August 29, 2005 — a day no New Orleanian will forget: Hurricane Katrina. It has been two decades since the levees were breached and flood waters took over the city’s streets, homes and businesses. It was an event that changed the trajectory of the city of New Orleans. Twenty years later and the resiliency of New Orleans to always push on is evidenced by the stability of our multifamily market. Through a period of demolition, renovation and rebuilding, the overall market remains stable. The barriers to entry in the Metro New Orleans multifamily market are significant, and today as in the past, the equilibrium between supply and demand remains in sync. Like other Sun Belt markets, insurance premiums, interest rates and affordability are factors. However, they have not been a deterrent to the viability of the market or interest from investors and the capital markets. Our inventory of more than 55,000 units (professionally managed) spread out over seven parishes, remains strong. Overall metro occupancy is being reported between 92 to 94 percent with average rents of $1,300 per month. Parish by parish Eastern New Orleans and Algiers, which each have an inventory of approximately 4,000 units, offers the most affordable …
