New Orleans, LA Crescent City Card pilot combines financial support and smart service access
The Crescent City Card was powered by Mastercard's City Key system for contactless facility entry. An initial 10-month pilot deposited $350 per month onto cards for 125 young residents. New Orleans conducted a follow-up pilot with 125 low-income residents eligible for $200 per month over four months. There were no restrictions on how the funds were spent. Participants accessed 16 public recreational facilities by tapping their Crescent City Cards at entry points.
New Orleans, LA
United States
New Orleans, LA is planning a series of proposals to protect carjacking victims from paying fees
The New Orleans City Council is working on proposals to protect carjacking victims from impound fees and parking fines. The Council members are also looking to create a fund that would direct the city's Chief Administrative Officer to fully reimburse victims. The Council members are also working on efforts to ban companies from charging fees to residents for recovering their stolen vehicles.
New Orleans, LA
United States
New Orleans, LA considers requiring third-party structural engineers for tall building inspections
The New Orleans City Council is voting on a new ordinance that would require third-party structural engineers to approve plans for all buildings over 75 feet tall. This review process would be separate from inspections already performed by the Safety & Permits Department. The ordinance was proposed following an investigation into the collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel which revealed that building inspectors falsified information.
New Orleans, LA
United States
New Orleans, LA launched "Jazz" an artificial intelligence-powered 311 chatbot to help residents
The City of New Orleans launched "Jazz" an artificial intelligence-powered 311 chatbot to deliver faster answers to a wider range of residents. The chatbot is reachable 24/7 via text and on the city website. City staff supplied Jazz’s knowledge base by connecting it to the 311 center’s customer relationship management platform and the bot's machine learning capabilities help the systems improve over time.
New Orleans, LA
United States
New Orleans, LA is investing $70 million in police surveillance cameras to catch violent offenders
The New Orleans City Council has decided to invest $70 million in police surveillance cameras. The Council is purchasing 70 cameras using revenue from fines levied on Entergy New Orleans, money borrowed via bonds, and an existing crime camera fund. The expanded surveillance network will be used to help police catch violent offenders. The cameras locations will be chosen based on crime data, input from police commanders, and critical city infrastructure.
New Orleans, LA
United States
New Orleans, LA District Attorney is developing a diversion program in community satellite offices
The Orleans Parish District Attorney is developing a diversion program which allows individuals charged with crimes to avoid prosecution and jail time through sentencing alternatives. The program will be conducted at "satellite offices" housed at public libraries and community centers. The satellite offices are being created in order to improve accessibility, increase transparency, and build community trust in the criminal legal system.
New Orleans, LA
United States
New Orleans, LA revives healthy travel options with Public Bicycle Sharing Program
New Orleans is working with the newly created nonprofit Blue Krewe to design a bike-sharing program that meets resident needs. The Public Bicycle Sharing Program addresses transit inequities through the local expertise of its operators. The city previously worked with Social Bicycles on the Blue Bikes program from 2019 until the COVID-19 pandemic. A 75-mile protected cycling lane project under construction will boost ridership through improved safety.
New Orleans, LA
United States