MAYOR CANTRELL UPDATES RESIDENTS ON ADMINISTRATION’S FIRST SIX MONTHS
NEW ORLEANS – Mayor LaToya Cantrell – one week after submitting the 2019 budget to the City Council – updated residents on the progress of her administration at the six-month mark.
These “check-ins,” prepared in coordination with the Chief Administrative Office and City department heads, build on reports prepared at the 90-day mark of the Cantrell administration and serve several purposes:
- Provides context for the City’s ongoing oversight of the executive, administrative and infrastructure work that impacts the lives of residents
- Establishes a through line of work on multiple projects and initiatives – starting with the status quo or current situation, explaining the scope of the work, and illustrating outcomes and their impact
- Offers a foundation for the 2019 budget to inform how the City will address challenges moving forward
This six-month overview revealed continued progress throughout the City departments. It reflects achievements made on infrastructure, enhanced community engagement, establishment of executive leadership in key departments, the focus on public safety as a matter of public health, the advancement of economic opportunity, a comprehensive approach to making the city cleaner and safer, and the need for accountability.
“I am proud of all that we’ve accomplished in our first six months, and I am confident in the leadership team we’ve put into place,” said Mayor Cantrell. “As we work through this year’s budget process and identify our priorities for 2019, it’s an appropriate time to check in with our residents and update everyone on the significant progress that’s being made.”
[Read both the 6-month and 90-day check-ins here.)
Points of progress in several different areas include:
City Operations
- In coordination with the CleanUpNOLA initiative and the Department of Sanitation, staff at the Real-Time Crime Center designed a camera box to be installed in areas where chronic illegal dumping is occurring. The camera boxes are being assembled and installed by technology staff at the Real-Time Crime Center. Camera installation is underway. The first two locations are complete.
- The City secured a $37k Hazard Mitigation Grant Program grant to develop a Flood Response Preparation package. The work includes developing materials and messaging needed by the public before, during and after a major flood event. This effort will build additional capacity into the already successful NOLA Ready effort.
Housing
Through the 2018 Notice of Funding Availability, the City awarded more than $10 million to nine housing organizations for the rehabilitation and new construction of affordable housing throughout the City for a total of 504 rental housing units. About 390 units will be affordable housing units that will target special needs households such as elderly, disabled, formerly incarcerated and very low income earning households. The awarded developments leveraged the City’s resources with public and private funding to meet a combined total development costs and economic investment of $118,318,651.
Infrastructure
- Welcomed a new Executive Director for the Sewerage & Water Board – Ghassan Korban, former commissioner of Milwaukee’s Department of Public Works, who began in September. Currently there are 116 of 120 pumps operational in the city.
- The Sewerage and Water Board (SWB) has doubled the number of employees handling transfer accounts to make sure those customers who have moved receive a bill in a timely fashion. SWB has reduced the backlog of over 8,000 to just under 4,000. SWB has tripled the number of hearing officers to ensure bills under investigation and dispute are resolved in a timely manner. SWB has expanded Customer Service Center hours. The Center is now open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Celebrated the opening of several new facilities, including the reopening of the new Nora Navra branch of the New Orleans Public Library in the 7th Ward, and the connected locations for the New Orleans Police Department’s Second District headquarters and the New Orleans Recreation Department’s natatorium in Gert Town.
Neighborhood Engagement
- The Civic Leadership Academy, an eight-week program, provides residents with a general understanding of City government, shares the focus of departments including: general functioning, leadership, procedures, current initiatives, and interactive problem-solving opportunities.
- The Office of Neighborhood Engagement’s recently launched Community Office Hours are held twice a week at district-specific sites at NORD facilities that are accessible to public transportation. They were visited by nearly 600 residents since implementation on June 4, 2018. They have included various City departments/agencies including Code Enforcement, 311 and Sewage & Water Board.
Public Safety
- Launched CleanUpNOLA, a city-wide, fully coordinated initiative that unites the efforts of multiple civil departments and the community behind a single goal for a cleaner, healthier and more welcoming city. City departments include Sanitation, Public Works, Health, Safety & Permits, Code Enforcement, Neighborhood Engagement, Parks & Parkways, and Mosquito, Termite & Rodent Control. These City departments are coordinating efforts to reduce and deter litter and blight, promote a healthier environment, improve access to City services and expand community education and engagement. CleanUpNOLA will target 12 major corridors across the city. Part of the work will concentrate on the enhancement of current daily operations.
- Opened the new Low Barrier Shelter, 12,000 square foot facility that provides a 100 bed, 24/7 homeless shelter and which includes personal storage spaces, rest room and shower areas, separate dormitory sleeping spaces for men and women, a warming kitchen, and more.
- Successfully launched the “Ready for Rain” campaign across multiple agencies (led by New Orleans Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness) to more effectively communicate flood risk from heavy rain so residents will better understand the risks we face as a region. The campaign also encourages residents insure their properties against flood damage and employ flood mitigation measures.
- Conducted a review of the existing City-Assisted Evacuation (CAE) plan with participation from relevant public safety and public health stakeholders. This led to finalization of an improved plan for beginning of 2019 hurricane season.
- Under the Install Dat Smoke Alarm Project, the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) has installed 1,126 Smoke Alarms since May 7 at no cost to the residents. Under the Commercial Occupancy Inspection Program, NOFD has inspected 2,324 commercial occupancies.
Public Works
- The Department of Public Works (DPW) continued to make enhancements to the DPW Dashboard, including:
- Implementation of handheld tablets for real-time entry of Maintenance Division daily work records, including catch basin cleaning/repairs. (Field testing and staff training underway, with full implementation expected by 1Q 2019.)
- Working with partners including the New Orleans Health Department, NOPD, Bike Easy and People for Bikes, the Department of Public Works has continued expansion of the city’s network of bike paths. The four-month “Connect the Crescent” pop-up demonstration project in the CBD, Mid-City and French Quarter began in September, and community engagement activity is underway for a two-year mobility project that includes improved bike infrastructure and access for pedestrians and motorists.
Leadership
Along with the onboarding of the new Sewerage & Water Board executive director, the City also has overseen new leadership transition in key departments, including the Department of Health, the Department of Public Works and the Orleans Parish Communication District, and is preparing to install new leadership at the New Orleans Recreation Department.
Employment
Through the Office of Workforce Development, JOB1 assisted more than 550 individuals with employment and training services, and placed 273 job seekers in employment since May 2018 through the federal employment and training program.
Technology
Launched the Digital Equity Challenge to deploy creative solutions that harnessed New Orleans’ diverse culture, communities, and shared experiences to introduce people to technology in an inviting manner. One of the results: 15 high-school aged residents learned to use digital media technology as part of a collaborative design process to create a traveling mural.
[Watch Mayor Cantrell offer an overview of the report here.]
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