New Orleans City Council Committee Meeting – April 21, 2026

The Budget Committee of the New Orleans City Council met on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, to receive a presentation on the low-barrier shelter operated by Odyssey House Louisiana and to consider two contract amendments for demolition services with Durr Heavy Construction. The meeting included roll call, adoption of previous minutes, and discussion on homelessness response and blight remediation.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes of the meeting held December 9, 2025, were unanimously adopted.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments or testimony were heard. All remarks were from council members and administrative staff.

Discussion Items

• Presentation by Odyssey House Louisiana (OHL): OHL provided an update on the low-barrier shelter (LBS) operations, which they assumed in June 2024. Key data from January–December 2025: 100% bed capacity (296 beds), served 747 individuals, 349 rehoused, 421 received primary care at their FQHC, 1,575 visits to the FQHC, 32 connected to the Sobering Center, and 67 entered detox/treatment. They highlighted the shelter as a cost-effective public health infrastructure. Councilmember Harris asked about geographic origin of guests, ADA compliance (elevators broken for three years), and coordination with other agencies. She expressed support for the shelter but noted the need for a new, compliant facility. Councilmember Hughes sought clarity on bed capacity at the shelter vs. OHL’s residential treatment program (147 beds, over half empty due to lack of funding for uninsured). OHL testified at the state legislature about challenges in treating uninsured individuals. Councilmember Harris opposed state legislation criminalizing sleeping on streets. No vote was taken on the presentation.

• Contracts with Durr Heavy Construction: The committee considered two amendments: an emergency demolition contract (additional $1.5 million, total lifetime value ~$13 million) and a non-emergency demolition contract (current value $749,000, no increase). Both contracts were set to expire March 29, 2026, and have been on pause for three weeks. Director Anthony Davis of Code Enforcement explained that the contracts have been held by Durr since 2020 and are needed to address blighted properties. Councilmember Hughes expressed concerns about sole-source contracting, lack of competition, and the absence of follow-up maintenance on vacant lots (overgrown, litter, rodents). He requested data on demolitions by council district and questioned performance metrics. Councilmember King raised concerns about DBE participation, noting that Durr’s primary DBE subcontractor (Ovella Enterprises) is not Orleans-based and urged intentional hiring of Orleans Parish companies. Councilmember Harris echoed concerns about empty lots becoming nuisances and asked about cost recovery (only about $1 million recovered against $17 million in debts). Director Davis stated that without contract approval, the city cannot respond to emergency demolitions. Chairman Hughes noted he could not vote in favor without further discussions on maintenance and equity.

Key Outcomes

• Emergency demolition contract (Item 4A): Motion to advance to full council passed 3-1 (Chairman Hughes voted no).
• Non-emergency demolition contract (Item 4B): Similarly advanced to full council with a 3-1 vote (Chairman Hughes voted no).
• Councilmember King moved to adjourn; seconded by Councilmember Harris; no objections.

Note: The transcript’s opening states the date as April 24, but per the provided instruction, the meeting date is formally recorded as April 21, 2026.