NEW ORLEANS, LA – At the regular meeting today, the Council approved an Ordinance authorizing the City to enter into a lease agreement with S&M Collections Center LLC. It also adopted an Ordinance to enter into a Cooperative Endeavour Agreement (CEA) with the State’s Office of Community Development, allowing the New Orleans Aviation Board (NOAB) to receive disaster-recovery funds. In addition, the Council passed a Resolution supporting the redevelopment of Plaza Tower and other measures.
Before the meeting began, the Council issued two proclamations. The first was presented to Kevin Stamp Jr., honored for attaining the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America. Stamp Jr. thanked the scouting community and his parents for their support.
Kevin Stamp Jr. with Councilmembers Thomas and Green.
The Council also issued a proclamation to Laketa M. Smith for her selfless service, her positive community impact, and for elevating forgotten voices throughout the city. Smith will also be running a full marathon in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she will proudly represent New Orleans.
Laketa M. Smith with Councilmembers Thomas and Green.
Council Authorizes Lease Agreement with S&M Collision Center, LLC
With Ordinance No. 35,276, the Council authorized the City, through NOAB, to lease land and a warehouse near 26th and Connecticut Streets in Kenner from S&M Collision Center, LLC. The five-year lease, from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2030, allows either party to terminate with 30 days’ notice. The purpose of the lease is to store, maintain, and repair cars and parts, with an annual rent of $33,678.75 for the first year, plus CPI increases capped at 3%.
Council Authorizes CEA with the State’s Office of Community Development
The Council adopted Ordinance No. 35,301, which authorizes the City, through NOAB, to enter into a CEA with the State’s Office of Community Development. This agreement will allow the Louis Armstrong International Airport to accept a $165,940.17 grant requested from the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR). The purpose of this grant is primarily for disaster recovery funding and will help pay for emergency fire watches on the Airport’s south campus after the fire pumps, fire alarms, and sprinkler systems sustained damage during Hurricane Ida in 2021.
Council Supports Legacy Public School Name Preservation
Through Resolution R-25-581, the Council encouraged NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) to protect the historic and legacy names of city public schools despite current financial difficulties or consolidations. The Council highlighted that many school names hold deep cultural and historical importance for the community, either by honoring local leaders or reflecting neighborhood identity. This resolution also urges NOLA-PS to establish a Legacy Schools Working Group, composed of alumni, neighborhood leaders, educators, and historians to create a transparent process for preserving or memorializing historic school names.
Council Expresses Support for Plaza Tower Redevelopment
The Council adopted Resolution R-25-584, which expresses support for including Plaza Tower within the federal Difficult to Develop Area (DDA) boundaries to help make its redevelopment into senior housing financially feasible. This resolution supports a two-part request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The first is expanding the DDA boundary to cover more of Downtown New Orleans, including Plaza Tower, due to high construction costs and post-disaster economic conditions. The second is providing a site-specific DDA designation for Plaza Tower so the project can receive a 30% Low Income Housing Tax Credit basis boost.
View the meeting agenda click here, or watch the full meeting on YouTube.