Of Greater New Orleans
UNITY
of Greater New Orleans
A Collaborative of 60 Agencies
Working to End Homelessness
Bringing New Orleans Home
Website:
2475 Canal Street, Suite 300
New Orleans, LA 70119
Office: 504-821-4496
Fax: 504-269-1383
February 13, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Valerie Robinson, 529-4341
Affordable Housing Database Launched
With the launch of its new UNITY HousingLink Web-based initiative, UNITY of Greater New Orleans will connect renters to safe, decent, and affordable housing in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes. UNITY HousingLink is a community service to bring Greater New Orleans home.
HousingLink is an Internet database developed by UNITY, a collaborative of 60 agencies working to prevent and end homelessess, in partnership with the Apartment Association of Greater New Orleans. The goal of UNITY HousingLink is to assist low-income people to locate affordable housing as part of the rebuilding of Greater New Orleans. UNITY Housing Link will assist in the rebuilding effort by making affordable rental properties available to employees of the hospitality, tourism, convention, healthcare, and entertainment industries that are key to the recovery of our community. The resource will also play a role in helping the elderly and people with disabilities find affordable housing.
“Together, we can work to assure that our community’s workers and their families, the elderly, and people with disabilities find safe, decent, and affordable places to live,” said UNITY Executive Director Martha Kegel. “This program will help us connect those looking for affordable housing with landlords offering affordable properties. This is the only database in the state that is specifically designed to assist low-income people.”
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ADD ONE – UNITY HOUSINGLINK
Landlords may take advantage of free advertising for properties that are below 80 percent of are Fair Marker Rents (UNITY Housing Link rent limits are $604 for an efficiency rental; $669 for one bedroom; $782 for two bedrooms; $1,005 for three bedrooms). “The Apartment Association of Greater New Orleans is pleased to partner with UNITY of Greater New Orleans to provide UNITYHousingLink.org, an important community service for people struggling to find affordable rental housing,” said Tammy Esponge, executive director of the Apartment Association of Greater New Orleans. The Apartment Association of Greater New Orleans represents 20,000 apartment units in the New Orleans metropolitan area.
At kick-off, at least 53 properties are listed; however, many more landlords are expected to register their properties following the launch of the program. UNITY anticipates that the UNITY HousingLink site will receive at least 1000 hits per month, and that hundreds of people will find housing through the program.
“Many people have suddenly found themselves at risk of homelessness in the post-Katrina environment,” said Pat Simon, UNITY Housing Search Manager. “This affordable housing resource will serve as a community service to prevent and reduce homelessness and bring people home.”
UNITY HousingLink is made possible through a sustaining grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is also supported through a generous grant from the Keller Family Foundation.
To register a property or to view properties that are available, go to For additional assistance, call the Welcome Home staff at (504) 821-4496 ext 111 or 114 or e-mail . The website is free and open to all people in the community. Homeless people are eligible for additional case management and housing search services.
Founded in 1992, UNITY of Greater New Orleans is an award-winning collaborative of 60 non-profit and governmental agencies in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish. UNITY’s mission is to coordinate community partnerships to prevent, reduce and end homelessness.
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