NEW ORLEANS, LA — As Mayor Helena Moreno’s Administration marks its first 100 days, District B Councilmember Lesli Harris is proud to highlight the tangible results delivered through her close partnership with Mayor Moreno and fellow Council members on affordable housing, homelessness, economic development, and public safety. Councilmember Harris has played a pivotal role in both the Administration’s legislative agenda and the fiscal discipline that makes these investments possible.
As Budget Chair: Fiscal Accountability in Partnership with the Mayor
Councilmember Harris has worked hand in hand with the Moreno Administration to stabilize the city’s finances. Together, they have produced $8 million in Q1 overtime savings, recovered $7 million through expanded sales tax audits, and modernized the monthly financial reporting.
“Fiscal responsibility and investment in people are not in conflict; they are the same thing. As Budget Chair, my job is to ensure that every dollar the City spends delivers results for our residents,” said Harris. “I am proud to partner with Mayor Moreno and CAO Giarrusso to help improve the city's financial health while protecting the services New Orleanians depend on.”
Notably, Councilmember Harris was able to secure $5 million from Municipal and Traffic Court reserves to help with the City’s finances.
Affordable Housing: Historic Investments Coming to Life
As the architect of the voter-approved Housing Trust Fund, Harris advanced the Cooperative Endeavor Agreements with NORA and Finance New Orleans in April 2026. This CEA formalizes the framework to invest in affordable and workforce housing initiatives.
In November 2025, she championed City Council approval of three major affordable housing developments that recently broke ground across the city:
- NSA Bywater: nearly 300 workforce housing units at a long-blighted riverfront site, co-championed with District C Councilmember Freddie King.
- BW Cooper Senior Housing: 103 affordable senior units on Erato Street.
- Esplanade DeLille (Tremé): 50 mixed-income units with ground-floor retail for minority-owned businesses, again co-championed by Councilmember King.
One of the most exciting developments in District B is the redevelopment of the long-vacant Lindy Boggs (Mid-City) hospital site.
"Every one of these developments represents a family that gets to stay in New Orleans, a senior who ages with dignity, a small business owner who can afford a storefront in their own neighborhood. I am proud to have fought for these investments alongside Mayor Moreno and my Council colleagues, and I am even more proud that we are just getting started,” said Harris.
Homelessness: Proven Model, Modernized Shelter
Along with Dr. Jennifer Avegno, Councilmember Harris founded the Home for Good New Orleans initiative, which has housed over 1,500 individuals and closed eight encampments. The program’s 10-year Sustainability Plan, continuing under the Moreno Administration, charts a path toward ending unsheltered homelessness in New Orleans through coordinated outreach, accelerated shelter exits, and secured public-private funding.
“Reaching the goal of housing 1,500 New Orleanians through Home for Good is a milestone that belongs to an entire community — nonprofit partners, City agencies, and philanthropic investors, as well as the individuals who had the courage to accept a hand up,” said Harris. “Now, under Mayor Moreno’s leadership, we are implementing the Home for Good Sustainability Plan to make that progress permanent. Combined with a modernized shelter and the Housing Trust Fund coming to life, we are building a city where homelessness is rare, brief, and truly non-recurring.”
Harris supports the Moreno Administration’s plans for a modernized Shelter and Engagement Center — a new, centrally located facility designed to remove the traditional barriers that prevent unhoused individuals from seeking shelter and receiving care. Current City and non-profit facilities operate at capacity and lack the infrastructure to support individuals with complex needs. The proposed 48,000-sq-ft facility is in pre-design.
“Addressing affordable housing and homelessness is economic development. When families can afford to stay in New Orleans, when seniors aren't displaced, when small business owners can open their doors in their own neighborhoods — that is how an entire city prospers. I am proud to continue partnering with Mayor Moreno and my Council colleagues to make that vision a reality for every New Orleanian, in every corner of this city,” said Harris.