Since Hurricane Katrina, new housing development has led New Orleans to become the 5th-most rapidly gentrified city in the United States. As gentrification steadily increases more families are being driven from their homes and neighborhoods. Recent studies show fifty-one census tracts—including areas in the 7th Ward, Holy Cross, Mid-City, and others—are probable targets for further development. This trend is displacing long-time residents, and in many cases relocating them into less desirable housing that’s further removed from essential services such as transportation, grocery stores, school, and other everyday necessities.
Linked to affordable housing is the needed support for dependable city transit. Complaints directed to the Regional Transit Authority continue to center upon the issue of the system not reaching the people who need it most, or connecting them to where they want to go. Employment, educational opportunities, and economic growth in urban centers such as New Orleans demand regular, reliable, and environmentally sustainable transportation for all citizens.
Is your neighborhood in the crossfire for gentrification? Are you still waiting for transit problems to be resolved in your neighborhood? If so, join us as we advocate for candidates who believe all citizens should have equal access to safe, clean, and affordable housing, and who will promise to work on a solution that is fair to everyone.
