There are more than 560,000 people experiencing homelessness in America - that’s equivalent to 1.5x the entire population of New Orleans living without shelter nationwide.
Though data has not been reported since before the coronavirus pandemic, UNITY of Greater New Orleans’ last point-in-time count released in January 2020 suggested that there were nearly 1,200 chronically homeless individuals living in Jefferson & Orleans Parishes and that number continues to grow.
Over the course of the last year, we’ve seen an increase in first-time homelessness due to factors including COVID-19, natural disasters, and a lack of affordable housing.
The pandemic has been particularly debilitating for the tourism and service sectors of the New Orleans economy, rendering many people unemployed or living on extremely limited income. Additionally, temporary protections such as the eviction moratorium, boosted federal unemployment payments, and stimulus payments have come to an end, leaving many residents vulnerable to new homelessness. Hurricane Ida displaced thousands of people, and many who previously lived in surrounding river parishes have no home to return to, forcing them to make do on motel stays or in temporary shelters until they can resettle and find relief.
Furthermore, Louisiana, like many other states in the country, faces an affordable housing crisis. Recent reports say that Louisiana has less than half the needed affordable housing available to residents. This leaves 66% of extremely low-income renters seriously cost-burdened and at risk of homelessness. In 2016, former mayor Mitch Landrieu established a plan that would create 7,500 affordable housing units by the end of 2020; however, while some progress has been made, currently less than 2,000 units have been made available.
New Orleans has always been a place wherein our community takes care of each other. We see that here at the Harry Tompson Center, where our network of volunteers, donors, and passionate community members continues to be the backbone of our operations. As we continue to meet the growing needs of the unhoused population in New Orleans, we ask for your extended generosity during #WorldHomelessDay2021.
Please consider the following ways of helping us achieve our mission of improving the quality of life for our unhoused neighbors:
Make a financial contribution to the Harry Tompson Center
Donate in-kind goods from our Amazon Wishlist and make life more comfortable for our guests
Volunteer your time and talent to our shower service or other programs
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and share our mission with others
Work with us to conduct a donation drive for our guests
Designate the Harry Tompson Center as your charity of choice via AmazonSmile
Vote in support of policies and politicians who put affordable housing first
