La. Stat. Ann. § R.S. 40:526
Exempt records
Operative Text
§526. Exempt records Notwithstanding any other law with respect to the availability of public records for inspection, the following records of a housing authority are exempt from public disclosure: (1) All records in the individual file of a resident, former resident, or applicant for public housing. (2) All records in the individual file of any landlord or individual providing a dwelling that is in any manner administered by a housing authority. (3) All lists that identify residents, former residents, and applications. However, statistical compilations are not exempt unless, by identification of location, family size, employment, or similar information, a resident, former resident, or applicant may be identified. (4) The addresses of any dwellings that are assisted, either directly by the action of the housing authority or as a result of the resident's selection. However, statistical compilations are not exempt unless some or all of them may be specifically identified by address as a result of such compilation. (5) The home address or personal telephone number of any resident, former resident, applicant, or landlord. (6) Communications within a housing authority or between a housing authority and other public agencies of an advisory nature to the extent that they cover other than purely factual materials and are preliminary to any final authority determination of policy or action. (7) Any information in the possession of the authority concerning the criminal history or other background information pertaining to any tenant or applicant for assistance. (8) Information submitted to a housing authority in confidence and not otherwise required by law to be submitted, where such information should reasonably be considered confidential, and the housing authority has obliged itself in good faith not to disclose the information. (9) Any other material or information that is otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law.
Under La. R.S. § 40:526, Louisiana housing authorities are permitted to withhold certain categories of records from public disclosure, even when general public-records laws might otherwise require access. Protected information includes individual resident, applicant, and landlord files; lists that could identify specific individuals; dwelling addresses in assisted housing programs; personal contact information; internal advisory communications; criminal history or background data on tenants and applicants; and information submitted in confidence. Statistical summaries may still be released, provided they cannot be used to identify specific individuals or addresses.
Plain English — not legal advice.
La. R.S. § 40:526 shields individual landlord files held by a housing authority—including personal addresses and phone numbers—from routine public-records requests. Operators who participate in housing-authority-administered programs can generally expect that sensitive file information submitted to the authority will be treated as confidential, particularly when the authority has committed in good faith to non-disclosure. Maintaining clear documentation of what information was submitted and under what confidentiality understanding is a practice consistent with the protections this statute contemplates.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
La. R.S. § 40:526 gives residents, former residents, and applicants a meaningful privacy interest in records held by a housing authority, including personal files, contact information, and criminal history or background data. If a tenant believes their protected information has been improperly disclosed, they may consider raising the violation with the housing authority directly, contacting a tenant-rights organization familiar with Louisiana public housing law, or consulting with an attorney about available remedies. Statistical data about housing programs may still be publicly available, but only in forms that cannot be traced back to individual tenants or addresses.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 20, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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