Upcoming Hearings

None on our list of tracked properties. Please let us know if you’re interested in tracking a hearing.

Code Enforcement procedures for blighted properties

The Code Enforcement pipeline in New Orleans generally favors the property owner. This bias leaves communities dealing with blighted, vacant properties with little support from the city. The community around Music St and N Villere St have had experience dealing with the Code Enforcement pipeline, and these are some key insights and suggestions from that process.

identify blight and code violations

Its important to know the difference between a nuisance and a code violation. A "messy house" may be a nuisance, but it is not a crime or against code. "Rodent harborage" is against code and can be cited and enforced by the city.

Getting attention on a property

  • Submit 311 requests and track them via the 311 dashboard

  • Take photos and videos

  • Contact the property owner directly and maintain records (text messages, written letters, email, even recorded phone calls)

  • Call NOPD for any crimes on the scene and get a case number

  • Contact City Council representatives for assistance with code enforcement pipeline

    • District C: Damian Clark or Mary Cunningham

    • District D: Pierce Huff

    • If the property is in danger of "imminent collapse", this is a fast-pass through the pipeline

  • Watch for a hearing

    • An orange notice will be posted to the property

    • Also watch the New Orleans data portal

Prepare for the hearing

Both the orange notice and the listing in the NOLA Data Portal will list the code violations. In preparation for the hearing, read through and understand each of the violations. Take more photos identifying specific instances of each.

One week prior to the hearing, community members should start writing a statement of their experience with the property. How does the property in it current state impact you? How do each of the violations make your life worse? How long has it been in this condition? Are things changing in a negative direction? Does the property have a history of code enforcement violations?

This will be emailed to code enforcement.

One day prior to the hearing, send testimonies to “codeenforcement@nola.gov” with the subject “HEARING: ADDRESS”. For example, “HEARING: 1338 Music St”.

A few people should be prepared to speak with accuracy and brevity on the impact of the property on the neighborhood.

At the hearing

Throughout the COVID quarantine, hearings are help with the Cisco WebEx meeting system. If you are using a computer and have not previously used WebEx, you will have to install a browser extension. Be sure to do this ahead of time! If you are using a cell phone, you can join with the WebEx app or simply dial in.

The hearings proceed very quickly and are typically completely finished in less than 15 minutes. The procedure is as follows:

  • Hearing officer will read the case number and identify the defendant (property owner)

  • Hearing officer will ask the other attendees to make themselves known. At this point, community members will have to speak up and state their name and address.

  • The charges will be stated.

  • The defendant will have an opportunity to explain.

  • The community members will have an opportunity to state their case.

  • Ruling