New Orleanians want less flash, more function from City Hall
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Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
Many New Orleanians are scaling back their hopes for City Hall after years of big promises and slow progress.
Why it matters: Instead of dreaming of transformation, residents just want a city that works.
The big picture: In a recent citywide poll, 37% of residents said street repair and maintenance were their top concerns, and 30% pointed to drainage and flooding.
- While crime remains the top concern overall, its importance has fallen since last year, as frustration has grown with street conditions, according to the New Orleans Crime Coalition survey.
- 65% of respondents said the city is on the wrong track.
- "People have not been trusting City Hall for some time now," says Robert Collins, a professor of urban studies and public policy at Dillard.
Zoom in: City priorities are a focus of this fall's election, when voters have the potential to overhaul the leadership at City Hall.
- LaToya Cantrell is term-limited and her mayoral seat is hotly contested. So are the City Council spots.
Inside the room: New Orleanians care about their city, and there's been intense interest in how things can be fixed.
- In about a dozen community meetings over the past year, residents have shared their ideas for how to improve safety on Bourbon Street, make City Park more user-friendly and spur development in New Orleans East.
- But there's been a thread of skepticism from attendees about their voices being heard and projects actually finishing.
- So they've scaled back their expectations and focused on the basics.
What they're saying: "The city always overpromises and under-delivers," Collins tells Axios New Orleans.
- "People have been promised large-scale infrastructure improvements before, but it never happens," he said. So now, people are looking for baby steps that can be delivered in a year or so.
Case in point:
- Bourbon Street: Proposals for sweeping safety changes lost out to more immediate fixes this year, after vocal objections from residents and business owners.
- Now leaders are focusing on making the current barricades work while they investigate other options.
- City Park's planned overhaul was scaled back after community pushback. Residents wanted upgrades, but not at the expense of existing programs like Grow Dat Youth Farm.
- The new plan, unveiled last month, is "somewhat transformational without changing the backbone" of the park, City Park Conservancy president and CEO Rebecca Dietz told Axios New Orleans. (See renderings)
- Lincoln Beach: An ambitious plan for the historic Black beach — including an expensive rooftop pool — was shelved in favor of a simpler one that focuses on the sandy beach and basic amenities.
- Residents prioritized faster, practical improvements over flashy concepts. (See renderings)
Other lingering projects include Plaza Tower and the Market Street Power Plant.
- Progress is happening at the former Six Flags and the new River District, but much slower than initially promised.
What we're watching: The new administration will have to focus on rebuilding public trust, Collins said.
- Improving customer service and responsiveness for city services, especially with the Sewerage & Water Board, would go a long way with residents, he says.
The bottom line: Years of letdown have left New Orleanians wary, but the turnout at community meetings proves they still care — and still believe things can get better.