“I’m confident that as a Council working closely with the Chief Administrative Officer’s team, we can deliver a balanced budget just as we have done year after year. While I appreciate the administration searching for revenue raising solutions, we should pursue all other options rather than raising local fees and taxes. Cost of living burdens are already too high for the people of New Orleans. I appreciate CAO Joe Threat looking to find efficiencies in government, and as I mentioned in today’s meeting, there are even likely opportunities to draw additional revenues through strategy and early collaboration with our state legislators. I look forward to working to find solutions to meet the priority needs of the people of New Orleans and to address our budget obligations by December 1.”

NEW ORLEANS, LA — New Orleans City Council Vice President Helena Moreno advanced legislation during today’s Governmental Affairs Committee directing the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) to establish a new local safety alert system designed to locate missing vulnerable children and adults. This legislation is a direct response to the recent heartbreaking situation concerning Bryan Vazquez, who went missing in New Orleans and his case did not meet established requirements for an AMBER alert to be issued.

NEW ORLEANS, LA — The City secured a landmark victory in Federal Court today. The Honorable Judge Zainey dismissed Airbnb’s lawsuit with prejudice for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. The lawsuit alleged that the City’s 2023 short-term rental laws—creating non-commercial short-term rental permits—violated property owners’ constitutional rights. Additionally, the platform claimed the City’s regulations also violated the platform’s constitutional rights as well as federal laws. 

NEW ORLEANS, LA — New Orleans City Council Vice President Helena Moreno filed legislation to establish a new local safety alert system designed to locate and aid missing vulnerable children and adults. While AMBER Alerts and Silver Alerts are important tools, they are limited to specific cases, leaving out many at-risk individuals, including children who don’t meet AMBER criteria and adults of all ages with cognitive, developmental, or physical challenges.

The proposed local alert program would fill those gaps, ensuring swift public notification when such an individual is reported missing in Orleans Parish. Alerts would be distributed through the City’s NOLA Ready platform or a comparable system, operating 24/7.

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Councilmembers JP Morrell and Helena Moreno are standing with the Lower 9th Ward community and stating their opposition to the Alabo Street Grain Terminal through a City Council resolution that will be heard at next week’s meeting. Under the agreement made between the Port of New Orleans and Sunrise Foods International, negotiated without any community input, a 10-car train would transport grain through residential neighborhoods with little plans for pest and dust mitigation.

Neighbors have expressed concerns regarding the potential negative impacts of the Alabo Street Sunrise Food grain terminal, including but not limited to: environmental concerns, traffic and safety issues, community displacement, and lack of community engagement. The resolution expresses the need for Sunrise Foods to move to an alternative location.