Louisiana Amendment 4, New Orleans Affordable Housing Property Tax Exemption Amendment (October 2019)
| Louisiana Amendment 4 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date October 12, 2019 | |
| Topic Taxes and Housing | |
Status Defeated | |
| Type Constitutional amendment | Origin State legislature |
Louisiana Amendment 4, the New Orleans Affordable Housing Property Tax Exemption Amendment, was on the ballot in Louisiana as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on October 12, 2019. It was defeated.
| A "yes" vote supported allowing New Orleans, Louisiana, to exempt properties with no more than 15 residential units from taxes for the purpose of, according to the amendment, promoting and encouraging affordable housing. |
| A "no" vote opposed this amendment to allow New Orleans, Louisiana, to exempt properties with no more than 15 residential units from taxes. |
Election results
|
Louisiana Amendment 4 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 442,998 | 36.51% | ||
|
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770,395 | 63.49% | ||
Overview
What would this measure have done?
Amendment 4 would have allowed New Orleans to (a) exempt a portion of assessed values of properties, (b) exempt the full assessed value of properties, or (c) keep assessed values at the level for the year prior to the exemption going into effect. The ballot measure would have prohibited properties used as short-term rentals (less than 30 days) from receiving the exemption. The amendment would also have required that any reduction in revenue caused by tax exemptions authorized under the amendment could not result in a taxing authority increasing or imposing additional taxes on taxpayers not falling under the exemption. It would also have dictated that any exemption granted under the amendment could not be the cause for a reassessment of property value or the alteration of property tax rates.[1]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title was:[1]
| “ |
Do you support an amendment to allow the City of New Orleans to exempt property within Orleans Parish from all or part of ad valorem taxes that would otherwise be due for the purpose of promoting affordable housing? (Adds Article VII, Section 21(O))[2] |
” |
Constitutional changes
- See also: Article VII, Louisiana Constitution
Amendment 4 would have added a Section 21(O) to Article VII of the Louisiana Constitution. The following underlined text would have been added:[1]
(O)(1) Notwithstanding any provision in this constitution to the contrary, and in accordance with procedures and conditions provided by law, the City of New Orleans may exempt properties comprised of no more than fifteen residential units located within Orleans Parish from ad valorem taxes for the purpose of promoting and encouraging affordable housing. The exemption may provide an exemption from ad valorem tax for the total assessed value of the property, or a portion thereof, or may grant the right to pay ad valorem taxes based upon the assessed valuation of the property for the year prior to the commencement of the exemption. Properties used as rentals for periods of less than thirty days shall not be eligible for any ad valorem tax exemption pursuant to this Paragraph.
(2) Notwithstanding any provision of this constitution to the contrary, any decrease in the total amount of ad valorem tax collected by the taxing authority as a result of an ad valorem tax exemption granted pursuant to this Paragraph shall be absorbed by the taxing authority and shall not create any additional tax liability for other taxpayers in the taxing district as a result of any subsequent reappraisal and valuation or millage adjustment. Implementation of an exemption authorized in this Paragraph shall neither trigger nor be cause for a reappraisal of property or an adjustment of millages pursuant to the provisions of Article VII, Section 23(B) of this constitution. [2]
Readability score
- See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2019
| Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The state legislature wrote the ballot language for this measure.
|
Support
Action New Orleans led the Vote Yes 4 Nola Homes campaign.[3]
Supporters
- U.S. Congressman Steve Scalise (R)[3]
- New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell (D)[4]
- Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome (D)[3]
- State Representative Cameron Henry (R)[3]
Arguments
- Congressman Steve Scalise, who represents Louisiana's 1st Congressional District, said, "Constitutional Amendment #4 is on the statewide ballot this October, and if passed, it will allow the City of New Orleans to more effectively clean up blighted housing, and build more affordable housing."[5]
- LaToya Cantrell, mayor of New Orleans, said, "When we are faced with funding challenges and a dire need, which the housing crisis presents: our leaders have to rely on innovation. When this passes, we can begin granting ad valorem tax exemptions to incentivize the creation of more units, more affordably."[3]
- John Sullivan of Enterprise Community Partners said the tax exemption would help affordable housing projects get cleared for more financing and that Maxwell Ciardullo of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center said the exemption could help residents with rising property tax bills.[6]
- The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR), a nonprofit organization, published arguments for and against each amendment on the ballot. PAR wrote the following argument in support of Amendment 4: "The proposal is an attempt to help longtime residents remain in the city, to attract new residents and also to reduce blight. Because property taxes finance local government, the decision on what to exempt should be made at the local level. ... This proposal gives New Orleans flexibility to make future adjustments without the need for further constitutional amendments to refine the program."[7]
Campaign advertisements
The following was the official campaign video in support of Amendment 4 released by Action New Orleans.
| Title: Vote YES 4 NOLA Homes |
Opposition
This amendment received 11 no votes in the state legislature.
Opponents
- Bureau of Governmental Research[8]
Arguments
- Bureau of Governmental Research, in a report analyzing the amendment, said, "It is also difficult to determine the extent to which new tax exemption programs would benefit citizens. In addition, there is no estimate of, or limit on, the potential fiscal impact of the amendment on local governments, which must absorb any revenue lost as a result of the tax exemptions."[8]
- The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR), a nonprofit organization, published arguments for and against each amendment on the ballot. PAR wrote the following argument in opposition to Amendment 4: "This amendment could diminish a critical and evolving revenue base for New Orleans at a time when a disproportionate amount of city property is exempted already. ... The pressure to raise taxes would increase with this program. All in all, this amendment could turn into a costly proposition with high risk for abuse and favoritism. Creating this new authority only for New Orleans would require further need for constitutional amendments should other parishes or municipalities wish to have the same authority."[7]
Campaign finance
| Total campaign contributions: | |
| Support: | $486,331.37 |
| Opposition: | $0.00 |
One political action committee was registered in support of Amendment 4. As of October 3, 2019, Action New Orleans PAC raised a total of $486,331.37. There was no committee registered in opposition to Amendment 4.
Support
The following were contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in support of the initiative.[9]
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Donors
The following were the top donors who contributed to Action New Orleans PAC:[10]
| Donor | Cash | In-kind | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gjerset & Lorenz, LLP | $100,000.00 | $0.00 | $100,000.00 |
| Industrial Fabrics, Inc. | $50,000.00 | $0.00 | $50,000.00 |
| Boysie Bollinger | $25,000.00 | $0.00 | $25,000.00 |
| Joseph Canizaro | $20,000.00 | $0.00 | $20,000.00 |
| Geraldine B. Balony | $21,000.00 | $0.00 | $21,000.00 |
Opposition
Ballotpedia did not identify any committees registered in opposition to the measure.
If you are aware of a committee registered to oppose this measure, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.
Media editorials
- See also: 2019 ballot measure media endorsements
Support
- The Advocate: “Most importantly, the amendment puts decision-making power under local control, where it belongs. ... This amendment is about whether New Orleans should be able to pursue policies it deems worthwhile without being hamstrung by the state. We believe it should.”[11]
- Gambit: “This amendment would allow the City of New Orleans to create property tax exemptions for residential properties that provide affordable housing. New Orleans has a critical shortage of affordable housing, and this amendment effectively establishes a pilot program that, if successful, could be replicated in other towns and cities across the state. We recommend voting YES on Amendment 4.”[12]
Opposition
- The American Press Editorial Board: "[I]t creates a high risk for abuse and favoritism. This state does not need more incentives for public corruption. ... [G]iving this new authority only to New Orleans could cause a rush of other parishes and municipalities seeking further constitutional amendments that want the same authority. Creating inequality in government could be dangerous."[13]
Background
Property tax exemptions in Louisiana
Section 21 of Article VII of the Louisiana Constitution is titled "Other Property Exemptions" and outlines authorized property tax exemptions (aside from the homestead exemption) and provides that nothing other than what is listed may be exempt from ad valorem taxation. The homestead property tax exemption, authorized in Section 20 of Article VII of the Louisiana Constitution, is available for homeowners in the amount of $7,500.
Implementing legislation: Senate Bill 80
The implementing legislation for the constitutional amendment was Senate Bill 80. SB 80 outlined specific details of the amendment related to rulemaking and related matters and would have become effective if the constitutional amendment had been approved. SB 80 was designed to authorize the New Orleans Office of Community Development and the New Orleans City Council to make rules related to the nature and amount of the tax exemption. To read the full text of SB 80, click here.[14]
Rent prices in New Orleans
According to Apartment List, the median cost of monthly rent in New Orleans was $800 for a one-bedroom apartment and $969 for a two-bedroom apartment as of June 2019.[15]
Click [show] to expand data concerning median rent prices by state.
| Median rent prices by state | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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The following data comes from the June 2019 National Rent Report from ApartmentList.com. Hover over each state to see the median cost of monthly rent for one and two bedroom apartments in each state according to Apartment List. The national median monthly rent is $955 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,185 for a two-bedroom apartment.[15]
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Odd-year ballot measures in Louisiana
The following statistics are based on ballot measures between 1995 and 2018 in Louisiana:
- Ballots featured 185 constitutional amendments (including both odd and even years)
- An average of five measures appeared on odd-year statewide ballots (compared to an average of 10 measures for even-years)
- The number of ballot measures on odd-year statewide ballots ranged from zero to 16 (compared to even-year ranges of a minimum of four to a maximum of 24)
- Voters approved 75% (139 of 185) and rejected 25% (46 of 185) of the total number of constitutional amendments appearing on both odd and even-year ballots
| Legislatively-referred constitutional amendments, 1995-2018 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number | Approved | Percent approved | Defeated | Percent defeated | Odd-year average | Odd-year median | Odd-year minimum | Odd-year maximum | |
| 185 | 139 | 75.1% | 46 | 24.9% | 5.3 | 3.5 | 0 | 16 | |
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Louisiana Constitution
In Louisiana, a two-thirds vote is needed in each chamber of the Louisiana State Legislature to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot for voter consideration.
State Sen. Troy Carter (D-7) introduced the constitutional amendment as Senate Bill 79 (SB 79) on March 26, 2019. On May 7, the Louisiana State Senate approved the constitutional amendment, with 28 senators supporting the amendment, nine senators opposing the amendment, and two members not voting. At least 26 votes were needed to pass SB 79. On June 2, 2019, the state house approved the amendment, with 92 representatives supporting it, two opposing it, and 11 not voting.[16]
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How to cast a vote
- See also: Voting in Louisiana
Poll times
In Louisiana, polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central time for Tuesday elections. For Saturday elections, polls open at 7:00 a.m. If the polls close while a voter is in line, he or she will still be permitted to vote.[17][18]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Louisiana, one must provide documentary proof of United States citizenship and be a resident of the state and parish in which they register. A voter must be at least 18 years old by Election Day.[19]
Registration completed via mail or in person must occur at least 30 days before Election Day. Registration completed online must occur at least 20 days before Election Day. Registrants must present a valid form of identification to register. Pre-registration is available beginning at age 16.[19]
Voters may register in person at any Registrar of Voters office or any of the following places:[19]
- Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles
- Louisiana Department of Social Services
- WIC offices
- Food stamp offices
- Medicaid offices
- Offices and agencies serving people with disabilities
- Military recruitment offices
Automatic registration
Louisiana does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Louisiana has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Louisiana does not allow same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
Louisiana law requires 20 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.
Verification of citizenship
Louisiana state law requires a voter registration applicant to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote. As of June 2025, the state had not implemented the requirement.[20][21]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[22] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The site Geaux Vote, run by the Louisiana Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Louisiana requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[23]
Voters can present the following forms of identification. This list was current as of October 2025. Click here to ensure you have the most current information.
- Louisiana driver's license
- Louisiana special identification card
- LA Wallet digital driver's license
- Military ID that contains the name and signature of the applicant
- Other generally recognized picture identification card that contains the name and signature of the voter
Registered voters can bring their voter information card to the Office of Motor Vehicles to receive a free Louisiana special identification card.[23]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Louisiana State Legislature, "Senate Bill 79," accessed May 8, 2019
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Action New Orleans, "Action New Orleans Launches "Vote Yes 4 NOLA Homes" Campaign," published September 10, 2019
- ↑ The Advocate, "In effort to create more affordable housing, New Orleans property tax relief bill clears Senate committee," accessed June 25, 2019
- ↑ Facebook, "Action News Orleans," published September 17, 2019
- ↑ NOLA, " In effort to create more affordable housing, New Orleans property tax relief bill clears Senate committee," accessed July 22, 2019
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, "PAR Guide to the 2019 Constitutional Amendments," accessed October 3, 2019
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Bureau of Governmental Research, "BGR Analyzes Constitutional Amendment to Allow Housing Tax Exemptions in New Orleans," published September 27, 2019
- ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "Action New Orleans PAC," accessed October 31, 2019
- ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "Action New Orleans PAC," accessed October 3, 2019
- ↑ The Advocate, “Our Views: Approve all 4 Louisiana constitutional amendments,” published September 24, 2019
- ↑ Gambit, “Gambit's endorsements in the 2019 fall elections,” published September 27, 2019
- ↑ American Press, "Amendment 4 has too many negatives," published September 27, 2019
- ↑ Louisiana State Legislature, "Senate Bill 80 (2019)," accessed July 22, 2019
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Apartment List, "National rent data," accessed June 27, 2019
- ↑ Louisiana State Legislature, "SB 79 Overview," accessed May 8, 2019
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "FAQ: Voting on Election Day," accessed August 15, 2024
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Vote on Election Day," accessed August 15, 2024
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Louisiana Secretary of State, "Register to Vote," accessed August 15, 2024
- ↑ WWNO, "Louisiana now requires proof of citizenship to vote, but hasn’t issued any guidance," January 15, 2025
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Louisiana Voter Registration Application," accessed June 30, 2025
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Louisiana Secretary of State, "Vote on Election Day," accessed October 6, 2025
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