Guste High Rise residents to keep their homes

By Fritz Esker

Contributing Writer

Over 300 residents of Central City’s Guste Homes High Rise will be able to remain in their homes after the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) officials reversed an initial plan to close the property.

“Guste High Rise is crucial in our efforts to house our most vulnerable citizens, our seniors. The city of New Orleans, like cities across the nation, has a shortage of affordable housing and this means it impacts our elderly immensely as they are less mobile and have less capacity to identify and secure affordable housing in an extremely competitive market. For this reason, HANO is determined to work with HUD, our city and state officials, the residents, and the management company to maintain quality affordable, downtown housing for this population,” said Marjorianna Willman, executive director of the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO), in an email.

HUD has allowed HANO to submit a new designated housing plan to rehabilitate and fill 80 vacant units at Guste. This will allow the property to avoid the Section 33 mandatory conversion process. The conversion process would have seen residents removed from Guste and given tenant-based vouchers over a five-year period.

The Section 33 conversion process specifically targets general population households, and HANO asked HUD to exempt Guste because it focuses on elderly households.

Willman said via email that the renovations will include replacing and upgrading the fire alarm and the voice evacuation system to ensure the safety of residents. Part of the HVAC system will be upgraded and the gate access control in the parking lots will be repaired. These repairs are expected to cost approximately $2.5 million.

The 80 vacant units will be assessed to determine what work needs to be done to get them ready for residents. Cost estimates for these upgrades are not yet available. Willman said HANO will look into low income housing tax credits, multifamily revenue bonds and other revenue sources.

Willman said HANO will work with Guste Homes Resident Management Corp. to create a wait list of interested seniors throughout New Orleans. She added that HANO can also work with social services providers and agencies to advertise the units and recruit elderly households.

Cynthia Wiggins, chief operating officer of Guste Homes Resident Management Corp, expressed relief at HUD’s reversal.

“The decision has certainly eased the fears of our senior residents. As the property managers for the past 26 years, we have had the privilege of serving seniors who have lived in this community for more than 18 years. Their concerns were understandable, as many have no remaining family and deeply value the supportive relationships they have built with fellow residents,” Wiggins said in an email.

Wiggins also voiced her gratitude to New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno for her assistance.

“She (Moreno) assured them (the residents) that her office would remain engaged throughout the process and work expeditiously to ensure the appropriate decisions were made and she did,” Wiggins said.

Willman echoed Wiggins’ sentiments regarding Moreno and also gave thanks to the New Orleans City Council and Moreno’s chief of staff Kevin Ferguson.

“Their advocacy on behalf of Guste High Rise residents has been invaluable in making this outcome possible,” Willman said in a press release.

A video provided by Guste management featured testimonials from residents who spoke about what the homes have meant to them.

Jocelyn Cash, a Guste resident for 19 years, said, “It’s a wonderful feeling to have a place like the Guste to call home.”

Another resident, named Demetra Johnson, said her mother is in hospice and Guste helps care for her. “Guste has been so good to us,” Johnson said.

This article originally published in the March 16, 2026 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.