St. Tammany Louisiana Needs New Housing Desperately
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The after effects of Hurricane Katrina are still being felt. So many people relocated to other areas of Louisiana after the hurricane to stay with friends and family, that the Parish of St. Tammany could build 10,000 homes tomorrow and they all would be filled. So as we all lament that some areas of the country are not seeing 20 percent appreciation of their homes this year, remember that there are people who desperately would love to have a home built for themselves, and are ready to pay for it today.
Parish President Kevin Davis points to his own post-Hurricane Katrina living arrangements to illustrate how little he and other leaders know about the new population and how far home builders are from meeting its demand for permanent housing.
“We’ve still got literally thousands that are staying with friends and families,” Davis said last weekend as he began moving into his repaired Slidell house after living with his in-laws for five months. “You can’t use historical data to figure all of that out.”
Though the parish has learned more about how badly Katrina damaged the existing housing stock, officials aren’t able to pinpoint the current shortage. Preliminary estimates were that the storm flooded 12,000 houses. The parish has since used aerial photography and computer data to increase that figure to 18,870 homes, in addition to thousands of others damaged by wind and falling trees.
But a recent market study by a partner in the state’s largest appraisal firm attempts to quantify the housing need: It says the St. Tammany market could instantly absorb 9,950 new units — roughly equal to one-eighth of the existing stock.
Demand for housing swamps St. Tammany.
John
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Comment by Gary morgan on 4 May 2006:
We are truly sorry at the predicament your parish finds itself in and offer our housing units as a possible helpful fix in this matter.
They are 80m2 , steeel framed and aluminium sidings. Can be erected in 4-5 hours.
I ask that you look at our website and give your thoughts. Depending on specification they would cost around $500USD per m2.