Real Estate
2 Louisiana landmarks on Most Endangered Historic Places list
Holy Aid and Comfort Spiritual Church was constructed around 1880 and hosted early performances by jazz pioneers. Damage from recent hurricanes and vandalism has left it in a rough state. Photo: Courtesy of the National Trust
Two Louisiana landmarks earned spots on the National Trust's annual list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.
Why it matters: Being "endangered" may not sound ideal, but placement on the list offers a burst of attention that advocates can use to protect important cultural landmarks.
Recent progress erased as New Orleans-area unhoused population increases
Orleans and Jefferson parishes’ population of people experiencing homelessness increased by 15% in one year, according to UNITY of Greater New Orleans.
Why it matters: It's the first such increase since Hurricane Katrina, and it erases recent local progress in decreasing the area's unhoused population.
- That progress was largely a result of pandemic-related policies and federal funds from FEMA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which have expired.
New Orleans considers demolition of oldest skyscraper Plaza Tower
Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans/Wikimedia Commons
The city is floating the idea of demolishing Plaza Tower, Mayor LaToya Cantrell confirmed Wednesday, calling the blighted skyscraper an “issue and a challenge for decades.”
Driving the news: Joe Jaeger owns the building, and he's looking to sell. Tuesday was the deadline for bids, Cantrell said.
New Orleans is one of the worst cities for Airbnb fees
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
New Orleans is one of the worst cities in the country for extra Airbnb fees, according to an analysis from Forbes.
Driving the news: About 45% of the cost of an Airbnb stay in New Orleans is made up of fees — cleaning fee, service fee and taxes — Forbes said. New Orleans was the ninth-worst city on the list.
$20.5M payout falls through in suit over Brad Pitt post-Katrina homes
Brad Pitt greets Robert Green in the Lower Ninth Ward in 2007 during a press event for Pitt's Make It Right Foundation. Photo: Matthew Hinton/AFP via Getty Images
A nonprofit that stepped up last summer to pay and administer a $20.5 million settlement to Lower Ninth Ward owners of Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation-constructed homes never actually had the money to make that kind of commitment, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Why it matters: More than 100 homeowners, whose class-action lawsuit has stalled for years, were promised a conclusion to the debacle that began with Hurricane Katrina. They're still waiting for a resolution.
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