Roundup: Housing affordability / Live After Five lineup / Meta on trial

Louisiana has lowest gap: Louisiana had the lowest housing affordability gap in the nation, with home prices rising 40% from 2015 to 2024 while median household income increased 33.4%. The state also ranked among the states with the most attainable 20% down payments, although the typical Louisiana down payment still equaled more than a year of median pre-tax household income. Louisiana has fared better than most states on housing affordability, even as federal housing programs have had little measurable impact on narrowing affordability gaps nationwide. The Center Square has the full story.

Baton Rouge boogies: Baton Rouge’s free Live After Five concert series has announced its fall 2026 lineup, featuring six Friday-night shows from Sept. 18 through Oct. 30. The lineup highlights homegrown Louisiana talent, including The Chris LeBlanc Band and Friends, N’TUNE, After 8, The Rumble ft. Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr., The Michael Foster Project and Rouge Krewe. Shows run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Rhorer Plaza and include local food vendors, kids’ activities and family-friendly entertainment.

What’s at stake: Meta is facing a trial brought by 29 states alleging it misled users about child safety, violated privacy laws and designed features like infinite scrolling and notifications to maximize engagement among minors. If Meta loses, it could face up to $1.4 trillion in damages and major court-ordered changes to Facebook and Instagram, potentially reshaping how the platforms work. Meta denies the allegations, saying the states’ claims are unjustified. Inc. has the full story.