-burdened, they cannot afford to cover other basic necessities such as food, healthcare, transportation, or childcare. Congress has the solutions to increase housing affordability across the country. They must support robust housing assistance programs that can alleviate the housing crisis and ensure the wellbeing of millions of the lowest-income renters.”
