02/08/2026
Heartfelt Thank-you and Goodbye
After several wonderful years of welcoming visitors to our home in Tremé, it’s time to say goodbye. I’m closing this page with a full heart and deep gratitude for everyone who made this dream possible.
My husband is a New Orleans Creole whose roots run deep in this neighborhood. His maternal grandfather was a mason who worked on the nearby Lafitte Projects, the very place where his father was born. When his grandfather passed away, we saw our chance to achieve what had seemed impossible: homeownership in the community my husband’s family helped build.
I’m autistic, and finding and keeping traditional employment has always been a struggle for me. When we purchased our shotgun double in Tremé, it was already operating as an Airbnb, which meant we didn’t have to displace anyone. Running a vacation rental turned out to be absolutely perfect for me. I could welcome visitors to our incredible city and share our culture without the demands of direct public interaction that make traditional work so challenging. I truly loved what I did.
This business kept us afloat during the pandemic. It enabled my husband to return to school and earn his master’s degree. We cherished having the extra unit to host family members when we weren’t renting it to travelers. In 2022, when my husband accepted a remote position, we were able to provide a senior woman with free housing in exchange for caretaking our property. This arrangement allowed me to spend precious time out of state with my three adult sons and two grandchildren. My grandson is also autistic, and every second we spent together was an absolute gift.
When the city changed the short-term rental laws, we were unable to obtain a license to continue operating. This has been devastating. I can no longer run a business I loved, spend extended time with my family, or even host them in our home since we must comply with the law and can only offer 30-day minimum stays, a requirement that doesn’t truly create affordable housing for long-term renters. The widespread elimination of short-term rentals has tanked property values in our neighborhood, leaving us underwater on our mortgage. We now rent our extra unit by the month. I’m out of work, and my husband works two jobs, so I rarely see him.
I never imagined that as long-term residents with deep family ties to this community, we would be impacted the same way as the out-of-state corporate investors city officials claim the policy was meant to address.
Despite our own difficulties, I want to share a silver lining: I truly believe that everyone is entitled to homeownership, and the city is now providing meaningful assistance to make this dream accessible. Finance New Orleans offers a Green Mortgage Program with up to $25,000 in down payment assistance for qualifying buyers, and the City of New Orleans has a Direct Homebuyer Assistance Program offering up to $35,000 as a forgivable second mortgage plus up to $5,000 in closing cost assistance . If you’ve been dreaming of owning a home in New Orleans, I encourage you to explore these programs.
Homeownership transformed our lives, and I hope these resources can help others experience that same joy.
To every guest who stayed with us: thank you for choosing our home and for the joy you brought to our lives. To our neighbors and the Tremé community: thank you for welcoming us. Hosting visitors in my home and being self-sufficient was a dream come true, and I’m grateful for every moment.
With love and appreciation,
Jason and Michelle
