NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — New Orleans East is often associated with high crime, but some advocates and public officials say this is not a fair assessment and that it has investors weary of developing the area.
New Orleans East Matters President Tangee Wall said, “Crime is a problem in our city, but even in other areas of the city, it doesn’t prohibit development.”
She disputes that the East is too crime-ridden for developers to build and feels it’s an unfair portrayal.
“When we look at stories that have happened in Metairie or in, the downtown area, you know, that doesn’t prohibit even the tourists from coming. It doesn’t prohibit investors from taking a look at a good place to open a business,” said Wall.
After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, many businesses left New Orleans East. Now, driving through, you see empty and abandoned lots where superstores or malls once stood.
Wall explained that the East does not lack businesses: “We have businesses, small businesses, which are great; they are a cornerstone,” but the area needs more.
New Orleans City Councilmember Oliver Thomas explained, “The demographic has changed post-Katrina because what happened with the housing developments and the push for subsidized housing in the apartment complexes out there.”
He described New Orleans East as “7000 acres of developable business parks, 27 subdivisions with the highest African American earners in any municipal district,” adding there is still a large upper and middle class that calls the East home.
Thomas co-sponsored a motion in the City Planning Commission to conduct a study on striking a better balance in retail.
“I’m hoping that gives us a clear picture of what kind of retail and shopping opportunities exist in New Orleans East, and what do we have to do to encourage our entice others?” said Thomas.
The City Planning Commission will meet on Tuesday to discuss zoning options, and the study will be ready for next month.
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