District B Councilmember Lesli Harris marked the first 100 days of Mayor Helena Moreno’s administration on April 22 by highlighting collaborative efforts to address affordable housing, homelessness, economic development, and public safety in New Orleans.
The partnership between Harris and the Moreno administration has focused on fiscal discipline while making key investments for residents. According to Harris, these efforts have resulted in $8 million in overtime savings during the first quarter, $7 million recovered through expanded sales tax audits, and improvements to monthly financial reporting.
“Fiscal responsibility and investment in people are not in conflict; they are the same thing. As Budget Chair, my job is to ensure that every dollar the City spends delivers results for our residents,” said Harris. She also noted securing $5 million from Municipal and Traffic Court reserves to support city finances.
Harris played a central role as architect of the voter-approved Housing Trust Fund and recently advanced agreements with NORA and Finance New Orleans that formalize investment frameworks for affordable housing initiatives. In November 2025, she championed City Council approval of three major affordable housing developments that have since broken ground across New Orleans. One such project is the redevelopment of the long-vacant Lindy Boggs hospital site in Mid-City.
“Every one of these developments represents a family that gets to stay in New Orleans, a senior who ages with dignity, a small business owner who can afford a storefront in their own neighborhood. I am proud to have fought for these investments alongside Mayor Moreno and my Council colleagues, and I am even more proud that we are just getting started,” said Harris.
Alongside Dr. Jennifer Avegno, Harris co-founded Home for Good New Orleans — an initiative credited with housing over 1,500 individuals and closing eight encampments so far. The program’s ten-year Sustainability Plan continues under Mayor Moreno’s leadership with goals including coordinated outreach and increased shelter exits aimed at ending unsheltered homelessness through public-private funding.
Harris supports plans for a modernized Shelter and Engagement Center: a proposed new facility designed to lower barriers faced by unhoused individuals seeking shelter or care. Current facilities operate at capacity without adequate infrastructure for those with complex needs; pre-design work is underway on this planned 48,000-square-foot center.
“Addressing affordable housing and homelessness is economic development,” said Harris. “When families can afford to stay in New Orleans…that is how an entire city prospers.” She added her commitment to continuing partnerships across city government toward making this vision reality.