Community Development Committee Meeting – October 20, 2026

The Community Development Committee met on October 20, 2026. A quorum was present (Councilmembers Morel, Harris, King, and Green). The committee approved previous meeting minutes and a Workforce Development MOU before debating an ordinance to regulate obstructions in public rights-of-way and receiving a presentation on the new Office of Population and Demographics.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (July 7, 2026): Councilmember Willard moved for adoption, seconded by Councilmember Harris. Approved unanimously (3 yeas).
• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with WIOA One Stop System Partners (JOB1): A three-year agreement with no general fund impact, required for a federal grant. Councilmember Willard noted the item was understood, moved for adoption, and it was approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kathy Singleton (mother of former councilmember Stacey Head): Recounted her experience eight years ago attempting to secure permits for dumpsters. She reported that the permit office cited being "too busy" to enforce permitting. She provided addresses on three occasions with no follow-up. She expressed full support for the new ordinance, calling it a "quality of life issue" and noted the city missed out on "tens of thousands of dollars" in uncollected fees.

Discussion Items

• Cal. Ord. No. 35,576 – Obstructions in the Public Right-of-Way

  • Courtney Fleming (Chief of Staff for Councilmember Willard) presented the ordinance. She stated that 311 has received 340 complaints since 2022, two-thirds of which involved blocking the right-of-way. Currently, a complaint can go to one of five city departments, and resolution can take over a year.
  • The ordinance streamlines enforcement by adding NOPD to DPW and Safety & Permits. It expands the definition of items requiring a permit, raises the application fee from $40 to $80 and the daily fee from $10 to $20, establishes a $500 fine for violations, and adopts Louisiana Public Service Commission rates for towing and storage.
  • Capt. Mishu (NOPD) expressed support, stating the initiative will make streets safer and inform citizens there are consequences for obstructing roadways, noting accidents have occurred as a result.
  • Director Kirby (DPW) supported the effort, emphasizing it puts "teeth" behind safety violations.
  • Director Nelson (Safety & Permits) supported the legislation, stating it provides clear guidance on responsibility, improving safety and convenience.
  • Councilmember Harris asked about shipping containers on Washington Avenue and Teledano. Capt. Mishu confirmed the city currently lacks the in-house equipment to tow shipping containers, though similar work has been contracted out.
  • Councilmember Willard framed the issue as both a safety concern (citing an example of a dumpster in a bike lane on Broad Street) and a quality of life issue. He noted the next step is for DPW to promulgate rules with Safety & Permits and NOPD, and to conduct a cost-benefit analysis on bringing towing equipment in-house.

• Presentation – Office of Population and Demographics (Exec. Order HM 26-23)

  • Christopher Ard, Director, presented the office's mission to prepare for the 2030 U.S. Census, the first digital census. He stated that currently, "not one entity in New Orleans knows where all the addresses are."
  • Key activities include the LUCA program (Local Update of Census Addresses) starting April 2027, creating a single Master Address Database (NOMAD) for the city, and building addressing governance. He noted his office is working with a Paragon Fellowship (students from MIT, Emory, etc.) to interview city departments on address usage.
  • Ard outlined significant threats to an accurate count: proposed federal rule changes to remove race and ethnicity questions, a rule using tax documents to determine residency (which would harm part-time residents and low-income individuals), and general fear among immigrant communities. He noted that Governor Landry is part of a lawsuit to exclude non-citizens from the count. The city has a deadline of November 2 to submit a response to the proposed rule changes.
  • Councilmember Willard expressed full support for Ard's work, emphasizing that federal funding is tied directly to the census count.

Key Outcomes

• Cal. Ord. No. 35,576: Adopted with 4 yeas, 0 nays. A verbal vote was conducted because Councilmember King's voting machine was inoperable.
• Presentation: The committee received the presentation from the Office of Population and Demographics. No formal action was taken, but the committee expressed support for the office's mission to ensure an accurate census count.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by motion.