BlightStatus Arrives

Click here to view the City’s presentation at today’s BlightStat meeting.

If you are having trouble viewing this message, read this in your browser. MAYOR LANDRIEU, CODE FOR AMERICA TO UNVEIL NEW TECHNOLOGY TO TRACK BLIGHTED PROPERTIES NEW ORLEANS, LA—October 11, 2012 | Today, Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Code for America (CFA) will announce the launch of BlightStatus, a new interactive tool for residents to track the progress of blighted properties within the code Enforcement system in New Orleans. Nearly two years ago, Mayor Landrieu announced a new, aggressive blight strategy aimed at reducing the blight count in New Orleans by 10,000 properties by 2014. A recent study released by The Greater New Orleans Community Data Center showed that blighted properties have been reduced by approximately 8,000 addresses since 2010. The study attributed the reduction in part to the focused efforts of City agencies to bring properties into compliance. Neighborhood groups and engaged citizens have always been a crucial partner in the city’s fight against blight, and now, with the launch of BlightStatus, they will have access to previously inaccessible City data about the status of blighted properties. Easy access to this information will reduce barriers to participation in public blight hearings, and improve the quality of the interactions between the City and the community in the common goal of blight eradication. WHO: Mayor Mitch Landrieu Deputy Mayor Andy Kopplin City officials Code for America team WHAT: Launch of BlightStatus, a new interactive tool for residents to track the progress of blighted properties within the Code Enforcement system in New Orleans WHEN: Thursday, October 11, 2012 1:00 PM WHERE: 1708 St. Roch Ave. New Orleans, LA 70117 ### Share this to: Follow the Mayor:

BlightSTATUS makes it simple for residents to find out what’s going on with blighted properties in their community – no long waits on the telephone or visits to City Hall required.
A great example of government transparency at work, BlightSTATUS pulls up-to-date property information directly from the City’s official records, providing a single, comprehensive and authoritiative view to the public for the very first time.

Write to neworleans@codeforamerica.org for more information.

For decades residents have asked for easy access to information on the status of blighted buildings, and now we’re delivering. BlightStatus is a new interactive online tool for residents to track the progress of blighted properties within the Code Enforcement system in New Orleans.

Anyone with an Internet connection can visit http://blightstatus.nola.gov to:

•search for any property to view its case history in a clear and simple format;
•create a “watchlist” to track the progress of multiple properties;
•receive email alerts whenever a property on your “watchlist” moves forward in the blight process;
•analyze blight citywide or down to the block level using interactive maps and charts; and
•learn more about the blight process itself at the Help Center
Reducing blight citywide is a top priority of my administration. Blight threatens our safety, the value of our homes, our quality of life and our environment. Nearly two years ago, we announced a new, aggressive blight strategy aimed at reducing the blight count in New Orleans by 10,000 properties by 2014. A recent study released by The Greater New Orleans Community Data Center showed that blighted properties have been reduced by approximately 8,000 addresses since 2010. The study attributed the reduction in part to the focused efforts of City agencies to bring properties into compliance by prioritizing aggressive code enforcement and code lien foreclosure sales.

Recently, the City’s blight strategy was named a 2012 Bright Idea in Government by Harvard University’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, and was awarded the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary’s Award at the 2012 Council on Philanthropy Conference for its public-philanthropic partnership with the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF), the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and the Center for Community Progress (CCP).

This is a major step forward in reducing barriers to public participation in blight hearings, and improving the quality of the interactions between the City and the community in the common goal of eliminating blight.

Sincerely,
Mitchell J. Landrieu
Mayor
City of New Orleans