Voter Priorities: What New Orleanians say they want from their next mayor
Rachel Lewis
Age 37
New Orleans East
“You should move to New Orleans,” my Uncle Mike told me in 2009, as I contemplated where to begin my adult life after graduating from college. Many elders agreed, sharing memories of beautiful music filling the streets, decadent meals, and a culture that refused to be erased after Katrina. What makes New Orleans special is its culture, driven by the people who have called this city home, many for generations. People who find joy in the face of struggle. People whose ancestors were born into slavery yet made a way to drum in Congo Square on Sundays, and whose descendants still dance in the streets every Sunday.
The biggest problem New Orleans faces is that the very people who make it a beautiful place to visit and live can no longer afford to stay. A study from June 2025 found that an individual needs to earn $85,322 per year to live comfortably in New Orleans.
Meanwhile, the minimum wage remains $7.25 an hour — about $15,000 per year — and even those who earn considerably more, including teachers, nurses, and social workers, still struggle to live comfortably in the city. Ironically, as homes are converted into short-term rentals, the culture bearers who attract visitors from around the world are being pushed out. It is not only wrong, it is short-sighted. If the people who sustain the culture cannot afford to live here, what will continue to draw the tourists who drive our local economy?
The first issue the mayor should tackle is making New Orleans an affordable place to live. That means creating more affordable housing, ensuring short-term rental regulations are enforced, addressing the insurance crisis (New Orleanians pay roughly double the national average in homeowners’ insurance premiums) and ensuring that everyone who works in the city earns a living wage. Solving this crisis will also help alleviate many of the other challenges New Orleans faces, including homelessness, crime and population loss.
