In this report:
- Acknowledgements
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- Part I - Demographic Trends in Katrina-Affected Areas and Their Impact on the 2010 Census
- Part II - Census Procedures and Operational Challenges to Getting an Accurate Count in the Aftermath of a Catastrophe
- Part III - Operational and Policy Recommendations for a More Accurate 2010 Census in the Gulf Coast
- Appendix A
Renter-Occupied Housing
Higher percentages of renter-occupied (versus owner-occupied) housing are additional indicators of HTC areas. ACS data show an increase in renter-occupied housing in some areas but not others, which likely reflects economic disparities in people's ability to return to their homes.
The limited availability of up-to-date information requires that some inferences be drawn about current trends. For example, 2007 ACS data for the cities of Biloxi and Gulfport, and for Harrison County, Mississippi, show that the percentage of renter-occupied housing units decreased markedly. But the absolute number of renter-occupied households also fell, while the number of owner-occupied units rose, suggesting displacement of a greater proportion of lower-income people who then faced greater obstacles in returning to their pre-Katrina communities, such as a lack of affordable housing. We speculate that population increases since 2007 will reflect the return of more lower-income people and an increase in renter-occupied housing units. The continued mobility of low-income people across the region compounds the challenges of accurately counting this population, as mobility and recent movement are also characteristic of HTC areas.
Housing Tenure: Percentage of Renter-Occupied Housing Units
|
|
2000 Census | 2007 ACS |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana* | ||
| Orleans Parish | 53.5% | 48.4% |
| Plaquemines Parish | 21.1% | 31.2% |
| Jefferson Parish | 36.1% | 35.1% |
| Mississippi | ||
| Biloxi | 51.1% | 42.5% |
| Gulfport | 41.3% | 36.2% |
| Hancock County | 20.4% | 29.7% |
| Harrison County | 37.3% | 34.3% |
| Jackson County | 25.4% | 29.5% |
| Alabama | ||
| Mobile | 40.7% | 40.9% |
| Mobile County | 31.2% | 32.3% |
| Baldwin County | 20.5% | 22.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
* Where possible, 2007 1-year ACS estimates are shown in order to display the fullest consequences of the hurricanes, without any data collected in 2005 before the storms hit. One-year estimates are available for places with a population of 65,000 or greater.
** 2007 ACS estimates are not available for St. Bernard Parish due to post-Katrina population loss.
Next Section: Part II - Census Procedures and Operational Challenges to Getting an Accurate Count in the Aftermath of a Catastrophe
