NEW ORLEANS – Monday, November 4, 2019 –The Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance (GNOHA) is urging voters to VOTE NO on these November 16th Parishwide Propositions because they do not #PutHousingFirst:
(X) Parishwide Proposition – $500M Bond
While this is disguised as “pro-affordable housing,” only 5% of the half-a-billion dollars generated will go towards affordable housing. More of this money will go to the airport and jail expansion. And what’s worse – it will take 4 years to get our small share, all the while, cost-burdened homeowners and renters will be paying more! The fact is, citizens least able to pay more will be the ones paying more. Last year we saw 1800 first time homeless people – just think how many more will be homeless in the four years it will take to get this money to affordable housing!
(X) Parishwide Proposition – 3 mills
This is a tax increase. If we can’t afford to pay what we’re already paying, how can we afford to pay more? Plain and simple: NO NEW TAXES! The Mayor is refusing to roll back the tax rate in the face of dramatic property tax increases and is still asking the already cost-burdened citizens pay more. This proposition creates more hardship for homeowners and renters.
(X) Parishwide Proposition (Short Term Rentals Occupancy Tax) 6.75%
This proposition absolutely goes AGAINST affordable housing. Taking tax revenue from Short Term Rentals and giving it to anything other than affordable housing is -plain and simple: a terrible decision. We need to get our priorities in order! The so-called “fair share plan” is anything but to affordable housing. The original plan was to take tax revenue away from tourism and give to infrastructure. But now they are making tourism whole with this proposition, while affordable housing gets nothing!
The above measures will not adequately help New Orleans create affordable housing opportunities or create sustainable living models. Just VOTE NO to the Parishwide Propositions on the November 16th ballot.
#PUTHOUSINGFIRST CANDIDATE SCORECARD
While GNOHA does not officially endorse any candidates, the #PutHousingFirst Scorecard provides clear distinctions in almost every race as to who does care about affordable housing. We encourage voters to consider the scorecard as they go to the polls for early voting through November 9th, and on Election Day, Saturday, November 16th.
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Put Housing First 