Affordable Housing In Lieu Fee Ordinance

At a glance

What: Calendar No. 35,530, by Councilmember Harris, amends Section 26-648 of the City Code to reduce the fee paid in lieu of providing required affordable housing units and to direct these fees to the New Orleans Housing Trust Fund.
Where it stands: adopted as amended on October 1, 2026, 6-0 (Ordinance No. 30,776 M.C.S.). The amendment raised the fee-in-lieu rate from $5,000 to $10,000 per required affordable housing unit.
History: introduced August 6, 2026; deferred on September 3 to September 17; heard with speaker cards on October 1.

Votes on October 1

Amendment to $10,000 per unit: moved by Harris, seconded by Willard; 6-0 (McCarron, Harris, Green, Hughes, Morrell, Willard) with King abstaining.
Ordinance as amended: moved by Harris, seconded by Green; 6-0 with King absent.

On September 3 the Housing Trust Fund annual report for 2027 (Section 70-415.342(d)(2)) was received and referred to the Budget Committee.

Sources

City Council regular meeting minutes, October 1, 2026: https://cityofno.legistar1.com/cityofno/meetings/2026/10/1016_M_City_Council_26-10-01_MINUTES.pdf
City Council regular meeting minutes, September 3, 2026 (final, revised): https://cityofno.legistar1.com/cityofno/meetings/2026/9/1041_M_City_Council_26-09-03_MINUTES.pdf

Log

2026-10-01 - City Council

Amendment raising the fee in lieu to $10,000 per unit adopted 6-0 (King abstaining); ordinance adopted as amended 6-0. On the video, Harris said no affordable units had been created under the 2021 policy; one commenter claimed the cut from $34,810 lets developers avoid affordable housing.

2026-09-03 - City Council

Deferred to September 17; Housing Trust Fund annual report received and referred to the Budget Committee.