NEW ORLEANS, LA—Today, the New Orleans City Council passed an amended version of the Healthy Homes Ordinance. Below is the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center’s executive director, Cashauna Hill’s, statement on the passage of the ordinance:

“The Healthy Homes Ordinance was intended to be the culmination of more than a decade of advocacy to finally protect renters’ health, hold slumlords accountable, and fortify our housing stock against future storms. While the amended version that Councilmembers passed today falls far short of that goal, it includes an important protection. This ordinance will ensure that New Orleans joins 43 other states with existing anti-retaliation protections for renters who ask for a repair or report a health or safety violation in their home. Renters who make requests for repairs or file complaints should now have some protection against retaliatory evictions and rent hikes.

We remain disappointed about Councilmembers’ decision to remove regular inspections for larger and corporate landlords from the ordinance, especially given the outpouring of support in favor of a robust and meaningful Healthy Homes ordinance. The City of New Orleans will never prevent the next Oakmont or Willows—buildings that have fallen into extreme neglect—without proactive health and safety inspections. On behalf of our clients who have lived in these properties and the hundreds of people who spoke up in support of Healthy Homes, LaFHAC will continue advocating for comprehensive protections that actually protect New Orleanians’ health and hold slumlords accountable.”