New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is touring the state this week in an effort to drum up support for constitutional amendment 4 on the October ballot that she says would create affordable housing in Orleans Parish.
“We are in crisis in New Orleans as it relates to affordable housing, this is a local solution to a local problem,” said Cantrell.
The measure would exempt properties with no more than 15 residential units from local taxes as a way to create more affordable housing units. It’s a constitutional amendment, so that’s why it needs statewide approval.
“This is a way where our brothers and sisters across the state can help New Orleans take care of itself, with its own taxes and not be a burden to the rest of the state,” said Cantrell.
Cantrell says the proposal received bipartisan support as it received the necessary two-thirds vote to pass both the House and Senate.
She says if this measure, which exempts affordable housing projects from some taxes, works, it could be used by other parishes.
“It can serve as a model to other parishes of how they can address affordability in their parish, because we know we are not alone,” said Cantrell.
