JPNSI has been tracking the growth of STRs throughout New Orleans since 2015.

One year after the New Orleans City Council instituted regulations for short-term rental properties, one affordable housing advocacy group has developed policy changes (and eventually a new ordinance) meant to tackle the city’s affordable housing crisis.

The Jane Place Neighborhood Sustainability Initiative works to reduce the number of short term rentals around the city as part of a broader effort to increase the number of affordable housing units for New Orleanian. After compiling three years of data into one comprehensive report – title “Short Term Rentals, Long Term Impacts” – the group has established several policy change proposals for the city, as well as calls to action for its residents.

JPNSI’s leadership held a town hall Wednesday to present their findings and proposed policy changes. Continue reading »

Dressed in the French spirit, Kiran Pugh holds her son at Fete Francaise in 2011. (Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com)

L’Ecole Bilingue de la Nouvelle-Orleans will host their annual festival fundraiser, la Fête Française, at the campus on General Pershing Street on Saturday. Continue reading »

J.K. Simmons, Bacchus L, throws beads into the crowd along Napoleon avenue. The Krewe of Bacchus rolled with the theme “Bacchus Celebrates Its Golden Anniversary” during their parade on Sunday, February 11. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)

The Krewe of Bacchus celebrated a major anniversary this year. They made 50, their golden anniversary. With that in mind, most of this year’s floats were gold-themed. It’s “Gold Record” float paid tribute to musicians like The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Kiss and more who have been awarded a golden record for their achievements. It’s “Goldfinger” float paid tribute to the James Bond film by the same name. Actor J.K. Simmons served as the king this year.

Weather has been a problem all throughout the second weekend of carnival season. Sunday was no exception. Fortunately, the parade ran on time, unlike Endymion and other parades. Aside from intermittent rainfall, the parade was uninterrupted by Mother Nature.

One of the hidden gems of Bacchus proved to be the battle of bands that takes place before the parade rolls. The collegiate bands marching in the parade, Southern University, Texas State University, Miles College and Kentucky State University, lined up in front of the Rouse’s Supermarket on Tchoupitoulas and competed. Hundreds of people packed sidewalks and porches or even scaled walls just to get a good look at the competition. In the final head-to-head matchup, Southern University told Mills College “y’all sound like a high school band!”

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Sargon LXXVIII looks on from his float. The Knights of Babylon rolled uptown with the theme “Gifts of the Gods to New Orleans” on Thursday. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)

The Krewe of Babylon rolled down St. Charles avenue on Thursday. It rolled with the theme “Gifts of Gods to New Orleans.”

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Lionel Coleman was vice president of the NOPD Sixth District Police Community Advisory Board and an avid volunteer in other Central City civic organizations. (photo via city of New Orleans)

After Lionel Coleman, a Central City neighborhood activist who served on the NOPD Police Community Advisory Board, recently passed away, city officials released a tribute to him Tuesday morning. Continue reading »