Meetings and happenings

This series of NORA meetings (one in each council district) begins in District B tomorrow night.

The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority is holding community engagement meetings throughout March to update residents on its investments throughout the city and discuss future opportunities for properties and housing in each area.

The goal is to keep residents and businesses informed on the progress of economic development of properties in each council district.

I believe this is a follow up on a City Council directive to the agency to "collaborate with the community" on ways to put the 3,000 or so properties it holds via the Road Home program to use in alleviating the affordable housing crisis. It's probably a good idea to go there and talk the folks. Otherwise, they'll probably hear from a bunch of flippers and short term rental vultures.

Later in the month (March 25), the Office of Neighborhood Engagement will host a breakfast at Cafe Reconcile where officials are supposed to provide updates on STR licensing as well as the mayor's creepy surveillance plan.

Again, these events can either be genuine opportunities for grassroots input or they can be more face time for insiders, landlords, and developers depending on who shows up.