New Orleanians want less flash, more function from City Hall

Axios

5 days ago

Many New Orleanians are scaling back their hopes for City Hall after years of big promises and slow progress.
Why it matters: Instead of dreaming of transformation, residents just want a city that works.
The big picture: In a recent citywide poll, 37% of residents said street repair and maintenance were their top concerns, and 30% pointed to drainage and flooding.
While crime remains the top concern overall, its importance has fallen since last year, as frustration has grown with street conditions, according to the New Orleans Crime Coalition survey.
65% of respondents said the city is on the wrong track.
"People have not been trusting City Hall for some time now," says Robert Collins, a professor of urban studies and public policy at Dillard.
Zoom in: City priorities are a focus of this fall's election, when voters have the potential to overhaul the leadership at City Hall.
LaToya Cantrell is term-limited and her mayoral seat is hotly contested. So are the City Council spots.
Inside the room: New Orleanians care about their city, and there's been intense interest in how things can be fixed.
In about a dozen community meetings over the past year, residents have shared their ideas for how to improve safety on Bourbon Street, make City Park more user-friendly and spur development in New Orleans East.
But there's been a thread of skepticism from attendees about their voices being heard and projects actually finishing.
So they've scaled back their expectations and focused on the basics.
What they're saying:"The city always overpromises and under-delivers," Collins tells Axios New Orleans.
"People have been promised large-scale infrastructure improvements before, but it never happens," he said. So now, people are looking for baby steps that can be delivered in a year or so.
Case in point:
Bourbon Street: Proposals for sweeping safety changes lost out to more immediate fixes this year, after vocal objections from residents and business owners.
Now leaders are focusing on making the current barricades work while they investigate other options.
City Park's planned overhaul was scaled back after community pushback. Residents wanted upgrades, but not at the expense of existing programs like Grow Dat Youth Farm.
The new plan, unveiled last month, is " somewhat transformational without changing the backbone" of the park, City Park Conservancy president and CEO Rebecca Dietz told Axios New Orleans. (See renderings)
Lincoln Beach: An ambitious plan for the historic Black beach — including an expensive rooftop pool — was shelved in favor of a simpler one that focuses on the sandy beach and basic amenities.
Other lingering projects include Plaza Tower and the Market Street Power Plant.
Progress is happening at the former Six Flags and the new River District, but much slower than initially promised.
What we're watching: The new administration will have to focus on rebuilding public trust, Collins said.
Improving customer service and responsiveness for city services, especially with the Sewerage & Water Board, would go a long way with residents, he says.