Downzoning New Orleans

The 2015 CZO emerged as a full overhaul of the previous CZO from 1970 in order to be consistent with the city's Master Plan following Hurricane Katrina. The rezoning process took 10 years, with five years in a recovery planning phase and the last five years dealing with complexities of zoning process. When the 2015 CZO was enacted, several neighborhoods throughout New Orleans were downzoned from their previous zoning designation. Analyzing the maps of single, two and multi family zoning districts reveals how downzoning from multi-family to two family and from two family to single family often occurred in predominantly black neighborhoods and in neighborhoods that experienced changes in racial composition after Hurricane Katrina.

The interactive map below shows the residential zoning of single, two and multi-family lots in New Orleans prior to the 2015 CZO. Zoom in and navigate to explore the single family zoning in yellow, two family in red, and multi-family in purple. The legend in the bottom left corner gives the specific name for each residential zoning parcel.

The map below shows the residential zoning of single, two and multi-family lots in New Orleans after the 2015 CZO. Zoom in and navigate to explore the single family zoning in yellow, two family in red, and multi-family in purple. The legend in the bottom left corner gives the specific name for each residential zoning parcel.

The map below shows the changes in residential zoning of single, two and multi-family lots in New Orleans prior to and after the 2015 CZO. Zoom in and navigate to explore the single family zoning in yellow, two family in red, and multi-family in purple. The legend in the bottom left corner gives the specific name for each residential zoning parcel. Pre-2015 zoning is evident on the left side of the swipe bar, while current day zoning, post 2015 CZO, is evident on the right side.

Zoning for some of the New Orleans neighborhoods drastically changed with the 2015 CZO. Below is a tour of some of neighborhoods that were affected by downzoning that occurred in the 2015 CZO. The map on the right shows the current zoning under the 2015 CZO while the neighborhood images on the left reveal the downzoned area. Click on any neighborhood to start the tour of downzoned areas or view specific neighborhoods by clicking on the names in the left panel and then exit by clicking the x button.

Below are tables showing the physical impact of the CZO in the acres of downzoned land. The tables also display shifts in racial demographics from 2000 to 2011-2015 to demonstrate the changing racial composition of neighborhoods at the time of the 2015 rezoning.

As the table illustrates, Orleans Parish had an overall decrease in population of 19.6% from 2000 to 2011-2015. 11 out of the 12 neighborhoods analyzed followed the overall trend of population decrease with one neighborhood, the Lower Garden District, being the exception. This decreased population from 2000 serves as justification for the area being downzoned in 2015. However, a few neighborhoods had level or significantly less percent change in populations as compared to the Orleans Parish percentage, including the Lower Garden District, East Riverside and West Riverside. These three neighborhoods all share a drastic decrease in Black or African American populations and increase in White populations, as well as relatively low population loss. The Central City neighborhood also stands out as it had the largest area of land downzoned in 2015. Prior to the CZO, the overall population had decreased by 31.94%. The Black or African American population decreased by 15% while the White population in the neighborhood increased by 6.88%. These four neighborhoods all share a higher increase in white population than the overall Orleans Parish percent change of 4%. They account for 545 acres of neighborhood areas downzoned, which is 36% of the total neighborhood areas analyzed that experienced downzoning in 2015. This significant percentage reveals that the downzoning could be related to the racial changes within New Orleans Neighborhoods.

Downzoning reduces density within neighborhoods that are close to major shopping/businesses/school areas. This decreased available housing supply leads to increasing prices, and ultimately to gentrification or disinvestment within neighborhoods. In the current New Orleans market it is not economically viable to build affordable housing without large subsidy in single or two family zoned areas, only furthering the affordable housing crisis that plagues New Orleans.

Many cities around the U.S. are reconsidering low density zoning; some even going as far as removing single family zoning entirely. Dave Amos, of City Beautiful, makes the case against single-family zoning, in the video below.