LAND USE

The Capital Region Planning Commission (CRPC) conducted a land use analysis to evaluate disparities in employment and housing distribution across the region. This report assesses housing availability, infrastructure needs, and land-use patterns in high-risk areas, providing a data-driven approach for sustainable development. The 2025 CEDS establishes a Jobs to Housing Ratio Policy as illustrated below. Jobs-housing balance is a planning tool that local governments can use to achieve a roughly equal number of jobs and housing units (or households) in a jurisdiction. The notion of balancing jobs and housing goes well beyond trying to attain numerical equality. Ideally, the jobs available in a community should match the labor force skills, and housing should be available at prices, sizes, and locations suited to workers who wish to live in the area. Hence, there is a qualitative as well as quantitative component to achieving jobs-housing balance which each parish should strive to attain.

Key Findings

• Job-Rich Areas (1.0+ Ratio): Parishes like East Baton Rouge and Iberville have more jobs than housing, necessitating more residential development to balance commuting patterns. Parishes like East Baton Rouge (1.53), Iberville (1.16), West Feliciana (1.14), and West Baton Rouge (1.01) have more jobs than housing, indicating a potential need for more housing to support their workforce.
• Housing-Rich Areas (<1.0 Ratio): Parishes like St. Helena (0.42), Livingston (0.47), Pointe Coupee (0.56), Washington (0.61), East Feliciana (0.66), Ascension (0.84), and Tangipaghoa (0.88) have insufficient job opportunities relative to housing availability, indicating a need for economic development strategies.

This imbalance calls for targeted economic development strategies to boost employment in job-poor areas while ensuring balanced housing growth in job-rich regions. A coordinated, regional approach can align economic development with workforce needs, reduce commuting pressures, and promote sustainable growth.