Council adds community land‑trust representative to Housing Trust Fund advisory committee after heated public comments

The City Council on Nov. 6 amended the membership of the New Orleans Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee to add one appointee of the council president who must be an employee or representative of a community land trust that owns immovable property in Orleans Parish.

The change was carried as an amendment to ordinance calendar number 3500284. Councilmember Morrell and others explained the change as a step to include community land-trust perspectives on the advisory panel. The amendment replaces earlier language that singled out a specific organization and instead permits any qualifying community land-trust organization to have a representative at the table by way of the council president’s appointment.

The proposal prompted lengthy public comment. Andronika Morris, president of the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance (GNOHA), urged the council not to remove GNOHA’s seat on the advisory committee and described GNOHA’s two-decade role in housing advocacy and in passing the housing trust fund. Shayna M. Griffin (Jane Place Neighborhood Sustainability Initiative) and other community advocates also urged that GNOHA remain part of the process and raised concerns about the timing and political context of the amendment. In debate, council members defended the amendment as broadening representation to community land trusts while also emphasizing the need for fast action on housing spending.

Councilmembers voted to adopt the ordinance as amended. The amendment authorizes the council president’s office to appoint a representative meeting the specified community land trust criteria rather than naming an individual organization in the ordinance text.

The council asked that the advisory committee continue to operate transparently and report back on program designs as funding allocations move forward.