The Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance is a collaborative of non-profit housing builders and community development corporations working to rebuild the housing stock available in the city of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city’s infrastructure. Since its creation in 2007, GNOHA has sought to create change in the Greater New Orleans community through public policy advocacy and public education. The collaborative advocates for the preservation and production of affordable housing for people within the Greater New Orleans metropolitan region and places a special emphasis on the needs of the most vulnerable in society - seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, low-wage workers and low-income families.
GNOHA is structured as a membership organization that has both voting and advisory members. Its affairs are managed by a Board of Governors. The entire membership meets monthly in order to exchange information and work together to advocate a collective vision. Throughout the month, the standing working committees meet in order to think deeply about and discuss specific challenges and opportunities facing the affordable housing community.
GNOHA’s monthly meeting schedule and committee structure encourage dissemination of information, shared visioning and collective problem solving. These outcomes build the capacity of member organizations by building their bases of knowledge and support. As such, GNOHA is well positioned to connect affordable housing builders to consumers and policy makers both in conversation and in practice.
GNOHA and HousingNOLA
The Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance incubated and facilitated conversations that led to HousingNOLA, the first-ever 10 year plan to ensure affordable housing for all New Orleanians. With the plan in place, HousingNOLA evolved into an independent organization that continues to coordinate community conversations. As such, GNOHA now plays a watchdog role, ensuring that the community-crafted housing plan is taken serious and put into action by local policymakers.