French Quarter board seeks renewal of 2.245% sales tax as homelessness outreach shows early gains

The French Quarter Economic Development District told the City Council on Aug. 7 that it seeks voter approval to renew a 2.245% sales tax in the French Quarter and presented quarterly trust-fund and operational updates.

The district—s executive director, Michelle Corso, said the trust fund has spent 57% of its budget year to date while expenses show 22% of the year, and that contracting and purchase-order issues are being resolved. Corso highlighted a 91% year-over-year increase in traffic citations attributed to a coordinated enforcement effort involving supplemental FQEDD patrols, New Orleans Police Department and Department of Public Works traffic enforcement. "In one of those incidents, even last night, Sergeant Packard apprehended an armed robbery perpetrator, recovered the gun, and escorted that perpetrator to the station," Corso said.

Corso and Nathaniel Fields, director of homeless services and strategies in the mayor—s office, described recent outreach and a low-barrier shelter response as part of a "phase 3" closure-maintenance strategy for encampments. Fields said outreach teams and Travelers Aid made 242 engagements in week one of a targeted program, transported 33 people to shelter and that 25 remained sheltered; he said week two engagements fell to about 12 per day as individuals entered shelter or housing case-management pathways. "So far, as of this week, we have 25 of them geared up to go into a housing process," Fields said, adding the city had experienced no arrests in the outreach activity he described.

Councilmembers asked whether the effort was displacing unhoused people to adjacent neighborhoods. Corso said the teams are working into the Marigny and coordinating with Downtown Development District, Louisiana State Police, New Orleans Police and private security to try to avoid simply shifting people from one neighborhood to another.

A public commenter, Michael Burnside, told the council the administration—s approach focused on "symptoms" rather than underlying causes. He said the city lacks nearby shelter capacity and that placing people into a single low-barrier shelter risks moving them to locations where they are not wanted.

Corso requested authorization to place the sales-tax renewal before voters on Nov. 15 to continue trust-fund activities, including supplemental policing, Travelers Aid and pedestrian-safety projects along Rampart Street and North Peters. The council took the matter under the FQEDD agenda and approved related procedural items earlier in the session.

Why it matters: The FQEDD Trust Fund finances security and cleanliness programs that affect tourism, local businesses and residents in a dense commercial district. The proposed tax renewal would direct local sales-tax revenue within the French Quarter boundaries to public-safety and quality-of-life projects managed by the district.