Advocates warn Louisiana set to see mass evictions in the coming months

Housing advocates warn Louisiana is likely to suffer a substantial wave of evictions after enhanced federal assistance for rent and unemployment ends July 31st.

Center for Planning Excellence CEO Camille Manning-Broome says due to Louisiana’s service based economy they estimate 69,000 to 132,000 renter households are at risk once benefits end.

“Having a roof over your head is a basic need and a basic necessity. We cannot allow individuals to fall into homelessness, especially at this magnitude,” says Manning-Broome.

Nationally that number is estimated to be nearly seven million.

Urban Footprint CEO Joe DiStefano says compared to other states Louisiana has the third highest risk of evictions. He says due to the COVID economy Louisianans are set to come up 230-430 million dollars short on rent over the next six months. Orleans, Jefferson, East Baton Rouge, Caddo, Lafayette, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Calcasieu, Ouachita, and Bossier are the parishes listed as most vulnerable.

DiStefano says a wave of evictions at this scale would destabilize communities and drastically strain state services.

“Beyond the most critical impacts, which are those very specifically on families and individuals, it starts to build up into a community, regional, and statewide issue,” says DiStefano.

Urban Footprint and CPEX are calling on the Louisianan Congressional delegation to back the 100 billion dollar Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020 to head off the crisis.