NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – City of New Orleans Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Ava Rogers will provide an update as part of the City’s ongoing efforts to reduce blight and employ local workers on the City’s expanded lot maintenance initiative launched in August 2014 to cut high grass and remove debris from privately-owned properties.
In February 2014 at the request of the Landrieu Administration, the New Orleans City Council revised municipal code Chapter 66 to allow the City to cite, notice, and abate a private property with grass of over 18 inches; trash, debris, or other refuse; and/or noxious growths (poison ivy, etc.).
Properties in violation are notified, and given a seven day abatement window. If the violations are not addressed, the City performs the abatement through its vendor. The City charges the delinquent owner for the abatement actions by putting the costs on their tax bill.
Last year, the City committed $1.5 million to expand its lot maintenance program focusing on the neighborhoods across New Orleans including: St. Roch/ Seventh Ward (District C/D), Central City (District B), Hollygrove (District A), Little Woods (District E), Behrman (District C), and Lower Ninth Ward (District E).
Through this program, in partnership with the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and Covenant House which employs at-risk youth, and other pre-existing blight initiatives, that employ minority business owners, the City has cut over 4,000 properties since the beginning of 2015. Funding is scheduled to continue through 2016 as we work to help bring people back home and return properties to commerce.
By combining blight abatement, neighborhood stabilization job training/wrap-around services, and minority-business engagement this innovative strategy is creating a cleaner and safer New Orleans. Since Mayor Landrieu took office in May 2010, New Orleans as a whole has 15,000 fewer blighted addresses.
WHO: Ava Rogers, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, City of New Orleans
WHAT: Media Availability on City’s expanded lot maintenance initiative
WHEN: TODAY, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015 at 9:00 a.m.
WHERE : Intersection of Andry and North Rocheblave streets in Lower Ninth Ward
New Orleans, LA 70117