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1. Short-Term Rentals & Displacement: In neighborhoods like Tremé, whole-home short-term rentals now comprise over 10% of available housing, shrinking long-term options for residents. Although members of the current council have been adamant about addressing this issue, every month more permits are approved. Yes/No: Do you support stricter regulations on short-term rentals (e.g. Airbnb) to curb the displacement of long-time New Orleanians from their homes?
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YES
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If yes, what specific policies (such as caps on whole-home rentals, enforcement funding, or penalties) and timelines would you push for to protect affordable housing for residents? If no, explain how you would address housing affordability and prevent displacement without additional short-term rental regulations.
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2. Affordable Housing & Anti-Displacement Strategies: Community leaders in gentrifying areas have called for tools like inclusionary zoning and property tax relief for legacy homeowners to fight displacement. What legislative actions or programs will you champion to ensure housing justice in New Orleans? In your answer, please cite a concrete policy that you would prioritize to keep residents in their homes and prevent displacement.
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3. Investing in Youth Diversion: It is well established that diversion programs have far lower recidivism rates than the youth processed through the traditional justice system. Do you support allocating more city resources toward community-based youth diversion and rehabilitation programs as alternatives to incarceration?
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YES
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If yes, which specific programs or approaches would you prioritize to improve public safety outcomes for youth? If no, explain your reasoning and how you would address juvenile crime without solely relying on incarceration.
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4. Community-Based Violence Prevention: New Orleans neighborhoods have developed violence interruption teams, youth outreach, and other community-led public safety efforts to reduce reliance on policing. What is your plan to expand and support community-led public safety initiatives? Please provide an example of a program, policy, or budget change you would advocate for to make neighborhoods safer while centering community leadership.
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5. Non-Carceral Crisis Response: Nearly 30% of people in the New Orleans jail have a diagnosed mental health issue, and about 15% have a substance use disorder – a sign that jail is often used to manage mental illness and addiction. Would you support creating and funding a non-police crisis response team to handle mental health and addiction emergencies (instead of relying on armed officers and jail)?
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YES
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Please explain how you would implement such a program, and any other initiatives you would pursue to direct people toward treatment and services rather than incarceration.
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6. Jail Funding: The City is obligated to fund a jail that the sheriff is obligated to run. Since Katrina, and the federal consent decree covering the jail, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to construct the jail complex that has never been fully staffed. With the Phase III expansion forthcoming, what role do you believe City Council holds in regard to fiscal transparency and accountability on jail staffing, maintenance, construction, programming, and health care?
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Would you commit to fully funding proven medication assisted treatment programs for the several hundred detained people who suffer from serious addiction issues?
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YES
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7. Support for Formerly Incarcerated Residents: About 2,500 New Orleans residents are in state prison on any given day, the vast majority of whom are Black. Many will return home each year facing barriers to jobs, housing, and voting. Will you advocate for initiatives that remove barriers for people returning from incarceration?
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YES
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If yes, describe at least one specific measure you’d champion. If no, explain your position on reentry support and how you would otherwise assist New Orleanians in reintegrating after incarceration.
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8. Defending Home Rule: In the past year, Louisiana state officials have overridden New Orleans’ local policies – (e.g. Governor deployed state police and even the National Guard in the city without local request, the Legislature proposed a constitutional amendment that would have allowed them to replace local jurisdictional control, the Governor has called for a state takeover of Sewerage & Water Board, and the Legislature enacted a law to force local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE). As a Council Member, what steps would you take to protect New Orleans’ right to self-governance and resist state overreach into local affairs? Please give a specific example of how you would respond if the state attempts to usurp local control – whether on matters of public safety, municipal regulations, or social policy – and how you would assert the priorities of New Orleanians in the face of state interference.
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9. Balancing Surveillance and Privacy: Recent investigations revealed that NOPD secretly used real-time facial recognition via a private camera network, scanning every face on certain streets and sending alerts to police, all without public oversight. Do you oppose the expansion of surveillance technologies – such as facial recognition, predictive policing algorithms, widespread license plate readers, social media crawling, and electronic monitoring – in New Orleans?
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YES
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Please explain your stance on the use of such technologies. If yes, how would you work to limit or regulate these tools in order to protect privacy, civil liberties, and communities from over-surveillance? If your answer is no, what safeguards would you put in place to prevent abuses and racial bias in the use of surveillance tech?
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10. Sanctuary City Commitment: New Orleans has a longstanding policy (stemming from a 2013 federal consent decree settlement) that prohibits holding people in jail for ICE without a court order, except in serious violent cases. In 2024, however, Louisiana passed a law (Act 314) to ban such “sanctuary” policies and require local police and sheriffs to assist ICE. Will you defend New Orleans’ sanctuary city practices by opposing local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement?
YES
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If yes, how would you use your Council role to protect immigrant residents? If no, please explain your view on whether and how local law enforcement should engage in immigration enforcement.
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11. Palestinian Solidarity & International Human Rights: Last year, as attacks on Gaza escalated, hundreds of New Orleanians urged the City Council to explicitly call for a ceasefire. The Council ultimately passed a “Statement of Peace” drafted without public input. Since that time, the Trump Administration has targeted legal residents who have voiced opposition to Israel’s activities, which include continued bombings and a blockade preventing food, medical supplies, and journalists from entering Gaza. Should the City Council use its platform to take clear stands on international human rights issues?
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YES
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Specifically, would you support a City Council resolution that explicitly condemns the ongoing violence against Palestinian civilians and calls for measures like an immediate Gaza ceasefire, an end to U.S. military aid fueling the conflict, and protection of free speech when criticizing a foreign government? Explain why you would or would not back such a resolution, and how you view the Council’s role in addressing global justice concerns that resonate with New Orleans communities.
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12. Neighborhood Investment & Basic Services: Across New Orleans, some neighborhoods – particularly historically Black and working-class areas – still struggle with crumbling infrastructure and blight. The Lower Ninth Ward, for example, was once a thriving community but remains marked by a slow, uneven recovery since Katrina. Even well-intended improvements, like the Gentilly Resilience District’s green infrastructure, raise concerns about “green gentrification” driving up costs for long-time residents. What will you do to ensure that infrastructure investments and city services (such as street repairs, drainage projects, blight removal, and regular trash collection) are delivered equitably to the neighborhoods that need them most? Please provide a specific policy or initiative you would pursue to close the gaps in infrastructure quality across our city.
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13. Accountability for Entergy & Sewerage/Water Board: Entergy New Orleans has faced public outrage over repeated outages and high bills – for example, a May 2025 grid failure left over 100,000 customers without power with little warning – and the Sewerage & Water Board (SWB) has long struggled with boil-water advisories, billing errors, and drainage failures. Some community advocates have called for stronger oversight and even municipalization of the electric utility to prioritize reliability and equity. Would you support exploring public ownership of our electric utility (or other major structural changes) to improve service and accountability to New Orleanians?
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YES
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Why or why not? In your response, detail at least one action you would take regarding utility regulation to ensure residents have affordable, reliable power and water, and that utilities are held accountable to the public interest.
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14. Climate Equity & Sustainable Future: New Orleans is on the frontlines of the climate crisis – facing stronger hurricanes, extreme heat, flooding, and subsidence. These impacts hit our most vulnerable communities the hardest, from low-income families who can’t afford high energy bills to residents of flood-prone neighborhoods. The City has begun some efforts (for instance, a new Healthy Homes ordinance now requires landlords to provide air conditioning so that rental units can be kept at 80°F or below in hot months. What additional steps will you take to advance clean energy, climate resilience, and equitable utility access for New Orleans? Please discuss at least one specific policy or initiative you would champion. How will your approach ensure that the benefits of climate resilience and the transition to clean energy reach those communities most impacted by environmental injustice and past disinvestment?
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In 50 words or less, what would you most like voters to know about you and your candidacy? Use this space to highlight the values, vision, or lived experience that shape your leadership and what you hope to bring as Mayor.
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