Andreanecia M. Morris, Executive Director, HousingNOLA

Interview with Blake Haney

Key Points

What is HousingNOLA’s role in the community, and what are your main objectives?

That’s a big question, because HousingNOLA is part of a network of three organizations I lead, all working toward the same goal: to guarantee safe, affordable housing for everyone in New Orleans.

HousingNOLA launched a little over 10 years ago as a 10-year strategic plan tied to the second half of the Katrina recovery timeline. The idea was to put real policy, investment, and community engagement behind the promise of rebuilding—not just the physical city, but its housing system.

Unfortunately, despite billions of dollars flowing into New Orleans post-Katrina—about $50 billion into residential real estate alone—we ended up with an even worse affordable housing crisis than we had before the storm. We rebuilt homes, but we didn’t rebuild equity. The city experienced gentrification on steroids, while politicians and developers pretended the market would magically fix itself.

So HousingNOLA stepped in to reframe the conversation around affordable housing. It’s not just a government program. It’s a basic need, and it should be accessible to everyone. Affordability isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s defined by a simple, quantifiable metric: housing costs shouldn’t exceed 30% of your gross income. Whether you rent or own, that includes utilities, insurance, and taxes.

To reach this goal, we built a 10-year framework of policy levers, investments, and regulatory reforms. It required both political will and community engagement. The community showed up. The politicians… not so much.

That’s where the second organization comes in: the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance (GNOHA). Founded in 2007, GNOHA helps support housing professionals—nonprofit and for-profit—and acts as a guardrail against exploitative practices in the housing industry. It’s a 501(c)(4), which means it can lobby and engage in electoral work. GNOHA powers the advocacy arm of what we call the Put Housing First Triad—the three organizations working together to push policy, reform systems, and organize communities.

If elected officials are running on platforms that harm the unhoused or ignore renters, we help educate the public, organize resistance, and push better candidates forward. We don’t let ignorance masquerade as policy. If politicians are hostile to housing equity, it's not because they don't know better—it’s because they choose not to care.

The third organization is HousingLOUISIANA, which works to scale our advocacy statewide. Why? Because the issues we face in New Orleans aren’t unique. River Parishes, the Northshore, Lafayette, Lake Charles—they’re all grappling with the same problems: disinvestment, outdated zoning, housing shortages, and rising insurance costs.

We also issue an annual HousingNOLA Report Card that tracks the city’s progress—or lack thereof. And let me be honest: we've been failing that report card for the past few years. But instead of giving up, we pivoted. We created a new plan: Housing For All, which builds on our existing framework with updated investment strategies, policy recommendations, and regulatory reform.

One major win? In 2023, New Orleans voters overwhelmingly supported the creation of a Housing Trust Fund, dedicating 2% of city revenue in perpetuity to affordable housing. That funding kicks in by 2026. That victory came from the community showing up—and we plan to keep that momentum going.

But leadership continues to be the problem. The City Council, Mayor’s Office, local housing agencies—they’ve largely failed to meet the moment. Whether it’s shortsighted zoning, poorly regulated utilities, or performative fights over short-term rentals, they’ve prioritized distractions over housing solutions.

Take the Future Land Use Map fight. The Council caved to misinformation and fearmongering, downzoning areas like New Orleans East and Algiers—banning multi-family housing in communities that need density to survive. That decision wasn’t rooted in data, equity, or progress. It was rooted in political cowardice. And it reversed years of planning, community engagement, and forward-thinking policy.

We’ve also seen elected officials undermine their own promises, fail to regulate utilities, and waste time bickering instead of building. A great example? The months-long drama over the Pontalba Apartments. While entertaining for the press, it didn’t put a single person into stable housing. And that’s the problem.

Still, despite the dysfunction, we have a plan. We have solutions. And we have community power. There are things neighbors, landlords, voters, and even struggling families can do—whether that’s advocating for better policies, supporting the housing trust fund, or pushing local authorities to spend public money responsibly.

And for those who still think housing affordability is too complex or unachievable—remember this: affordable housing is a metric, not a mystery. It’s simple math. We have the data. We have the need. What we’re missing is political courage.

The good news? That can change. The people of New Orleans have shown up. Now it’s time to make sure the people in power do, too.

One of the most frustrating things for voters—and for organizations like yours—is putting forward well-researched, proven solutions, only to have them ignored or dismissed by elected officials. Even when examples from cities like Harlem or Oakland show these strategies can work to expand affordable housing, local leaders often say, “That’s not possible here.” How do you respond to that?

That’s one of our biggest challenges—what I’d call a civic self-esteem issue. It’s something that got amplified after Katrina. And I say this without false modesty: I travel the country, I speak nationally, and I get asked all the time, “Who’s doing this well? Who can we learn from?” The answer? Nobody is further along than New Orleans.

We’re not behind—we’re ahead. No one else has “figured it out.” In fact, New Orleans is uniquely positioned to lead because of what we’ve been through. Katrina gave us a reset and a rare opportunity to rebuild intentionally. And more than that, it changed our people.

The trauma of Katrina gave New Orleanians a deeper understanding of housing insecurity. People here know what it means to lose everything—not because of bad decisions, but because systems failed them. That means we’re not as susceptible to the toxic narrative that homelessness is a personal failure. We’ve lived through a collective crisis, and it has built empathy and resilience in our communities.

Other cities—places like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin—they’re “progressive,” but they’re failing badly when it comes to homelessness. Why? Because they haven’t dealt with housing at the root. They haven't had that same reckoning with how fragile housing stability really is. And so the fear of homelessness becomes resentment—turned outward toward the unhoused.

In New Orleans, we know better. People came back here after the storm because they believed it had to be better. They fought their way back through wave after wave of inequity. And yet—despite all of that strength and clarity—we keep electing people who lack the will to fight with us. Leaders who refuse to be held accountable at even the most basic level.

We don’t need to copy Harlem or Oakland. We can be the model. We have the experience, the urgency, the people, and yes—the solutions. What we need now is for our leadership to catch up.

If you could set “blue sky” goals for the next administration, what would they be?

Our goals are ruthlessly pragmatic. If you look at our materials, we’ve laid out a $31 billion investment strategy that would guarantee housing for every single New Orleanian. It’s not a fantasy. If we align resources, enact the right policies, and regulate intelligently, we can get there.

But let’s be real: That only works if we stop playing pretend about “bootstraps” and “personal responsibility” being the answer. People love to talk about how some families are "sitting on" subsidy programs. But no one asks: What have we actually done to clear a path for those families to succeed? Do they have access to landlords who accept vouchers? Are we investing in people so they can thrive?

Right now, we have folks with housing vouchers in hand who can’t find a landlord to take them—because of stigma, misinformation, and policy failure. Some politicians reinforce those stereotypes, then act surprised when the system doesn’t work. That’s not leadership. That’s cowardice.

My vision is this: clear the road so people can actually use the opportunities we claim to offer. If someone needs a caseworker, access to family, or proximity to work—then that’s what they need. Housing success is not about moral judgment; it’s about systems that function.

That’s where my pragmatism kicks in. If a housing solution isn’t working for someone, we don’t toss them aside. We ask: “What will work?” And we make sure they have choices—real, functional, dignified choices. That’s what a healthy community does. It holds people accountable after giving them something to be accountable to.

And this isn't about feelings. It’s about measurable outcomes:

• Is the building safe?
• Is the roof sealed?
• Are the lights on?
• Is the home energy-efficient and climate-suitable?
• Can the person inside afford to live there without being crushed by insurance or utility bills?

Those are quantifiable metrics, not “vibes.” But we’ve layered this basic human need—housing—with cultural baggage about poverty, race, gender, and more. Two-by-fours don’t care if you’re gay, undocumented, or Black. They care about science and engineering. That’s what building is. That’s what we should focus on.

And New Orleans is further ahead than most cities because we’ve felt the fragility of housing firsthand. Our residents know that homelessness isn’t a personal failure—it’s a systems failure. We’ve lived through disaster, displacement, and trauma. So we’re ready for solutions. We just need leaders who are equally ready—ready to invest, ready to regulate, ready to get out of the way when necessary, and most of all, ready to be held accountable.

With a new administration coming in, how can the public take the reports and metrics you’ve created and turn them into real pressure and action? Beyond just showing up to City Council meetings, what else can people do?

There are many ways people can get involved—and we’ve already built the infrastructure to support them.

First, we host monthly volunteer leadership board meetings that are open to everyone. These meetings summarize the latest policy updates, actions, and opportunities to engage. If someone can’t attend regularly, that’s fine—they can still sign up to receive updates and calls to action. We’ll keep them in the loop on what matters most and when to act.

We also offer working groups focused on specific issues—homeownership, rental housing, zoning, permitting, Section 8, small landlords, and more. These groups are made up of everyday residents, not just professionals. You don’t have to be a housing expert to participate—you just have to care.

Beyond New Orleans, we run an insurance task force that operates statewide, tackling both homeownership and rental issues tied to flood and property insurance. All of this is interconnected, and we help people navigate it.

Every week, we send emails about what meetings are happening, what’s on the agenda, and what actions you can take—from showing up in person to simply sending an email or making a call to your councilmember, state legislator, or public service commissioner. And ahead of elections, we text updates—not for donations—but to inform people about what’s on the ballot and why it matters.

But awareness isn’t enough. People also need to recognize when they’re being manipulated by misinformation.

A recent example: the Future Land Use Map changes. Some councilmembers used fear tactics to downzone parts of New Orleans East and Algiers, restricting development to single-family homes only. That’s a massive step backward—especially in neighborhoods that need density and affordability. They claimed they were “listening to the community,” but what they really did was exploit confusion and sow division. And sadly, some longtime community partners—people we’ve worked with for years—fell for it.

When that happened, we heard from people afterward saying, “That can’t be true, they wouldn’t ban doubles in the East.” But they did. Councilmember Morrell deflected with talk about the Plaza Mall, and many missed the real stakes. Councilmembers who knew better—like Oliver Thomas and Lesli Harris—either stayed silent or failed to take the right stand. That’s not leadership.

Community needs to stay informed, stay engaged, and hold elected officials accountable. That means not just showing up—but knowing what you're showing up for. And when you get it wrong, own it, regroup, and keep moving.

We’ve created the tools, the research, the structure—and the space—for the public to plug in at whatever level they can. It’s all there. But it only works if people use it. The good news? Many are. And we’ll keep showing up, because the stakes are too high not to.

On this page

• Andreanecia M. Morris, Executive Director, HousingNOLA
• Key Points
• What is HousingNOLA’s role in the community, and what are your main objectives?
• One of the most frustrating things for voters—and for organizations like yours—is putting forward well-researched, proven solutions, only to have them ignored or dismissed by elected officials. Even when examples from cities like Harlem or Oakland show these strategies can work to expand affordable housing, local leaders often say, “That’s not possible here.” How do you respond to that?
• If you could set “blue sky” goals for the next administration, what would they be?
• With a new administration coming in, how can the public take the reports and metrics you’ve created and turn them into real pressure and action? Beyond just showing up to City Council meetings, what else can people do?