LA RE Talks EP 10: St Tammany Needs 17,000 Homes? We Asked the Parish Council Member Behind the Study
A recent housing study claiming that St. Tammany Parish may need between 11,500 and 17,300 new housing units by 2030 sparked major debate across South Louisiana.
Some residents see it as proof that affordability has become a serious issue for workers and families trying to live in the parish. Others see it as a warning sign of overdevelopment, worsening traffic, infrastructure strain, and flooding concerns.
So in this episode of Louisiana Real Estate Talks, Courtney Fricke and Stephen Keighery sit down with St. Tammany Parish Council Member Kathy Seiden, one of the leaders involved in initiating the study, to go deeper into what the report actually says, why it was commissioned, and what the future of growth in the parish could look like.
This conversation goes far beyond headlines and digs into the real tension between development, affordability, infrastructure, property rights, rentals, blighted housing, and preserving the character of St. Tammany Parish.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why the St. Tammany housing study was commissioned
- What “affordable housing” actually means in this context
- The real demand pressures facing the parish
- Why workforce housing has become such a major topic
- Concerns residents have about traffic, flooding, and infrastructure
- The debate around rentals, multifamily housing, and development
- Why many people pushed back after the study was released
- The role blighted and vacant properties could play in the solution
- Whether growth in St. Tammany is avoidable at this point
- How parish leadership is thinking about long-term planning
Topics Discussed
- St. Tammany population growth
- Entry-level housing shortages
- Workforce housing
- Rising home prices and affordability challenges
- Property taxes and insurance pressure
- Infrastructure and drainage concern
- Rental housing demand
- Manufactured housing and affordability
- Public-private partnerships
- Blighted property redevelopment
- NIMBYism and community pushback
- Parish planning and future development strategy
Why This Conversation Matters
St. Tammany Parish has become one of the most desirable places to live in Louisiana.
But with that growth comes difficult questions:
How do you balance demand with infrastructure?
How do you preserve community character while still creating housing opportunity?
And what role should investors, developers, landlords, and local government play moving forward?
Whether you agree with the study or not, this conversation helps explain why this issue has become one of the biggest Real Estate discussions in Louisiana right now.
Link to our first episode on the study: https://youtu.be/sJsiMwFMK2o
READ THE STUDY HERE: https://cms3.revize.com/revize/sttammanyparish/STP_CHNA_2026_c.pdf?t=202603311624180&t=202603311624180
ATTENTION:The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only and reflects personal experiences and opinions. It is not intended as legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Real Estate laws, tax rules, and regulations vary by state and situation. Always consult with a qualified attorney, CPA, or other licensed professional before making any Real Estate or financial decisions.Connect with Parish Council Woman, Kathy Seiden:
Kathy's Email: kseiden@stpgov.org
All Parish Council Members: https://www.stpgov.org/government/parish_council/index.php
Koop Drive General Phone Number: (985) 898-2591Connect with Stephen Keighery:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCBFQ_43MCI9tJ8tB6m9q92g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenkeighery/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephenkeighery LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenkeighery/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephen.keigheryX: https://x.com/stephenkeigheryWebsite: https://homebuyerlouisiana.com/about-us/stephen-keighery/Connect with Courtney Fricke: Website: www.CourtneyFricke.com for more resources.
