New Orleans Stumbles With Homeless Plan

With booming homelessness since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is looking to unconventional approaches to handling the issue. But things aren't quite working out as planned.

1 minute read

January 24, 2008, 8:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg

"Since Katrina, the city's homeless population has doubled, according to groups that work with the homeless. Almost all the city's affordable housing was destroyed."

"So Louisiana came up with a bold plan to house the most desperate and hardest-to-help homeless people like Earl. The state is building thousands of new apartments and houses."

"They're for 'permanent supportive housing.' The idea is to give the most chronically homeless people a permanent place to live."

"Unlike in other programs, these people are not required to get off drugs or alcohol, or to get their mental illness under control before they can move in."

"But there's one problem: Homeless people are not moving in."

"That's because Congress never got around to coming up with the third part of the program."

FULL STORY: Chronically Homeless See New Woes in New Orleans

Wednesday, January 23, 2008 in NPR

Government / Politics Housing Social / Demographics Louisiana

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.