50 percent of New Orleans residents are renters, and New Orleans is raising its standards for landlords.
“We can’t go to work, we can’t go to school, we can’t function without a safe place to call home,” Housing Advocate Monique Blossom said.
Starting Monday, Orleans Parish landlords will have to register for a Healthy Home certificate and comply with new, higher rental standards.
Until now, landlords weren’t even required to provide air conditioning for their tenants, but a cool space to sleep is just one of the minimum requirements.
“New Orleans has had a legacy of substandard housing conditions,” Blossom said.
The city would also prohibit evidence of mold and infestations.
“We’ve needed a way that all renters are guaranteed safe living conditions,” Blossom said.
If a landlord isn’t meeting Healthy Home standards, tenants can report potential violations without fear of retaliation from their landlords. Councilmember Eugene Green says the most important part of the program is the tenant complaint process.
“There are some landlords that are not going to do the repairs that are necessary,” Councilmember Green said. “This gives them the option to go to local government to get things done.”
But even with the new standards and protections, Blossom said the city could still be doing more on the front end.
“I think the program could go further by making these inspections mandatory and proactive, instead of waiting on renters to call in with complaints,” Blossom said.
The City Council plans to finalize all rules and regulations at their next meeting. The consideration of rules and regulations for the program will be held on Jan. 12.
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