Louisiana

NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]. 

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:

No information at this time.

New Orleans Public Radio reports that as eviction rates rise in New Orleans, renters facing eviction can now access free legal representation. The city is seeing eviction filing rates on par with 2019 – around 470 per month so far this year. New Orleans joins several other cities that have enacted right-to-counsel programs during the pandemic, including Baltimore, Louisville, and Seattle, according to NLIHC’s report on tenant protections.

Updated on June 14, 2022

Acadiana Legal Service Corporation in Lafayette will receive $1 million as part of the second round of funding for HUD’s Eviction Protection Grant Program.

Updated on May 16, 2022

The Department of the Treasury approved a direct allocation of $25 million in reallocated federal ERA funds for New Orleans. The additional funds are from other parishes that did not meet the federal expenditure deadline. City officials expect to receive the funds within a month and plan to begin distributing rent and utility payments almost immediately.

Updated on January 31, 2022

The Advocate reports at least six homeless encampments across east Baton Rouge have been cleared in recent months. The Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless One Stop Services Center has seen a spike in its numbers in the last several months. Advocates attribute the increase in homelessness to the expiration of COVID-related eviction protections, Hurricane Ida’s aftermath, and the lack of affordable housing in the region.

Updated on December 20, 2021

Renters in the Gulf South are facing a slow but steady rise in evictions after the federal eviction moratorium ended in late August. In New Orleans, for example, 125 evictions were filed in the first full week of October, the highest number in almost a year. Landlords have made it difficult for renters to access assistance by refusing to participate in state-run programs.

Updated on November 15, 2021

Eviction filings in the New Orleans area have increased, but federal emergency rental assistance (ERA) has blunted advocates’ worst fears of a surge. Evictions are occurring at a much higher rate in Metairie, where ERA has moved much slower. Louisiana reallocated $23 million in federal rental relief to New Orleans in recognition of how fast the city is distributing funds compared to other jurisdictions. The funds are not coming fast enough for some renters, however, who have been evicted while awaiting approval.

Updated on November 03, 2021

The City of Lake Charles established a rental assistance program through Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana using Community Development Block Grant – CARES (CDBG-CV) funds. The program provides up to $650 in a 12-month period. Renters can also apply to the Calcasieu Parish Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

There has been a surge of New Orleans tenants seeking emergency rental assistance, particularly as the statewide eviction moratorium expired on September 24. At least 1,600 tenants have applied for the New Orleans Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

Updated on October 5, 2021

Although Governor John Bel Edwards extended Louisiana’s eviction moratorium until September 24, housing advocates are concerned that many New Orleans residents face precarious housing situations, particularly in the wake of Hurricane Ida’s destruction. An estimated 174,000 Louisiana households are at risk of eviction when the extended moratorium ends. 

Updated on September 21, 2021

More than 60,000 households in Louisiana have applied for emergency rental assistance (ERA) this year. So far, less than 11,000 households have been approved. Housing advocates like Andreanecia Morris, executive director of HousingNOLA, are urging tenants and landlords to communicate with each other and pleading with landlords to not evict their tenants. 
Updated on August 30, 2021

Governor John Bel Edwards praised the Biden administration’s extension of the federal eviction moratorium through July and is encouraging struggling renters, homeowners, and landlords to apply for state housing assistance. About 50,000 renters and landlords have already applied for assistance through Louisiana’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program and similar programs administered by parishes across the state. More than $10.7 million has been awarded to renters and landlords through the state-administered emergency rental assistance program.

More than 100,000 Louisiana families may be at risk of eviction when the federal eviction moratorium ends. According to Cashauna Hill, executive director of the Louisiana Fair Housing Center, in the seven-week period between mid-June 2020 when the state eviction moratorium ended and August 2020 when the federal eviction moratorium began, Louisiana saw a sharp increase in the number of COVID cases and deaths.
Updated on July 15, 2021

The Louisiana Housing Corporation and Louisiana’s Office of Community Development will co-host a series of virtual information sessions to provide landlords and renters with information about Louisiana’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The next session is Tuesday, April 6, at 9:00 am. Information regarding how to join a virtual session can be found at www.LAStateRent.com.

The Lens reports that despite the Biden administration’s decision to fully cover the costs of non-congregate sheltering, New Orleans has not moved to restart its hotel housing program. When asked why, officials provide different explanations. “I personally spoke to hotel owners and operators who wanted to participate in this program to expand the number of rooms,” said Andreanecia Morris, executive director of HousingNOLA. “This is not a resource issue, this is not a money issue. It’s a will issue.” Unsheltered individuals are at extremely high risk for severe illness and death from coronavirus. “If you look at what the cost of inaction is, there really isn’t a good reason for why states and cities aren’t using this more broadly,” said NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian.

Updated on March 31, 2021

Nearly 600 households experiencing homelessness were temporarily housed in hotels and motels during the recent severe winter weather. According to the director of the Acadiana Regional Coalition on Homelessness and Housing, Louisiana has put many people experiencing homelessness in hotels and motels during the pandemic. 

Jefferson Parish on March 1 announced a new Emergency Rental Assistance Program that is now accepting applications. New Orleans’ rental assistance program is available here. 

Updated on March 08, 2021

While evictions have decreased in New Orleans under the federal eviction moratorium, tenants continue to be evicted in Metairie. One of eight justices of the peace in Jefferson Parish is taking a far stricter approach to evictions than his counterparts in New Orleans, resulting in fewer trial delays and more evictions.

Updated on March 01, 2021

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced an expansion of the city’s rental assistance program. New Orleans received a direct initial allocation of $11.6 million from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the city is expecting an additional $14 million from the state of Louisiana for rental assistance. The program will go live on February 15 and will begin taking applications through its NOLA Ready website in person or over the phone.

Updated on February 17, 2021

KSLA discusses concerns about what will happen to renters when the CDC eviction moratorium is lifted on January 31. Verni Howard, executive director for Providence House in Shreveport, reports that the pandemic is causing a boom in homelessness.

Updated on January 15, 2021

Louisiana landlords filed a federal lawsuit seeking to over the CDC eviction moratorium on November 12. Chambless Enterprises LLC and the Apartment Association of Louisiana filed their petition against the CDC and other federal officials in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.

Updated on December 9, 2020

Advocates report the number of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness in New Orleans has exploded over the last several months, including a growing number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time. 

Updated on September 10, 2020.

The Wall Street Journal reports that local advocates and officials in New Orleans are bracing for a sharp rise in evictions since the state’s ban on eviction expired in June and the grace period for the federal eviction moratorium expired August 24. Given the limited public resources and overwhelming need for assistance, Mayor LaToya Cantrell is asking the public to donate funds for tenants who cannot pay their rent.

Fifteen years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the city is bracing for a tsunami of evictions caused by the pandemic. New Orleans renters face a dangerous combination of low incomes, expensive housing costs, weak tenant rights, and a housing supply that is crumbling. Making matters worse, Hurricane Laura threatened to flood the city again.

Updated on September 2, 2020.

First City Court Clerk Austin Badon is bracing for a surge of eviction filings in New Orleans starting August 25, when the 30-day notice ends since the CARES Act expired. “I’ve had one resident agent who already put us on notice that he’s bringing 250 evictions, so I’m going to extend hours,” said Badon.

Updated on August 25, 2020.

Hundreds of protesters demanding a halt to evictions blocked the entrances to the building that houses the main eviction court for the east bank of New Orleans on July 30. The protest, organized by the New Orleans Renters Rights Assembly, called on officials to stop all court evictions or provide adequate rental assistance.

Louisiana faced a significant affordable housing crisis before the pandemic, and advocates are concerned about a potential wave of evictions and rise in homelessness. The Louisiana Housing Corporation’s rental assistance program was suspended after four days due to receiving an overwhelming number of applications. Housing Louisiana estimates that at least $250 million is needed to help tenants stay stably housed. 

New Orleans' COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program began accepting applications on July 27. Funding is limited and will only be available for members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designated vulnerable populations. 

Updated on August 4, 2020.

After just four days, Louisiana had to shut down the $24 million COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program after it was inundated with applicants seeking aid. According to the Louisiana Housing Corporation, the program was expected to help about 10,000 residents, but after receiving four times as many applications, it had to be suspended.

Updated on July 28, 2020.

An analysis recently released by the Center for Planning Excellence of Baton Rouge and Urban Footprint found that Louisiana ranks third in the nation for having a high risk for evictions due to pandemic-related job losses. Advocates warn that if Congress does not pass the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020,” the state will see a surge of evictions and a rise in homelessness.

Updated on July 7, 2020.

Fair housing advocates in Louisiana fear there will be an avalanche of evictions, placing people at increased risk of contracting the coronavirus. “It is likely that we will be sending people into crowded courtrooms for eviction procedures, putting people at risk of going into crowded homeless shelters, which really could spark a second way of infections,” said Cashuana Hill, executive director of the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center.

Updated on June 29, 2020.

HousingNOLA, an NLIHC state partner, announced the launch of a COVID-19 Short-Term Rental Pilot Program, which provides temporary housing and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity amid the pandemic. “It’s been heartening and tremendously impressive to see all the ways our partners are stepping into this challenging time with programs to keep people stably housed and provide supportive services,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

Updated on June 22, 2020.

The director of the Acadiana Regional Coalition for Homelessness and Housing is concerned about a rise in homelessness as Louisiana's eviction moratorium and the federal moratorium expires in the coming months. 

The Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center has COVID-19 housing resources translated into English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. 

Representative Garret Graves (R-LA) announced that Baton Rouge will receive $1.65 million in Emergency Solutions Grants - Coronavirus (ESG-CV) funding to support people experiencing homelessness. Louisiana received nearly $21 million in ESG-CV funding.

The city of Monroe allocated approximately $436,000 in Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funding to a small business assistance program and an emergency rental/mortgage assistance program. The city has received over 100 requests for small business assistance and over 450 applications for rental and mortgage assistance. The director of Monroe’s Planning and Urban Development said that if the HEROES Act is passed, the city may receive additional funds that would allow it to reopen the assistance programs.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

HousingNOLA, an NLIHC state partner, launched the COVID-19 Short Term Rental Pilot Program that provides temporary housing and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity during the pandemic.

Shreveport, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Monroe, and several other Louisiana cities have decided to spend CARES Act funding on both businesses and housing. Lafayette’s Mayor-President Josh Guillory, however, proposed using all of the city's CARES Act funding on small businesses, drawing criticism from housing advocates. Lafayette’s city and parish councils approved the mayor-president’s plan, but Guillory committed to spending at least $200,000 of the city’s annual HUD appropriation toward rent and utility assistance.

Two encampments in East Baton Rouge were cleared after their residents were moved to local motels.

Housing advocates praised Governor John Bel Edwards’ decision to extend the state’s eviction moratorium until June 5, but argue that Louisiana should extend the moratorium until August 24, which is when the federal moratorium outlined in the CARES Act expires.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, ACLU, and the United Way of Southeast Louisiana are among the nearly 40 groups that submitted a letter urging the First City Court and Second City Court judges to continue the eviction moratorium until August 24. The temporary halt on evictions could end May 1 in New Orleans if local courts decide to reopen. Read more here.

New Orleans

A program to provide hotel rooms for people experiencing homelessness who had been living at an encampment in New Orleans will be extended. Nearly 200 people have been given shelter in two hotels since state and city officials began the 30-day hotel program after discovering a rodent infestation at the New Orleans encampment.

A report issued by HousingNOLA and the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance found that New Orleans fell short of the affordable housing goals it set in 2016. The ongoing shortage of affordable housing in New Orleans is being exacerbated by COVID-19, which is contributing to widespread housing insecurity and unaffordability.

The Washington Post discusses New Orleans’ project of moving people experiencing homelessness into hotels. The project is overseen by state and local entities, including the New Orleans Office of Community and Economic Development and the Louisiana Housing Corporation.

New Orleans officials are finalizing plans to move individuals experiencing homelessness out of encampments and into a downtown hotel. Many of the individuals are residents of encampments targeted by city officials for cleaning operations in which multiple residents lost all their belongings.

In New Orleans, while some property owners are working with tenants who can’t pay rent, other landlords are threatening eviction and using other tactics to bully tenants.

In New Orleans, housing nearly 200 homeless people, many struggling with mental illness and substance abuse, in a single hotel has been an enormous challenge. But in addition to providing safety and stability in the face of COVID, many individuals who are experiencing homelessness are seeing a range of positive benefits. 

No information at this time.

Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.

 Hundreds of renters in New Orleans have received eviction notices this summer due to unpaid rent—and local advocates and officials expect the worst has yet to come, right as hurricane season gets under way. With limited public funds on hand, the mayor of New Orleans is asking the public to donate money through Givebutter.com, a website often used by college students for funding charity causes, to raise money for tenants who can’t pay their rent. First City Court Clerk Austin Badon is bracing for a surge of eviction filings in New Orleans starting August 25, when the 30-day notice ends since the CARES Act expired. “I’ve had one resident agent who already put us on notice that he’s bringing 250 evictions, so I’m going to extend hours,” said Badon.

Fifty-six percent of Louisiana renters cannot pay their full rent and are at risk of eviction. As a result, as of July 26, landlords can start the eviction process against renters unable to pay their rents as a result of the pandemic. Advocates say that local eviction courts immediately saw numerous landlords move to evict residents. “They’ve already started putting people on the street,” Cashauna Hill, executive director of the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, said. “Eviction is absolutely terrifying for people who are struggling. We’re hearing from many tenants who are concerned, who are fearful of being evicted.”

Updated: August 12

Governor's executive order halting eviction hearings (but not filings or enforcement) expired June 15. Eviction cases are being conducted in person and remotely. 

Updated: July 31

In the third week of July, 35.5% of adults in Louisiana reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, over a quarter of a million renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment. 

The Louisiana Housing Corporation created an emergency housing assistance fund for which 40,000 people applied for 10,000 spots. Another local nonprofit estimates $250 million is needed to keep tenants housed.  

Updated: July 29

According to a weekly Census survey, in the first week of July  186, 621 renters in Louisiana reported they had not paid their June rent, with an additional 44,122 indicating they had deferred their June rent payment. The Center for Planning Excellence and UrbanFootprint estimate that Louisianans are the third most vulnerable to eviction in the nation once the supplement federal unemployment payments end. 

Updated: July 16