NEW ORLEANS, LA — At today’s City Council meeting, Councilmember Lesli Harris championed the submission of two Cooperative Endeavor Agreements (CEAs), which will deliver on her commitment to affordable housing and transformative community investment.
HOUSING TRUST FUND
Councilmember Harris filed legislation to enact an agreement between the City of New Orleans, the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA), and Finance New Orleans, authorizing the agencies to administer millions of dollars in housing resources secured through the City’s Housing Trust Fund. This landmark partnership brings together the City’s premier housing and financial institutions to direct critical resources toward affordable housing production and preservation for New Orleans families. The CEA is scheduled for full Council approval on April 23.
“This is a game-changer for affordable housing in New Orleans,” said Councilmember Harris. “By aligning us all under a shared framework, we are ensuring that Housing Trust Fund dollars are put to work as efficiently and impactfully as possible. This is exactly the kind of coordinated investment our communities deserve.”
Today, Councilmember Harris also successfully moved Motion M-26-138, appointing seven members to the Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee. The committee will continue to advise the City Council on appropriations from the Housing Trust Fund and submit regular reports to the Council.
The newly appointed committee includes:
- Elizabeth Holman, nominee of the Mayor
- Sabrina Mays, nominee of the City Council Quality of Life Committee Chair
- Maxwell Ciardullo, nominee of the City Council Community Development Committee Chair
- Ellen Lee, nominee of the City Council Budget, Audit, and Board of Review Committee Chair
- Tashia Gaspard, nominee of the City Council President, with lived experience being unhoused or living in affordable housing
- Monique Blossom, nominee of the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center
- Elizabeth Harvey, nominee of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
All appointments take effect immediately, with terms running through December 31, 2026. The committee and its membership must be renewed annually.
FORMER LINDY BOGGS/ MERCY HOSPITAL SITE
Councilmember Harris also filed legislation to approve a CEA between the City and Mercy Partners, LLC, which will lead to long-awaited redevelopment of the former Mercy Hospital site. This agreement marks a pivotal step forward in bringing new life to one of the most significant properties in District B, unlocking investment and opportunity for the surrounding community. It will also create meaningful drainage improvements for residents, since the new Mercy site will be equipped to store thousands of gallons of stormwater.
“Addressing the abandoned and blighted Mercy Hospital site has been a priority for me and for this community for years,” said Councilmember Harris. “This partnership is the result of sustained advocacy and careful negotiation to make sure this redevelopment works for the people who live and work in this neighborhood. Today, we continued to move that promise forward.”