Catching up with the founders ofThe New Orleans Landlord Database, we discussed renter-specific issues in New Orleans, some of which may be difficult to see from outside the city. While New Orleans is only about 65% repopulated, over 80% of the city was flooded and is slowly being brought back into commerce. Most aid to date has focused on homeowners, with the only aid specifically designed for renters beingshort-term in nature. Insurance and utility costs are higher, and those costs also are typically being passed on to renters. And in a city where over half the population rents, there’s a lot of demand and little assistance.

For more information, see thisTimesarticleabout post-Katrina rents in New Orleans.