Purpose -The purpose of this paper aims to explore the reports of housing shortages in post-Katrina New Orleans especially for low-income residents in the face of a returning working poor population. Despite the availability of housing vouchers by the New Orleans Housing Authority to any previous residents of New Orleans housing projects, a political uproar has claimed no homes are available and that destroying the previously failing New Orleans housing projects would amount to "forced homelessness." Design/methodology/approach -The analysis is done by reflecting on different commentary from persons claiming the housing projects must be preserved while also exploring the failed goals of the same public institutions. Further, a brief overview of the housing situation regarding availability of homes is conducted. Findings -The findings show that the poor of New Orleans are being misled about available housing, and there is a continuing process of decline in sovereignty of local public policy makers. Politicians benefit by elevating their public persona. Originality/value -The paper explores the political benefactors of perpetuating falsehoods in order to make political gains.