What We Want From Our Elected Leaders
Our elected leadership must ignore the corporate lobby and support community solutions. New Orleans voters are demanding that our new elected leaders will:
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Preserve existing and expand the total supply of affordable rental and homeownership opportunities throughout the City of New Orleans.
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Prevent future displacement through development activities and continued study and policy review.
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Enforce and promote fair housing policies throughout New Orleans.
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Encourage sustainable design & infrastructure for all New Orleanians.
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Increase accessibility for all walks of life, including special needs residents.
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Promote transparency and utilize community input in decision-making.
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Improve quality of life in New Orleans neighborhoods.
The #PutHousingFirst Candidate Scorecard Evaluates Candidates
Based on Commitment to Affordable Housing
Our finalized grades are calculated based on the responses we received from our questionnaires as well as an interview score given to each candidate. Final grades are not an endorsement. Rather, our scorecard is meant to inform voters of where candidates stand on affordable housing issues. Candidates who submitted completed questionnaires but did not participate in an interview could not surpass a maximum of a 71% C based on their questionnaire responses. Candidates who failed to respond or complete their questionnaires received a 0% F. Incumbents who completed their questionnaires and interviews were also held to a review of how their time in office either promoted or hindered the preservation and production of affordable housing in Orleans Parish.
Vote 'NO' on PROPOSITION1
Vote NO on Proposition 1: It's the Anti-Affordable-Housing Trust Fund
Stop politicians from dismantling the Affordable Housing Trust Fund
The Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance is cautioning voters not to be fooled by proposition 1 on the November 15 ballot. Leaders are trying to change an important ordinance that voters overwhelmingly approved last year to create dedicated revenue in perpetuity for affordable housing.
Proposition 1 was put forward at the last minute to change the “dedicated revenues” to funding based on Bond Sales which conflict directly with the requirements approved by voters for the following reasons:
Prop 1 Creates Inherent Uncertainty: Bond sales depend on market conditions, issuance costs, debt capacity, and timing. They do not guarantee a reliable or recurring source of funds. This conflicts with the HTF’s design as a stable, predictable fund through annual appropriations.
Prop 1 Delays the Deployment of Much Needed Affordable Housing Funding: The bond issuance process adds bureaucracy that often leads to slower fund availability. The HTF’s purpose is to enable timely investment in affordable housing — delays reduce impact.
Prop 1 Creates Insufficient Funding Capacity: The annual budget model yields a defined minimum of 2% of the city’s operating budget. Even at its maximum proposal, the bond would cover less than 15 percent of the HTF’s expected annual expenses.
Prop 1 Undermines Ordinance Intent and Accountability: Using bonds shifts the funding mechanism away from the annual budget process with City Council oversight. This weakens transparency and accountability built into the ordinance.
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#PutHousingFirst Evaluates Candidates Based on Commitment to Affordable Housing
While the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance does not officially endorse any political candidates, GNOHA releases the #PutHousingFirst Candidate Scorecard as an indicator of a candidate’s concern, or lack thereof, regarding affordable housing. We encourage voters to consider the #PutHousingFirst scorecard as they participate in early voting and go to the polls on Election Day.
See how the candidates scored for the Fall 2025 Election
How It Started
In 2017, the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance (GNOHA) developed the first #PutHousingFirst Platform outlining the needs for New Orleans residents along with public policy recommendations to meet those needs. #PutHousingFirst released their first Candidate Scorecards that same year for both the municipal election and general election in New Orleans and has continued to provide comprehensive scorecards to inform the public.