How much more are New Orleans property owners going to pay after the recent round of assessments? The city council heard a new report today.
The group Together New Orleans says property values have increased a whopping 70 percent in the city since 2015. That means higher tax bills, with nearly two thousand owners seeing at least a $1,000 tax hike.
"Throughout the city 1,998 households will see an increase of $1,000 or more in their housing costs next year," Joe Connelly with Together New Orleans reported. "That $1,000 could cause you to lose your home."
Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer says the rising property values and resulting tax increases will drive more people out.
"We lost over one thousand people last year," she said. "These numbers are going to represent several thousand people leaving the city of New Orleans because they cannot afford to live here."
Together New Orleans noted increasing numbers of properties owned by people who live outside of New Orleans as locals can't afford them.
Connelly says that creates another problem.
"Folks that are leaving; you are losing their incomes, you are losing their taxes, your are losing their ability to spend money in area stores. So, the impact is a ripple impact."
Councilwoman Helena Moreno called the meeting.
"People are calling my office in tears with their tax bills," she explained. "I'm just trying to figure out what is the best way that we can find relief for some folks."
She says people can no longer live in their homes or in the neighborhoods where they have lived all of their lives.
Moreno called for further brainstorming to find solutions.