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NEW ORLEANS – On Tuesday, Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued a statement on the City’s work with HousingNOLA, Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO), Unity of Greater New Orleans, Depaul USA, and Louisiana state partners to identify and recruit New Orleans landlords. The goal of the program is to create new housing opportunities for residents in need of safe and affordable homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“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. 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,” said Mayor Cantrell.

These groups are receiving support from Mayor Cantrell’s Housing Working Group of the Reopening New Orleans Advisory Panel in response to developing 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 (HCVP). 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 (PBV) waiting lists. Participating landlords will be required to lease their units at fair market rates.

Participating in the HCVP is beneficial to both landlords and renters:

  • Voucher participants benefit by finding quality affordable housing in the City of New Orleans
  • Landlords benefit by receiving guaranteed monthly Housing Assistance Payments (HAP).
  • Landlords are not limited in the number of units that can be added under the incentive program
  • 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 (deadline) must be completed between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1 of calendar year 2020.

Landlords wanting to sign up for the new Incentive 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.-7 p.m.