City Council on 2026-07-09 10:00 AM.

At the top of page 10, number 7, HDLC appeal of 2663 Iberville and 206-210 Broad Street has been deferred to the meeting of July 26th. We have legislative grouping, HDLC appeal of 700 Webster Street along with motion M26-274 has been withdrawn at the request of the applicant. At the top of page 11, we have item 10, HDLC appeal, 510 Ray Street has been deferred to the meeting of July 23rd. Item 11, HDLC appeal of 1510 Religious Street has been deferred to the meeting of July 23rd. At the top of page 12, we have zoning docket 4226 has been deferred to the meeting of July 23rd. Item 13, zoning docket 4926 has been deferred to the meeting of July 23rd. At the top of page 13, item 14, legislative grouping, zoning docket 5226, MAG OAK Management LLC requesting a conditional use of permit of standard restaurant in the HUB-1 Hysteric Urban Neighborhood Business District, CPC Character Preservation Corridor District, Overlay Design Overlay District and the Magazine Street Use Restriction Overlay District on Square 236, Lot 14 on Porter Lot 15 in the 6th Municipal District bounded by Magazine Street, Boudreaux Street, Camp Street and Lime Street. Municipal address 4807 Magazine Street. The recommendation of the CPC being for approval with three provisos. We have motion M26-278 by Councilmember Harris approving the applicant's request for zoning docket 5226 subject to three provisos as stated in the CPC report. Thank you. Steven, can you advise us on your report, please? Sure. This is an application to allow a new restaurant in the Magazine Street corridor. There's an overlay along Magazine Street that requires Council approval through the conditional use process for new restaurants. This proposal is at the location of the former Surrey's location next to Le Bon Temps that was open until about 2020. The new proposal is to open a new breakfast, brunch restaurant there. So pretty much consistent with the prior land use. This particular restaurant is going to have a pay-what-you-can model intending to meet customers sort of where they are in terms of price point. There was some public comment expressing concern about that, but really that particular operational thing is outside of the CPC's scope and the principal land use as a restaurant is appropriate, consistent with the past location, and so the Planning Commission recommends approval. Okay. Any comment from the dais? I have a question about the pay-what-you-can. I'm just curious, how does that work? That's all. Yeah, I mean my appreciation of it is that it's kind of like some museums do where there are suggested prices, but in order for, I believe it's a non-profit operating the restaurant, in order for them to provide meals to people at a variety of income levels, they will essentially provide food and the customer will pay $5, $10, whatever they can afford. Thank you. Just curious about that concept. Thank you. Any online comment? We can add it to the record. Sure. We do have some public comment cards. First is Adele Bergman, followed by Linda Akers. Good morning, my name is Adele Bergman and I'm the Executive Director of the Crescent City Cafe. We're thankful for the recommendation for approval for the sit-down restaurant at 4807 Magazine Street. It was Surrey's second brunch restaurant that closed due to the pandemic and we're planning to serve brunch there again. We've met neighbors and patrons at Magazine Street who are excited about brunch back. We've met staff of recently closed restaurants that are really excited to be hired in their neighborhood, and we also recognized as we worked on the site how much that side of the 4800 block needs the building back in commerce. We are a local non-profit and it will be a pay-what-you-can cafe where anyone can have a meal. It's been a successful in other cities and New Orleans is perfect for it. The pay-what-you-can concept is not new here because concerts, yoga studios and other organizations do sliding scale and pay-what-you-can options. And our community loves brunch and loves paying it forward. We're a long-standing good neighbor with our Saturday program on St. Charles, but that is a separate from this endeavor. What excites me the most is that we found the space where we've seen our donors, our volunteers and established low-income guests as we're at the site, so we already know that our neighbors will eat with us. We are community-focused and understand bringing people together on food is a big part of who we are as New Orleans. And to explain to the concept real fast a little bit more, if you think of if you go to Guy's Co. Po' Boys down the street, you don't know if the person in front of you is paying for half a po' boy, a whole po' boy, a po' boy for his whole family. You don't know the income as they go in. It'll be that same concept. You'll be sat down, served, and at the end, you will go to pay. And no one knows who's paying what. So it's very much a pay it forward, a restaurant, and the zoning is for the zoning. And the zoning request does not really stop the zoning request that we have as a brunch restaurant. Thank you. Thank you. Linda Akers, followed by Joe Buckledge. Good morning. I live two blocks from 807 Magazine Street. I'm speaking as a neighbor and also a volunteer with Crescent City Cafe over the past two years. As a volunteer, I found the organization to be effective in addressing food insecurity and having a positive impact on the community. I've always found the guests at the current Rain Church pop-up location to be incredibly grateful for both the meal and to be treated with dignity. As a neighbor, I would welcome a brunch option within walking distance, especially since the closure of Surrey's at the current site and the closure of Apple Line last year. We would be naive not to think that there are homeless and food insecure people in this neighborhood. I encounter a few on a regular basis.

The Pay What You Can Cafe would help fill a gap for those in need, as well as the larger community. I have personally spoken to neighbors who are in full support of the model. We would welcome the opportunity to support a restaurant that also does good for the community through its Pay What You Can model. I urge you to approve the cafe's permit. Thank you, Linda. Joe Bucklage, followed by Kathleen Lewis. Thank you. Before I speak, will the owner of a Toyota, Mr. Sedeckis, I found over here by my seat. If you could just leave them right there, we'll figure it out. All right. Thank you. Good morning. My name's Joe Bucklage. I'm the owner of the property at 4807 Magazine Street. Post-COVID, the 4807 property went dark due to the inability to staff a restaurant. In the 22 years of the restaurant there at that location, it is now going dark. The current owners of the building were out of towners and did not understand how quick a property can disintegrate here in New Orleans. And we started dealing with vagrants, peeling paint, broken windows, graffiti. I did my best as just a neighbor to stop this and correct it, but there was only so much I was allowed to do. My business partner and I decided to buy the property and maintain it and put it back into commerce to supply jobs and a tax base for the city. We care deeply about New Orleans, a city we feel could do better for small businesses and people trying to maintain the beautiful qualities I think this city has to offer. I only hope to return this property to commerce to maintain the integrity of the neighborhood and to take on an abandoned building which would become an eyesore and was becoming a problem. I think we all stand here today with an opportunity to make the property a contributor to the city, not a detractor. It has been over two and a half years that I've been going through this process and the building has been sitting empty while trying to get approval to put a restaurant in. The process has been brutal. We're able here today, you are all able here today to make this happen. I look forward to your approval. We can achieve this opportunity after a long, tedious process towards helping another small business in our city. Thank you. Thank you, Joe. Kathleen Lewis followed by Angela and P. Hello, I'm Kathleen Lewis. I live across the street from where we're going to have the restaurant. I've owned my property since 2005, 2006, and I moved there in last year, 2020, well, last year. We were really excited to hear about a new cafe coming in. We've had several really expensive restaurants come into the neighborhood, entrees in the $40, $50, $60 range. I mean, regular people cannot eat that kind of food. And so I was approached and I said, of course I'd come speak because we really, really would like something reasonable to come in. You know that stretch, Magazine Street, everybody loves it. They come there for everything. You see this lot recently during Essence, tons of people on Magazine Street. So I just hope that you'll appreciate what we're saying today. Thank you. Thank you. Angela and P. followed by Linda Rain. Are they here? They're waving their comment. They're in support. All right. I agree with CPC's evaluation that this proposal would return a vacant site to use while complementing the existing mix of restaurants, bars and retail stores that characterize the Magazine Street corridor. This application met all of the approval evaluation standards and received strong support throughout the application process and was recommended for approval by CPC staff and commission. Accordingly, I will be upholding the CPC recommendation. With that, all in favor? Any nays? That's seven yays. Thank you. We need a second. Amy McCarran, Council Member McCarran second. Uh-huh. At the top of page 14, we have item 16, legislative grouping, zoning docket 5326, Bear Child Company, LLC, requesting a conditional use to permit a commercial short-term rental in a C2 auto-oriented commercial district in the transient lodging interim zoning district on square 359 last C in the first municipal district founded by Reverend John Raphael Jr. Wade, Clio Street, Elkhart Boulevard and Ferret Street. Municipal address 1131-1133, Reverend John Raphael Jr. Wade. The recommendation of the CPC being for approval subject to two provisos. We have motion M26-279 by Council Member Harris, approving the applicant's request on zoning docket 5326 subject to two provisos as stated in the CPC report. CPC, will you advise us of your opinion? Yes, thank you, Council Member. This is a proposal for a shotgun residence to be used as a commercial short-term rental. It is within this block of a commercial district that extends parallel to the Pontchartrain Expressway. This particular site is highly, highly commercial in its surroundings. There's a industrial building that abuts it to the side and rear, vacant lot to the other side, and then opposite is a mini storage building and a billboard. So in an almost exclusively commercial location, that makes a commercial short-term rental an appropriate use in the Planning Commission's view and the Planning Commission recommends approval. Thank you. I have one comment card. Rose Behrchild. Hi, good morning. My name is Rose Behrchild. I'm a co-owner of Behrchild LLC, and just like what he said, the location of the property is right by, that's the only house in mostly like industrial parts. So I'm here for the request for approval for short-term rental. The former owner of the house, they used to have a permit for short-term rental, but they let it lapse before we even bought the property. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Given the location and the prior use as a commercial short-term rental, I agree with CPC that this is appropriate. This proposal received support at its neighborhood participation meeting and at the CPC hearing. Any comments from the dais? I have one comment. Okay. Just for the record, so I will be voting no today.

It's nothing personal. My position has been consistently since we dropped the interim zoning district regarding commercial short-term rentals as we wait for the outcome of the transient lodging study. I've just been consistently a no on any exemptions to that IZD. Thank you. Thank you. Any other comments? With that, can I get a second? Seconded by Council Member King. All in favor? Any in opposition? So six yays, one nay. Thank you. Thank you. At the top of page 15, we have item 18, legislative grouping, zoning docket 5426 WDGLLC, requesting a conditional use permit to permit a social club in a CBD6 urban core neighborhood intensity mixed-use district on squares 22, lots 11 through 13, Holmdale Park Annex in the 2nd Municipal District bounded by Canal Street, Greenwood Street, Vicksburg Street, and Weldon Street. Municipal address 5325 Canal Boulevard. The recommendation of the CPC being for one provisional. We have motion M262783 by Council Member McCarran, approving the applicant's request for zoning docket 5426, subject to one provisional as contained in the CPC staff report. Thank you, Madam Clerk. CPC? Thank you, Council Member. This is a proposal for a office, an architectural office to occupy, or rather to expand within an SLB commercial district that extends along Canal Boulevard. I believe there's a typo in the description on the agenda, but it's for an architectural office. The office already occupies the main building, which was historically a dry cleaner. There is a secondary structure, a garage that they want to expand into that will bring the total square footage of the office to just over 5,000 square feet. This is a zoning district where offices are allowed by right up to 5,000 square feet, and then above 5,000, it requires conditional use approval. So that minor expansion of only about 450 square feet is enough to require the conditional use approval here. It does not materially change the intensity of use. It's still a neighborhood-sensitive, low-intensity commercial use that makes sense for the location. And for that reason, the Planning Commission recommends approval. And no opposition expressed to the Planning Commission. Thank you. Members, as CPC stated, this is a request to reuse the old deluxe laundry building for use as an office, which does require the conditional use. The new proposed use is similar to the previous and should not significantly impact noise, parking, or traffic in the area, and we have not received any opposition for this request. So therefore, I move to approve Motion M26-273. Can I get a second? Seconded by Council Member Harris. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Seven-zero. Thank you. At the top of page 31, we have item 62, Resolution R26-271 by Council Member Harrison-Willis. Approving after the recommendation. of the City of New Orleans Office of Economic Development, a pilot term sheet agreement Exhibit C for the property located at 1480 Chapitula Street to be constructed and outfitted by R.D. and I. Bater, LLC, T.C.H.R.D. and I. Bater, G.P., LLC, and Providence Community Housing, subject to the following modification on Page 2 of the term sheet agreement, Paragraph C, an annual administrative fee in the amount of $5,000, increasing 3% per year, is authorized under Act 212 of the 2023 regular legislative session. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Today is truly an important milestone, not only for the River District neighborhood, not only for District B, but for this entire city. The pilot resolution before us is the final piece of the financial puzzle for the Rivanna housing development, which will provide our residents with 220 units of quality workforce and affordable housing that is central to downtown and uptown at a rate that's legally required to remain affordable for 40 years. Pilots are a standard part of affordable housing financing and they are typically handled through either the Industrial Development Board or Finance New Orleans. This application only comes to the City Council for approval through a state statutory process specific to the River District and the Convention Center area. What's unique about this property is where the Rivanna is being constructed. It is on Convention Center land, which is state-owned and therefore has generated $0 in taxes for the city for the past 20-plus years. Now, through the River District, we have a chance to activate that land in a way that not only meets residents' needs, but also creates new revenue streams for the city. So this pilot locks in existing property taxes at $0 for a 40-year period, but in return we will receive hundreds of affordable housing units at a development that's projected to bring in millions in property taxes. And there's an administrative fee attached as well. As you've all heard me say many times, my support for the River District neighborhood development is based on the commitment to affordable housing. This site contractually must create 900 housing units, 450 of which will be priced at the affordable or workforce level to meet New Orleanians' needs. The Rivanna is the first phase of meeting this goal, and today the pilot is required for it to move forward. The application has followed all processes dictated by state law and exceeds the minimum requirements of meeting DBE standards as well as job requirements. And we have a fantastic, fantastic majority partner in the nonprofit developer, Providence Community Housing, who has proven a track record and is working along the RD&I partner to develop this property. I do have cards for public comment, and then we'll take a comment from my colleagues on the dais. The first comment card is from Monique Blossom, followed by Terry North. Good morning. Monique Blossom, Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, 1340 Poydras Street, Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center supports the pilot you're considering today and the creation of 220 up to 450 high-quality affordable housing units in a high-opportunity area.

New Orleans is in desperate need of more high-quality affordable housing, and we should invest now in the projects that are in the pipeline rather than further delay and have what's already moving fall apart. My concern is that the cost of materials is going to continue to grow, and the way that we bring down federal dollars is already incredibly complicated. I'm worried that those dollars are going to be reduced and that New Orleans might be left out of those kinds of deals. As I consistently say to you in all personal meetings and here in council chambers, we need a giant menu of options for affordable housing from small to large-scale projects, individual solutions for homeowners, programs for renters like Healthy Homes to ensure people are living in safe and healthy housing, the Right to Council program to prevent evictions and homelessness, fortified roofs, small landlord repairs, mobility programs for vouchers. We really need every option, and I'm asking the city council that it's a big menu. Let's take a taste of everything, to close out that metaphor. Because if we had one solution, if there was one lever to pull to solve the housing crisis, we would have done it already. And so I ask that you support this pilot with your vote, invest in this one piece of the puzzle, and I look forward to working together to solve the rest of the puzzle. Thank you. Thanks. Terri North, followed by J.T. Hannon. Good morning. I'm Terri North. I'm CEO of Providence Community Housing. Providence is a 501c3 community housing development organization, and our primary issue, primary mission is to produce, preserve, and operate affordable housing. We have just under 2,000 units in the city of New Orleans proper, and 3,300 in the greater New Orleans area. We currently have other units under construction, and we have been working with the city since our founding 20 years ago, right after Hurricane Katrina. We were brought into this project, the Ravonna Project, in February by the River District team because they're under a very strict timeline to get this done. It, like all affordable housing deals, is challenging because it requires so many levels of capital and subsidy. As mentioned, this project is a new construction project producing 220 rental affordable units. This project is perfect for the essential workers that work in the French Quarter, the CBD, for the convention center itself. If you earn $15 an hour, you will qualify for one of the 60% AMI units and pay under $1,000 for rent, rather than over $2,000 for rent, which is the market rate in that area. If you make $25 per hour, you will qualify for one of the 80% AMI units and pay around $1,300 a month, again, in an area that is charging over $2,000 a month. Affordable housing deals cannot adjust rents to cover expenses. We charge and collect affordable rents, so as a result, there is a big delta here between what a market project could charge and what we charge, and it's about $2.5 million a year. It is not a small amount. Harry, that's your time. That's it. Everybody gets two minutes. Madam Chair, I have a question for Ms. North. Do you want me to ask that now or wait? No, she's here. Go ahead and ask. Thank you. Good morning. You mentioned 60% AMI units and 80% AMI units. Yes, sir. The total number of units is 220? 220, yes, sir. Okay. Are they an unlimited amount of 60% AMI units, or are they a finite amount? There's 140 that will be at 60% AMI, and there are 40 that will be at 80% AMI. We do have some lower income levels at 20% and 30% of AMI as well, so we're doing something called income averaging, as tax credit deals do. So we'll have several levels of income living in this particular project. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you. J.T. Hannon, followed by Nola Thomas. Good morning. J.T. Hannon, Chief Strategy Officer of Morial Convention Center. We just wanted to express our support for Rivanna. Our partners at the River District are turning a long, underutilized riverfront property into a neighborhood with housing, businesses, and public benefit. For decades, I think since Hillay, we haven't seen meaningful residential development in the area, and Rivanna helps answer one of the city's most urgent need by adding housing, especially near the convention center and the warehouse district, and the future Shell Riverside, which should open next spring. 100% of Rivanna 1 is planned as affordable housing, and this is one of the last pieces of the process to bring affordable housing to the River District. The convention center has committed $6.5 million in terms of a loan, and is an active partner in closing the financing gap to make sure this project moves forward. So we've been working with Louisiana Housing Corporation, City Council, the state, all these partners in a collaborative way to get this over the finish line and get construction started this summer. Thank you. Thank you. Nolan Thomas, followed by Sarah Jane Guidry. They both support. Britton Forsyth. They support. Michael Merida. Good morning. Happy to be here and have talked multitudes about the project, and BPG, we're a developer here. We own about 1,200 mixed income housing units throughout the area, and one of the developers on the project and in support, and there's a lot of math and dynamics that go into these deals, but most importantly, what you as a city and a council are invested in is opportunity for folks who wouldn't have it. We own these units across the city, and what we see is the opportunity for folks to have access to housing allows for them access to healthier foods, access to better transportation, access to align themselves with folks that they would have never met in their lives and help to improve and so we're in support of that and also in support of the future phases.

This is the first phase of multiple in our district, and we see this as a new neighborhood, a neighborhood where folks who didn't have access now will, a neighborhood where folks can start a new leaf of their life, and most importantly, I think, to J.T.'s point, is the Convention Center workers can walk across the street to the place that they work and have access to things that they didn't have before, so obviously speak in support of not only this project, but also the future to come. Appreciate it. Thank you. Alita from the Convention Center is in support. David Phelps is in support. They're not speaking. And then the final card is from John Sullivan. And then Nicole Weber. Yeah, good morning. John Sullivan. I'm with Enterprise Community Partners. We are fortunate enough to be the equity investor in this project. Since 1982, Enterprise has invested $92 billion and created 1.1 million homes across all 50 states, all to make home and community places of pride, power, and belonging. This investment is going to add to $400 million. We've been able to invest in affordable housing in New Orleans, including $200 million in LaTeX investment to create nearly 6,000 homes for low and moderate income households. And our work in New Orleans goes way beyond investment. We provide financial and technical support to local housing nonprofits. We work closely with policy makers and housing agencies in support of housing affordability goals. And we're the co-developer with Providence of the Faubourg Lafitte development. We're proud to be a part of this project. Like has been said before, it's a very transformational project, critical to get this neighborhood back going. We're proud of the income mix that has been mentioned. We're proud that several units are going to be able to serve the lowest income populations that we have in New Orleans. And like I said, we're just proud to be a part of this revitalization story. So I ask you to approve this pilot. It is very critical and is the last piece, and I'll just say in general, is often the last piece of a lot of affordable housing development. So it's something that's really needed, not just for this project, but for a lot of others. Thank you. Thank you. Britton actually wants to speak, and then Nicole Weber. I'll be quick. Britton Forsyth. I'm representing myself today for simplicity's sake. I just wanted to come up because I know I've met with most of you more than once around Workers' Bill of Rights and the Healthy Workplace Program. And in that, we've brought up that residents of the poorest majority black neighborhoods in the city are expected to live over 20 years less than residents of the wealthiest majority white neighborhoods. And in a lot of those conversations, they've been focused on economic opportunity, making sure people have access to good jobs, to healthy workplaces. But housing has also come up repeatedly in those conversations. We know that closing that gap, that unacceptable gap, is a multi-pronged approach. So that's why we're here to support. Thank you. Thank you, Britton. Nicole Weber. Good morning. Nicole Weber, 2131 Bienville Street. I am a partner with the River District, as well as for the affordable housing development team. I actually am out of breath because I drove in from the beach, where I have four teenage girls on their own right now. So I will be flying out of here as quickly as possible to get back to them. But I just want to say the voters, and I've said this at the Economic Development Committee meeting, the voters have supported affordable housing across the board. And not just a close referendum, but pretty much unanimous, the voters have said that they support affordable housing. We are not just developers looking to make a buck and leave town. We are local. We're here. We're from here. We live here. We live in the city. We are your voters, too. We have a track record of doing what we say we're going to do. If the pilot does not succeed, the units are not built, plain and simple. The pro forma speaks for itself. We want to see this happen. We hope that you want to see this happen. So thank you for your time. Thank you. Comments submitted? I'll get to the dice, but can we put those comments on the record? All right. Who would like to speak first? I have a couple questions. Councilmember Hughes? All right. So this is what I really want to understand. There's been a lot of references to the workforce. So whoever can answer this question, I'd appreciate it. All right. We talk a lot about the workforce in the city of New Orleans, the people working at the convention center, the people shucking the oysters in the French Quarter. What I want to understand is, do those residents, do those workers have first priority to these units or is it kind of first come, first serve? Do we have a situation where the Tulane student from New York that comes into town, going to Tulane, making $15 an hour, a person that's working in Metairie or River Ridge or Harahan or St. Tammany that wants to live in the new and shiny unit. Tell me how that works. Sure. I'm glad you brought up that particular issue about college students. So there are specific tax credit rules that prohibit from renting to students. We cannot rent to students. So this is being built for folks who are families that live in the area. Now we do have to follow fair housing laws. And so you will have a situation where it will be first come, first serve. But those folks do have to be income qualified. Let's put a period there if you don't mind. So there's no guarantee that the people who are actually living in, I'm sorry, who are keeping the economy going, right, shucking the oysters downtown. When we talk about working at the convention center, being able to walk across the street, there's no guarantee that they're even going to be able to get in one of these units, right? Because it's sort of a free fall, right? You cannot guarantee it. That's for certain.

But those people will be the most interested. So we have to be authentic. We have to be authentic in our talking points, right? Sure. And really be honest with the public that these units are kind of first come, first serve. Absolutely. Thank you for that. We want to be transparent. Let me now shift. Whoever can answer this question regarding the property taxes. Because this is, Madam Chair, where I get quite confused. I understand, you know, right now, because this plot of land is owned by the convention center and it generates, you know, it's exempt from property taxes and, you know, you don't even have anything on the property. But I keep hearing mixed talking points. In one breath, I'm hearing, you know, the pilot is going to exempt property taxes for 40 years. But then it's also being said that this is going to generate millions of dollars in property taxes. So can somebody clarify? What I want to know is, is this going to generate property taxes or is it not going to generate property taxes? That's what I want to know. And I would appreciate if somebody would avoid giving me a very nuanced academic around the world answer. The Ravana project itself will not provide property taxes. And that's what we're talking about here today. I believe what somebody may have mentioned earlier is the overall River District and the projects that are planned there and the amount of things that are going to come out of that. It is an economic development project and it will be activating the area. There will be vendors that pay sales tax, et cetera. I think that's maybe what they were leaning towards. But this project, very clearly, will not pay property tax. Okay. So let me ask you a question. Since we're talking about affordable housing, I think you're very familiar with my district. Yes, sir. And let's focus on New Orleans East, right? Where I have many large multifamily complexes that are pretty much 100% low income. Are those properties exempt from property taxes or do they pay property taxes? In some cases they are and in some cases they are not. It depends on how they were set up to begin with. The law allows affordable housing, if it's restricted, if it's actually restricted, the Louisiana law allows for taxes to be charged, but it's going to be based on what income you can produce. So typically those taxes would be lower, even if they did not have a complete exemption. Okay. All right. Thank you. I'm just going to say this, and this is where I'm really struggling, because some of the same people today that are championing this cause and advocating for us to approve this pilot to not generate any property taxes, some of those same folks, right, in just a few short weeks, when we're going to have to make some difficult budget decisions, are going to be putting a lot of pressure on us to raise revenue on the backs of taxpaying citizens that are already stretched too thin. So I just want everybody to be mindful of that. I'm going to remind folks of that when we have to make some very difficult decisions in the very near future. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you. Any other comments from the dais? Yes. Council President Morrell. I want to thoroughly explain my vote today because I'm going to vote no. And I don't do that lightly. And I just want to start with the Relocation Fund, Healthy Homes, Fortified Rooms. These are all programs we support, we passed into law and ordinances, and they all require money. Everything in the city, everything we do, every program that we seek to use to improve the lives of citizens all require money. The most reliable form of revenue for the City of New Orleans is property tax. At a previous budget meeting, my colleague to my right and I asked a simple question. The average cost of these units starts around $300,000 to build. We currently have a tremendous amount of city workers who are furloughed, many of which are paying full property tax on homes that are one-third that cost. The simple request we had at that budget meeting was we need to hear from the developers and all the sponsors in a way that our constituents, that those city workers can understand why providing affordable housing, which is a worthy cause which I've supported over and over again at this time in this budget crisis, explain the math in a way they can understand. Because I get, before someone gets up there to talk about the federal tax credits, I want you to explain to that person at home who's furloughed and is paying full property tax why this is a good idea for them. So unfortunately, affordable housing is not affordable to build, it's affordable to live in. So I guess it's kind of a misnomer. And as I believe it was you who said, we deal with the plate that we're given, right? I could go on for hours and talk with you guys and will on other things that we could do to change the system in which affordable housing is built because it is expensive. And those expenses in many, many ways are completely unavoidable for the developer. We have no incentive to up the cost. It does not help us at all. In fact, it just creates more gaps that we have to try to fill. But it is expensive to build. And it is needed. We have, as we've talked about, we have unhoused people. We have people that are just, you know, getting by. And those folks. need to be able to find a place that they can afford to live. It's about the stability of those individuals. And I appreciate that the question remains unanswered, which is, give me a rationale to the thousands of furloughed people in the city of New Orleans, probably more to come due to the issues going on at the state level, give me something that explains to them why it is appropriate. Let's be very clear. This is a sophist choice situation. There is no good, there is no clear, concise answer where either side is clearly correct.

What I'm saying is that in this moment in the city of New Orleans, as we are struggling with a budget crisis, I need an explanation to the average New Orleanian, to the point Mr. Hughes made earlier, there is no guarantee under federal law that the people that will be in these units are displaced New Orleanians. It's first come, first serve. So you could have someone competing for this affordable unit who is somebody who needs, who's trying to move into a cheaper apartment out of River Ridge and in New Orleans, and who meets the criteria and gets in. I need an explanation for the average New Orleanian, for that city worker who's currently furloughed, for that family that's paying full property tax on a house that's $120,000, to make them feel like this is the right decision at this time. And I appreciate you're giving me an answer, but you're not answering that. And that's the math problem. That is, to be frankly put, I mean, that is, I know that one of the developers said, talking about the math, the math, every family in the city of New Orleans sits, I hate to use that old metaphor, because it's been done to death, they sit around their kitchen table and figure out how they're going to pay their bills. And when they are figuring out, on furlough, paying full property tax, how they're going to pay their bills, and then they see the council vote to do something like this, it is very difficult for us to be always in the position of saying, this seems like it's unfair, trust us. And what we're asking for as a council, and what we asked previously was, give us a simple layman's explanation why the greater good argument works. Because that's basically, the argument's the greater good argument. Explain to me the greater good that's going to make that person at that kitchen table trying to figure out how they pay their bills on furlough while paying full property tax, why this is good enough for everyone that it's worth ignoring that dichotomy. OK. So I understand what you're saying. And in this country, in this state, and in this city right now, it's very difficult times. People are struggling all over. I totally understand what you're saying. And I liked your analogy of Sophie's Choice, because it sometimes does feel that way. But for us not to make an investment in affordable housing because other folks have to pay taxes and it's difficult for them. And believe me, we've created homeowners that are struggling with that right now, that we have built those homes and sold them to them with plenty of subsidy in it, and they're still struggling at this point. So we totally understand that. But this is an investment in your city. It's an investment in your community and an investment in the future. And we have to start working towards that, because we are in a bad place. That is the argument I have. It's an argument. I would say it's probably not a great argument, but it's an argument. I want to end by saying something to really, every single organization, developer, nonprofit, otherwise, seeking a pilot makes the exact same argument regarding undeveloped land and property taxes. I've heard this argument really through my entire 14 years in the legislature and now my fifth year as city council member, which is, well, if we don't give them a property tax, the land stays undeveloped and nothing gets built. I'm really tired of that argument, generally speaking, as a pilot argument, because it's the same argument a guy making a shopping mall could make versus an argument of how you're building affordable housing. Simply saying that nothing is there, so we should give a pilot is not a great argument. That's what I'm saying. I'm saying that whenever someone comes up there and says, well, if we don't do this thing, then we're not going to get any property taxes, that can apply literally to any type of pilot. So I'm simply encouraging you, because let's be very clear. I have no doubt, and it was very clear, that there will be future developments at the River District area that will all seek pilots, because we certainly could not get a commitment at budget that they will not seek a pilot for every piece of property at the River District. I would encourage you to bring supporting documents, supporting information, supporting arguments that really establish that the investment is a good investment, other than if you don't do it, we'll build nothing, because anybody in the city of New Orleans seeking a pilot makes that same argument. It's a lazy argument. That's all. So when you come forward, this is less towards this project, but towards the future projects, I know that I'm probably the only no today, but I think that you're going to find a council that is going to be increasingly discerning, especially considering the fiscal reality that the city faces, that there has to be a more robust argument that is defensible for us to consider, because as we are able to pay for things, I'm going to tell you, as Councilman Hughes said, the Big Easy Coalition will be here, arguing for relocation fund for healthy homes, fortified roofs, representation for people who are looking at eviction. And they're going to say, where's the money? And we're going to say we gave all the money away. And that's just the simple fact. I mean, whenever we do a pilot, we are choosing not to collect taxes the city's entitled to, and there needs to be a robust argument that we can articulate that explains to the average person who's not going to get relocated, who's not going to have the healthy home inspector, who's not going to get that fortified roof, that the investment in x was worth them not getting that thing. Thank you. Any other comments from the dais? All right, let me just make some final comments. I think Monique Blossom said it the best, that we need a menu of options. So we need a housing trust fund that can assist with property taxes, and we have that. The voters voted for it.

We need affordable housing units that have a pilot so that they can stay affordable for 40 years. I've seen the people under the bridge who have fallen out of housing because there is no housing, or the housing is low quality. This is high quality housing in an area where housing is needed. Another point has been made about, are these people coming from Jefferson Parish or elsewhere? Do you know how many New Orleanians live in Jefferson Parish who can't afford to live here right now? Let's call them back. Let's build more affordable housing so that they can come back to the city, so that they can contribute to the city. With that, I'll call the question. I move. Can I get a second? Second by Council Member Willard. All in favor? Any nays? Six ayes, one nay. Thank you. All right, we will stand at recess while we go into executive session. We need to make a motion. I'll make that motion. Seconded by Council President Morrell. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. Yn fanwl, mae'r bwysigdiaid sy'n cael eu cymysgu yn yr un ffordd y byddwn wedi'u cymryd yn yr un ffordd y byddwn wedi'u cymryd yn yr un ffordd y byddwn wedi'u gymryd yn yr un ffordd y byddwn wedi'u cymryd. Cymysgwch y gwaith gwneud yn awdurdodol. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cymryd uchel y gwaith, ac yn ystod y cyfnod ddiweddar, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud.

Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Yn ystod y cyfnod angen, rydych chi'n gallu cyfrannu'r gwaith i'r un ffordd sydd yn cael ei wneud. Siawgr. Siawrgr. Siawrgr. Siawrgr. Siawrgr. Siawgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. 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Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Siawrgrr. Yn ystod yr aelodau'r cael y cynghrair, mae'n rhaid i'r cynghrair ddweud y gynllunau yma. Mae'n rhaid i'r cynghrair ddweud y cynllunau yma. Mae'n rhaid i'r cynghrair ddweud y gynllunau yma. Mae'n rhaid i'r cynghrair ddweud y gynllunau yma. Mae'n rhaid i'r cynghrair ddweud y gynllunau yma. Mae'n rhaid i'r cynghrair ddweud y gynllunau yma. Mae'n rhaid i'r cynghrair ddweud y gynllunau yma. Mae'n rhaid i'r cynghrair ddweud yr gynllunau yma. Mae'n rhaid i'r cynghrair ddweud yr gynllunau yma. Mae'n rhaid i'r cynghrair ddweud yr cynllunau yma. Mae'n rhaid i'r cynghrair ddweud yr cynllunau yma. Mae'r cynghrair ddweud a'i ddweud hefyd, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud a'i ddweud hefyd, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Mae'r cynghrair ddweud, Yn ystod y gynllunau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau.

Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Yn ystod y cyfrifiadau yma, mae'r cyfrifiadau a'r gynllunau arall yn ymwneud â'r math o ffyrdd o aelodau. Madam Clerk, can we do roll call? We could just make a motion to come back in. Okay, I make a motion to come out of Executive Session, seconded by Council President Morrell. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Seven. It's six. Six yays, zero nays. Council Member Greeno. All right. Regular agenda. At the top of page 16, we have item 20, Legislative Grouping, a zoning docket 5526 Gabrielle Rouse, requesting a conditional use to permit a reception facility in HUB 1, Houston, D.C. On square 766, lot 1 in the 3rd Municipal District, bounded by St. Bernard Avenue, North Durban Street, London Avenue, New Orleans Street, and North Roman Street, Municipal Address 1701 St. Bernard Avenue. The recommendation of the City Planning Committee is to approve the zoning docket 5526 Gabrielle Rouse. On square 766, lot 1 in the 3rd Municipal District, bounded by St. Bernard Avenue. The recommendation of the City Planning Commission being for approval subject to two provisos. We have motion M26276 by Council Member King, approving the applicant's request for zoning docket 5526, subject to two provisos, as recommended in the CPC report. Thank you, Madam Clerk. CPC, the floor is yours. Thank you, Council Member. This is a proposal to develop a site on St. Bernard near Claiborne with a reception facility. The building was occupied by another reception facility more than 10 years ago, but that has closed, and so its non-conforming status is lost. The conditional use approval then is needed to allow it to be reintroduced here. This is consistent with the purpose of the district to support neighborhood-serving businesses. It's also consistent with an overlay district that applies along St. Bernard that encourages live entertainment, cultural venues, and reception facilities generally fall into that type of category. No opposition was expressed to the Planning Commission, and the Planning Commission recommends approval. Thank you. Any comments from the deans? Any public comment? Online comment? None? All right. This is a conditional use to permit a reception facility on St. Bernard Avenue in the 7th Street. This event hall has been in operation for many years, but its legal non-conforming use status lapsed after Hurricane Ida. This application enjoys the support of the City Planning Commission staff, as well as unanimous support from the full City Planning Commission, and our office has not received any letters of opposition. This, I move adoption. Can I get a second? Second. Seconded by Council Member Willard. All in favor? Aye. Seven yays. Any opposed? Hearing none. Motion passes. Thank you.

At the top of page 17, we have item 22, Legislative Grouping and Zoning Document 5626, Tony Montgomery and Nicolette Montgomery requesting a conditional use to permit a commercial short-term rental in the CBD2, Hysteric Commercial and Mixed-Use District in the Transient Lodging Interim Zoning District on Square 130, Lots 14 and 15 in the 1st Municipal District, bounded by Natchez Street, Magazine Street, Quadra Street, and Chappas-Tula Street, Municipal Address 425-425-4252. to Natchez Street. The recommendation of the CPC being for approval subject to Supervisors, we have motion M26280 by Councilmember Harris approving the applicant's request for zoning docket 5626 subject to Supervisors as stated in the CPC report. Thank you Madam Clerk. CPC will you brief us on your report? Yes Councilmember, this is a proposal to use a two-story building on Natchez Street and the CBD as a commercial short-term rental. It is just off of the high-rise Poydras Commercial Corridor and in the Planning Commission's view that makes it an appropriate location for a commercial short-term rental. Planning Commission recommends approval. All right I have one comment card, Tony Montgomery. Good afternoon Councilmembers. Tony Montgomery representing 422 Natchez. I'm just here to express my appreciation for your consideration and to answer any questions that you may have. All right thank you. Any comments from the dais? All right this property is a two-story two-family dwelling with two off-street parking spaces that the applicant is requesting to operate as a CSTR. The commercial short-term rental is permitted use in the CBD to historic commercial mixed-use district. This application was submitted during the transient lodging interim zoning district, however, which requires all transient lodging uses that are permitted by right in the underlying zoning district to undergo the conditional use process. This proposal receives support at its neighborhood participation meeting and at the CPC hearing. With that I move. Can I get a second? Seconded by Councilmember King. All in favor? Any nays? All in favor? We have six yays, one nay. Thank you. On this one? Tony, come on. All right. Yeah, I want to thank this young man right here because I was down here to support this young man. During Katrina we was feeding the homeless, feeding people. This man came down, brought his trucks. So, you know, it's a good guy and I just want to, you know, thank him public for what he did with us, helping to feed the people, give him clothes, give him shoes. And I didn't know to do that for me if he just called me on the phone and did it. So I would just want y'all to know this is a good guy. Thank you, Danny. Can you fill out a card, please? All right. At the top of page 18 we have item 24, legislative group in zoning docket 5726 MMJSS Holdings LLC requesting an amendment to the text of article 24 section 24.13.G.3.D, retail facilities in the VCS and the VCS 1 district to alter the signage regulations for retail centers owned and controlled by a single entity not anchored by a major department store unified by a specific architectural theme and consistent of major public or private events with more than 55,000 square feet of enclosed gross leaseable area devoted primarily to diverse retail food and entertainment facilities on all retail facilities within the VCA's Bucharest Service District and the VCS 1 Bucharest Service District. The recommendation of CCC being for modified approval, we have motion M26277 by Councilmember King approving the applicant's request for zoning docket 5726. Thank you, Madam Clerk. CPC, the floor is yours. Thank you, Councilmember. This would have the effect of updating signage regulations that in practice only apply to Jack's Brewery. When that building was redeveloped as a shopping center in the 1980s, it was given its own set of regulations. Over time they've proven to be somewhat inflexible, incomprehensible, and difficult to administer and that has resulted in the Board of Zoning Adjustments encouraging the property's owner to seek new regulations through an amendment to the zoning ordinance. So this application does that. It updates the regulations to make them more flexible to the building's current needs, to accommodate wayfinding signage, and generally to be more workable. And so the Planning Commission supports the updating of these signage regulations. All right, thank you. We have a card from Ms. Avery Foray. Today, Avery Foray, 800 Brown Street, here with Michael Pousson on behalf of the Burger Company. Stephen did a great job of recapping that really the impetus for the text amendment was to update some existing signage and because of existing limitations within this specific section, it only impacts the Millhouse building, the Jacksbury building. I always want to thank staff for helping us massage the language. They made some recommendations that made a lot of sense, which we fully agreed with. And of course, thank you to Councilmember King and his office for supporting this. Happy to answer any questions. Thanks. Thank you. Pousson? Yes, thank you. We appreciate your time today and consideration in the staff's work and in putting together this text amendment. And we're here for any questions. All right. Any comments from Nadea? So any online comments? Hearing none, this is a text amendment to permit signs for commercial tenants above the first floor in the VCS and VCS1 districts, which came to us at the request of Jacksbury. This application enjoys the support of the CPC staff, as well as unanimous support from the full CPC Planning Commission. And our office has not received any letters of opposition. This is a move of adoption. Can I get a second? Second by Councilmember Harris. All in favor? Seven in support. Any opposition? Hearing none, motion's adopted. Thank you.

At the top of page 19, we have item 26, Legislative Group and Ordinance Calendar 34,385, along with motions M23-426 and M23-427 has been deferred to the meeting of July 23rd. At the top of page 20, we have Ordinance Calendar 35,117 has been deferred to the meeting of July 23rd. Item 30, Ordinance Calendar 35,384 has been deferred to 723. At the bottom of the page, item 31, Ordinance Calendar 35,480 has been withdrawn. At the top of page 21, item 32, Ordinance Calendar 35,483 has been deferred to 723. Item 33, Ordinance Calendar 35,484 has been deferred to the meeting of 723. Item 34, Ordinance Calendar 35,485 has been deferred to the meeting of 723. At the top of page 22, item 35, Ordinance Calendar 35,486 by Councilmember Morrell, by request, an ordinance to amend and reordain section 70-565 of the Code of the City of New Orleans to clarify the intended scope of the ordinance to provide for exceptions consistent with court orders and judgments and otherwise to provide respects thereto. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Simply put, ladies and gentlemen, this, we had a previous ordinance that was on the books dealing with not requiring the school boards to pay fees associated with tax collection for this fiscal year. This simply tightens that language and is consistent with the settlement that was negotiated between the City of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish School Board. That's what it does. Is there any questions? Hearing that, I will move, second by Councilmember Hughes. All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? Hearing none, seven yeas, no nays. Item 36, Ordinance Calendar 35,487 has been deferred to the meeting of 723. Item 37, Ordinance Calendar 35,488 has been deferred to the meeting of 723. At the top of page 23, we have item 38, Ordinance Calendar 35,489 by Councilmembers Morrell and Willard, an ordinance to authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into a cooperative endeavor agreement between the City of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish Sheriff Office Civil Division for a term greater than one year to provide executive protection services to the New Orleans City Council as more fully detailed in the cooperative endeavor agreement as Exhibit A and otherwise to provide respects there to. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Members, this simply seeks to slightly tweak how we contract our executive services. Previously, we did it on an annual basis. This allows for it to be greater than annual just because it was a rote thing that we were doing annually that has become something that is necessary. Second by Councilmember Willard. I'll move. Second by Councilmember Willard. All in favor say aye. Opposed? Hearing none, seven yays, no nays. Item 39, Ordinance Calendar 35,490 has been withdrawn. Item 40, Motion Line Over M25182 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. At the top of page 24, Item 41, Motion Line Over M25183 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. Item 42, Motion Line Over M25184 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. Item 43, Motion Line Over M25186 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. At the top of page 25, Ordinance Item 44, Motion Line Over M25187 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. Motion Line Over M25189 has been deferred to a meeting of August 6th. Motion Line Over M25235 has been deferred to a meeting of August 6th. At the top of page 26, Item 47, Motion Line Over M25236 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. Motion Line Over M25238 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. Motion Line Over M25288 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. At the top of page 27, Item 50, Motion Line Over M25435 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. Motion Line Over M2638 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. Motion Line Over M2639 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. At the top of page 28, Item 53, Motion Line Over M2640 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. Motion Line Over M2641 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. Motion Line Over M2644 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. At the top of page 29, Item 56, Motion Line Over M2683 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. Motion Line Over M2684 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6th. Motion Line Over M26- 115 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6. At the top of page 30, motion line over M26198 has been deferred to the meeting of August 6. Item 60, motion line over M26266 has been withdrawn. At the bottom of the page item 61, we have motion M26269 by council members Morrell, Willam, McCarran, Harris, King, Green, and Hughes. Suspending council rules 15 and 15.1 to appoint council members to various boards, commissions, and agencies in global. Thank you madam clerk. Members this is just a suspension of council rules so that we can do an in-global appointment of the council members to various boards and commissions. With that I move adoption. Seconded by council member Hughes. All in favor? Aye. Any nays? 6 yays, 0 nays. It's been adopted. On page 31 we have item 63, M26272 has been deferred to the meeting of 7-23. At the bottom of the page item 64, resolution R26275 has been deferred to the meeting of July 23rd. At the top of page 32, we have motion M26281 by council member King by request. Adding the president of council as a signatory to the recognition, non-disturbance, and atonement agreement between the city of New Orleans EMDRC Partners LLC and Greater New Orleans Future Energy Facility LLC. And authorizing the president of council to sign the recognition, non-disturbance, and atonement agreement between the city of New Orleans EMDRC Partners LLC and Greater New Orleans Future Energy Facility LLC as Exhibit A. We need to suspend rule 57. So moved. Seconded by council member Hughes. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? 6 yays. All right. Mr. Swartz, is this you? Thank You council members. I'll be brief.

This is a R&DA agreement that is a no-cost agreement that is needed for a new market tax credit transaction associated with the new lab energy incubator project that's taking place at the NSA building. This is a purely technical document, again no cost to the city, and it's simply recognizing the development structure that's taking place in order for the project to be consummated. Any comments from the deans? Mr. Swartz, real quick, how is the project progressing? The project is progressing very well. It is, the foundations are complete, we beat the high water issues with the river construction, and the structure is being framed right now. All right. All in favor? No. Oh, I'm sorry, I move. I move. Seconded by council member Willard. All in favor? Aye. 6 yays. Any opposed? Hearing none, motion is adopted. Thank you. Thank you much. All right, we have a motion under suspension. Motion 26282 by council members King, Green, King, and Willard by request. Adding the president of council as a signatory to the Second Amendment between the City of New Orleans and H&O Investments LLC and authorizing the president of council to sign the Second Amendment between the City of New Orleans and H&O Investments LLC. We need the vote to receive. Moved. Seconded by council member Harris. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? 6 yays, 0 nays. We need the vote to add. Moved. Seconded by council member McCarran. All in favor? Aye. 6 yays, 0 nays. You can either discuss or vote on the matter. Okay, thank you madam clerk. Members, this CEA allows the Department of Code Enforcement to start spending down $100,000 funding allocation that I actually pulled down from the state when I was still a representative in the legislature. I've been working with the Department of Code Enforcement on how we want to utilize this money because we have a very tight turnaround. We have a plan of attack. I think it's important to note that we haven't used contractors to do lot abatement since last fall. And so since then, Code Enforcement's essentially been using their strike teams to do as much as they can to improve the quality of life in the City of New Orleans. So the hope is that this $100,000 allocation goes a long way in doing so. And Director Davis, you've been here all day. Do you want to say anything? You're good? Okay. So I will move adoption. Do I have a second? Seconded by council member King. All in favor? Any opposed? 6 yeas, 0 nays. We have motion M26283 by council members Green, King, and Willa by request. Adding the president of council as a signatory to the lease between the City of New Orleans and Mercy Partners LLC and authorizing the president of council to sign the lease between the City of New Orleans and Mercy Partners LLC. We need to vote to receive. Madam Clerk, I need to be added to that, but I will move to receive. Can I get a second? Seconded by Council Vice President Willard. All in favor? Aye. 6 yays. We need to vote to add. I'll move to add. Council member McCarran seconds. All in favor? Aye. And we could discuss a vote. All right. Members, this is a technical cleanup item following an ordinance that we passed back in April that authorized the city to advance a CEA lease and active sale with the Mercy Hospital development team. As we all know, Mercy is about to be demolished, underground water storage added, and then eventually a development going on top of that. So this instrument simply adds the council president signature to the lease. Are there any questions? All right. I'll move. Council member Green seconds. All in favor? Aye. 6 yays. Special orders of business. First order of business presentation, Manning Family Children's Hospital makes history as the first hospital in Louisiana to successfully provide gene therapy treatment for sickle cell disease. Speakers, Daniel Creasy, Dr. Ben Watkins, Daniel's physician. Oh, my gosh. Louis Forgoso, chief executive office of Manning Family Children's Hospital, recognizing Daniel Creasy as he becomes the first patient in Louisiana to be functionally cured of sickle cell disease. Good afternoon. Welcome to council chambers. Thanks for being patient with us on this day. Members, two weeks ago, I had the honor to meet Daniel and his team and his family during the moment that he got to ring the bell at Children's Hospital to signify his completion of therapy and the cure of sickle cell disease. And it is such a major moment in our state and our city and for Daniel and science. These are the types of things that we can do when we as a society believe in and invest in science for the betterment of people and the community and for the betterment of Daniel. So today we are celebrating this remarkable young man whose courage and perseverance and determination have inspired our entire community. Daniel has made history as the first person in Louisiana to be functionally cured of sickle cell disease through gene therapy. For 23 years, Daniel has lived with the disease that affects thousands of Louisianians and disproportionately impacts African American families. His journey, I know, has required extraordinary patience, resilience, and faith through a lengthy and complex treatment process that spanned nearly two years. Rather than focusing on his own success, Daniel has committed himself to helping others facing similar challenges and advocating for access to life changing treatments. Daniel's story is one of hope, proving that innovation determination and community support can make the impossible possible. So today we're going to congratulate Daniel on his historic milestone and wish him continued success as he pursues his dream of becoming a pilot. Today I also want to honor the extraordinary physicians, nurses, researchers, health care professionals whose dedication made this historic achievement possible. The team at Manning Family Children's right there in District A has demonstrated what's possible when innovation and compassionate care come together.

This milestone reflects years of research, collaboration, and unwavering belief that every patient deserves access to the most advanced treatments available. Their work has not only changed Daniel's life, but it's also expanded opportunities for the future patients throughout the Louisiana and the Gulf South. So I want to thank you all as well for your remarkable team and leadership in advancing this health care. Daniel, you are truly inspiring. I'm going to let you guys speak as well, but I just want to say this to you. So when I heard you speak at Children's, I felt the weight that you felt of being the first person to experience this treatment and to have all this publicity around it. And it's hard, I know, but you represent hope for others suffering, for others currently in treatment, for others currently, patients that are hoping for access and waiting for access to care. And I look forward to having you back here when you get that pilot's license and we can honor you again for your next achievement. So with that, I'll let you guys say a few words and then I'm sure my fellow council members will have some things to say as well. Well, thank you Councilwoman McCarran. That was perfectly said. And thank you to all of you for having us and for really taking a moment to recognize this historic moment. For those of you that don't know me, my name is Lou Fragoso and I have the privilege and the honor to serve as President and CEO for Your Children's Hospital Manning Family Children's. And as you know, and as Councilman McCarran just pointed out, Louisiana has one of the highest rates of sickle cell disease in the country. And for too many children and families, it has meant a lifetime of pain, of uncertainty, and hospitalizations. But today, we're here to share a different story. It is a story of hope. It is a story of innovation. It is a story of lives transformed because two weeks ago, we celebrated a historic milestone when this young man, Daniel, who is with us here today, became the first person in Louisiana and the Gulf South to be cured of sickle cell disease using gene therapy right here in New Orleans. That's right. And while today we honor Daniel and his remarkable journey, what this also represents is hope for the countless of families and children who now know that there is a life-changing care available right here in New Orleans. And I am so incredibly proud of our physicians, our nurses, our researchers, our care teams, and the amazing partnership that we have with LSU and Tulane, all of which combined to make this historic achievement possible. So I just want to thank you for the opportunity to share this story, to celebrate Daniel, our physicians, and it is now my privilege to introduce Dr. Dana LeBlanc, who leads our sickle cell program at Manning Family Children's, who's going to tell you more about sickle cell disease and the comprehensive care that we provide every day. Dr. LeBlanc. Good afternoon, Councilmembers. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Dr. Dana LeBlanc. I am a proud New Orleans native and the director of the sickle cell disease program at Manning Family Children's, where we provide comprehensive care for over 400 patients with sickle cell disease from birth until young adulthood. I'm here today to recognize both the extraordinary progress we have made in treating sickle cell disease and work that still lies ahead for the people and families living with this condition in New Orleans. Sickle cell is an inherited blood disorder that causes severe pain, chronic anemia, strokes, organ damage, and shortened life expectancy. Louisiana has one of the highest rates of sickle cell disease in the country, and many of those individuals affected live right here in our city. For these families, sickle cell disease is not just a medical diagnosis. It is a daily reality that impacts education, employment, mental health, and quality of life. Today, however, we also have reason for hope. We are entering a new era in medicine. Gene therapy and stem cell transplant, as well as advancements in medical therapies for sickle cell disease, are transforming what is possible for people living with sickle cell disease. For the first time, we can speak not only about reacting to the devastating manifestations of this disease, but about managing it, and in some patients, in some cases, about curing it. Here in New Orleans, we recently celebrated an incredible milestone with the successful gene therapy treatment of Daniel at our hospital. Daniel's journey represents more than one patient's success. It demonstrates that our city is home to world-class clinicians, researchers, healthcare teams who are bringing groundbreaking treatments to our community. That achievement deserves to be celebrated. But it should also remind us that innovation alone is not enough. Many individuals living with sickle cell disease still struggle to access comprehensive care. They face challenges with transportation, insurance coverage, transitions from pediatric to adult care, and too often, delays in receiving appropriate treatment for pain. Many continue to experience disparities that have existed for generations. As these revolutionary therapies become available, we must ensure that access is equitable. A cure only changes lives if patients can reach it. I encourage the City Council to continue supporting partnerships between the City of New Orleans, our healthcare institutions, and community organizations to improve awareness, expand access to specialty care, and address the social barriers that prevent patients from receiving the treatment they deserve. Supporting people living with sickle cell disease is not only an investment in our individual health, it is an investment in our workforce, our families, and our community.

New Orleans has the opportunity to be a national leader, not only because we are helping pioneer life-saving therapies, but because we are committed to ensuring that every resident living with sickle cell disease has access to compassionate, equitable, and high-quality care. Together, we can celebrate remarkable scientific advancements like Daniel's Cure, while continuing the important work of making sure that every person with sickle cell disease has the opportunity to benefit from this new era of medicine. Thank you so much for your time and for having us today. And I'll hand it over to Dr. Ben Watkins, who leads our Stem Cell Transplant and Team Therapy Program. Yes. So, first, I want to start off by saying thank you so much for having us here, and that's really sincere because, you know, sickle cell disease is a disease that affects millions of people in the world. You know, close to 10 million people have it. It's the most common inherited blood disorder in the world. Over 100,000 people in the United States have it, and over 3,000 people here in Louisiana. It's a disease that often gets forgotten about. It lives in the shadows with not much attention paid on it, despite, as we heard from Dr. LeBlanc, how much suffering can come along with this disease. And so, I think it's really important that we begin to shine the light on this disease and make sure the patients that are living with this have opportunities and access to care that they used to didn't have. These therapies offer something that a lot of people with sickle cell disease didn't have, and that's hope. Hope for a different future. Hope for a life, hopefully, filled with less pain, less complications, and, as we'll hear from Daniel, hope to regain their dreams. These therapies need to be here more than anywhere else in the country. The people with sickle cell disease live here. We know that our state has significant health disparities that face, you know, the black and African American community, and people with sickle cell disease have lived with the stigma of the disease and have often been marginalized. And so, what we hope with these therapies is that it's not just, you know, Daniel, but we expand opportunities to everyone living with it. And I think that's why it's so important we're here today and raising awareness and why Daniel's story is so impactful. You know, Daniel, as we heard, he grew up here. He's from the New Orleans area. He was treated by our team since birth, soon after being diagnosed with sickle cell disease. You know, Daniel did phenomenally well, but then as he aged, he started to have complications, as often comes with sickle cell disease, that led to frequent admissions to the hospital, missed days at school, missed opportunities. But what really is Daniel's story, what makes it so impactful, is also his dream was taken away because of his sickle cell disease. As we heard, he wanted to be a pilot, but he was told because he was born with this disease, he wouldn't have that opportunity. And if anybody has the opportunity to meet Daniel, you'll be struck pretty much immediately by his intelligence, his determination, his passion for what he does. And it was his determination that led to multiple appeals to try to get him his pilot's license, but they said he couldn't do it unless he got gene therapy, which wasn't even FDA approved at the time. And so it was his determination that led to us becoming an authorized treatment center now two years ago, which is when his journey started. There were lots of hurdles. There are dozens upon dozens of people that are involved in getting these therapies actually to the patient. But we kept in the back of the mind Daniel's story and the hundreds and thousands of patients like Daniel that share his pain that he suffered because of sickle cell disease. He received his gene therapy now four months ago, about. He has done incredibly well. His hemoglobin is now normal and hope to go on to live his dream. And you'll hear from him in just a second. But I think we also need to take this moment and realize while we celebrate this moment, this is a starting point, right? We don't want to let off the gas. We're building momentum, bringing focus to sickle cell disease and shining a light on a disease that's not had a light on it before. We need more research into these therapies. We need to expand access to everybody that lives in this state. And so hopefully you'll hear more from us in the future about future great things that we're doing. And so super excited to be here. And I'm not going to keep you from Daniel, as I'm sure you want to hear from him most of all. So I'll pass it off to Daniel. Hey, good afternoon, everybody. I appreciate you guys having us and having me to speak on my experience navigating this care. This has been the most difficult thing I've done in my entire life, and I've done many difficult things in my life. What I realized is how there was a severe lack of awareness on sickle cell alone in this country and even in this state. And so I've made it my mission to spread awareness on sickle cell so at the very least people know about it and what we're facing. And with the recent media and coverage of my story, that awareness has been spread globally. And now everybody knows about sickle cell and even the therapies that are available for sickle cell. But with that came the vivid problem, and that is access to this treatment that I got. Accessing this treatment was the most difficult thing I've done. On one end of the stick, I was too unhealthy to fly to pursue my dream as a pilot. But on the other end of the stick, I was too healthy to get this therapy. And that isn't just me. There are many patients out there struggling to even access a hematologist that they can talk to to access this therapy, and then you have insurance problems and then income problems and then location and zip code. And I'm just one person.

It'll take much more than me, much more than Manning Family. It'll take the entire state and the entire nation to make these barriers no longer exist. And I hope that with my story and even my success that it'll inspire somebody in this room who has power to make this treatment much more accessible to the average family. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Colleagues, let's just start with Councilmember Harrison and go down the line, and then we'll take some photos. Daniel, thank you for being here today. Your story is amazing. Your tenaciousness is inspiring, but I think what most is inspiring to me is the fact that even though you received this treatment, that you're advocating for others to get it, for the barriers to be broken, for the cost to go down, for the increase in access for all of the folks who need this treatment and can look to you as a pathway forward. So keep up that advocacy because we need people like you in this world to advocate for others who don't have a strong voice or a voice that's loud. That's what you can do right now. And I'm sure you'll be a great pilot, but right now you are an amazing advocate. To Manning Family Children's LCMC Health, look, people need to know that New Orleans is a hotbed of innovation in health care. I think we get looked over a lot by other areas. Geographically, we make sense. We have the brainpower. We have folks who are who are willing to step up. So, you know, keep innovating, especially as we expand and and look to other partnerships with Tulane going forward. So thank you all for being here. Councilmember King. Councilman McCarron for bringing children's family. Manning Family Hospital to the council chamber and thank you for your story. Manning Hospital team, thank you for all that you do. It's a very humbling experience to walk the halls of the hospital. You walk out being more appreciative for the life you have and for the health that you have. So just thank you for all that you do. And Daniel, your story is very inspiring. Sickle cell is something that hits my family, hits home. So you give me hope and my family hopes. Thank you for your your your your strength and sharing your story. Appreciate it. Councilmember Willard. Thank you, Councilmember McCarron, for bringing Daniel before us today. I'll start with LCMC Manning Family Children's Hospital. Thank you all for investing in Daniel. I mean, this is unbelievable, especially in a state that has such high rates of sickle cell in our population. So this is one of those situations where it's just a win win across the board. And the biggest result is that Daniel gets to walk away and pursue what he's always wanted to do. I would I would push you guys to pursue some type of legislation at the state level. I served on the House Insurance Committee. I know it's a, you know, a tough battle up there. Prior authorization and all of that stuff. But for a condition that affects so many people in Louisiana and for there to be a treatment out there, this is one of those issues where we could be a leader in the world and we should be leading on this issue in the world. So I would encourage you to do that, Daniel. Just powerful. Powerful. I mean, you could have walked away from this and said, thank you all so much. Now I'm going to go do my own thing. But you know what? You did what we need everybody to do. You're trying to help other people. Use your experience to help other people who are going through that experience right now. And that is just admirable. I wish you the best of luck with whatever you pursue. And hopefully one day, you know, I'll be able to look up and see that you're flying my plane, you know, and and that would be just full circle. So push your dreams. If you need anything from me, please let me know. I want you to achieve everything that you want to achieve. So thank you for sharing your story with us and with the rest of the world. Thank you. I was unable to attend the bell ringing, I believe it was, where they announced that you were cured. But what what was very interesting to me is that in this state where so many people disagree on so many things, everyone, the governor, Attorney General, the mayor, everyone was there together to celebrate your achievement. And it says something about what you've been through and what Children's has accomplished in that we still have the ability in this day and age to bring people together to celebrate something truly miraculous. I think it's when you look just at the history of sickle cell disease, you look at the fact it's a genetic aberration mutation that deal with combating malaria. And you deal with the fact that as a as a as a humanity has done everything possible to defeat malaria as a disease. And we are now using science to correct something that was necessary, but is no longer necessary and a hindrance to people pursuing their dreams like yourself. It's just amazing what we can accomplish as a society and as a as an organization when everyone is pulling together. I mean, what I saw from the stories that you want to be a pilot that is that's like step one to be an astronaut. I mean, you really are aiming for the skies. And I think as, as has been said already, this council wants to support you whatever your dreams are going forward, because you've already kind of shown that you will not let anything stop you from achieving what you set your sights on. So as Council Member Willard says, my colleagues have said anything you want to do in the future, I wouldn't bet against you at this point. So like I said, pilots first step to be an astronaut, maybe it's not Southwest, maybe it's NASA. Put that in your brain. Thank you. Council Member Hughes. Thank you, Council Member Karen. And let me just say, this is one of the most meaningful special orders that I've seen since I've been on this council. Daniel, you've made history. And it's history worth celebrating.

You know, it's been said to whom much is given, much is required. And you are the epitome of that. Because you've you've been given much and you realize now much is required of you. And you're using this moment to make meaningful, impactful change. Maya Angelou said, when you get give and when you learn, teach. And you're doing that as well. And I don't mean to get spiritual, but I'm a man of faith. You said that this was one of the toughest battles you faced in life. As I reflect upon the Bible, God would pick certain people that he knew could navigate the test in order to have the testimony. And so God chose you for this tough assignment to now use you as a vessel and a disciple to impact meaningful change. And so we celebrate you, could not be more proud of you. And you've just brought a lot of joy to my heart. And I really appreciate you. To Manning, thank you for literally doing the Lord's work, for being so steadfast. You're right. You know, people hear about sickle cell and it's just sort of brushed aside. But I really appreciate your dedication and steadfastness to this issue. I served on the Health and Welfare Committee for six years in Baton Rouge in the legislature. John Pusho, stand up. I know you don't like a lot of credit and a lot of attention. But John, you came to me a couple years ago and brought awareness of this gene therapy to me. And we started partnering to bring awareness to our colleagues. And one of the things that I remind my colleagues, my former colleagues, and they're still my family and my colleagues, in pro-life Louisiana, if we're truly pro-life, then we have an obligation to invest in this gene therapy because we know it's a cure for sickle cell. And as I told my colleagues, you know, when they say, well, it's expensive. How do we pay for it? Well, we can't afford not to pay for it because when we invest in these therapies, then we allow people like Daniel to go be a pilot. Then he's going to build a home and he's going to contribute to this economy. So the reward far outweighs the cost of the investment. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you all, Daniel. Thank you for being a blessing, John, my brother. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing awareness to this in Baton Rouge. And I hope you all will put me in. Let's go to Baton Rouge. Let's go to DC. Let's go to the community. Let's do whatever we need to do. And I've made it my personal commitment because sickle cell does not get the attention that it deserves, that I want to keep pushing the needle, pushing the state, pushing the insurance companies so that everybody, regardless of income, regardless of zip code, regardless of socioeconomic status, can have access to this life-changing, life-saving care. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Green. Thank you very much, Daniel, for your courage and for your willingness to share your story as you've done previously and are doing today. I've been around for a while, including remembering the early sickle cell anemia telethons, for example. I also know that, unfortunately, I know a couple of people who are not here with us now who had sickle cell disease. It's great to see the gene therapy being used in a way that's going to save lives. The talk in the past was, well, it's going to affect the longevity of this person, and we were expecting that the person might not be around for a while. Advancements have been made, but today is a significant, tremendous advancement, something that means a lot to Daniel, means a lot to over 3,000 Louisianians, 120,000 on a national level, but also internationally. And I hope that you tell your story internationally because there are millions of people who have the sickle cell trait, and in many countries, for example, they live with no expectations that there will be any solutions. So this is a momentous day here at the New Orleans City Council, in this great city of New Orleans, where gene therapy has resulted in Daniel's full recovery. And so I'm looking forward to you continuing to share, Daniel, your story, and looking forward to following you as you spread the message throughout the world that this hope exists. To Manning Family Children's, thank you for coming before us today, but also just in general for the work that you do. LCMC Health is involved with projects that I'm affiliated with in my district. You've invested. I appreciate that. But in this particular instance, this is so momentous because this is life-saving for a number of people, for thousands of people. So thank you for being here today, and Council Member McCarran, thank you. This was a great, momentous presentation today, something that I hope that the media will share widely because it means so much to so many people. So pleased to be here today, honored to be here today. Thank you, Daniel. Thank you, Manning Family Children's. Joe. Thank you, members. So I have some proclamations for Daniel and then Dr. Watkins and Dr. LeBlanc, so we'll come down and take some photos and give you these proclamations. Thank you. Thank you. Yn ystod y 2.500, mae'r ymgeisydd wedi'i gilydd gan y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn ystod y 50,000, mae'r ymgeisydd wedi'i gilydd gan y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn ystod y 50,000, mae'r ymgeisydd wedi'i gilydd gan y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn ystod y 50,000, mae'r ymgeisydd wedi'i gilydd gan y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn ystod y 50,000, mae'r ymgeisydd wedi'i gilydd gan y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn ystod y 50,000, mae'r ymgeisydd wedi'i gilydd gan y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn ystod y 50,000, mae'r ymgeisydd wedi'i gilydd gan y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn ystod y 50,000, mae'r ymgeisydd wedi'i gilydd gan y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn ystod y 50,000, mae'r ymgeisydd wedi'i gilydd gan y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn ystod y 50,000, mae'r ymgeisydd wedi'i gilydd gan y Deyrnas Unedig. 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