Illegal demolitions.
New Orleans City Code § 26-7
in effectSec. 26-7. - Illegal demolitions.
(a) If a demolition occurs or commences on any structure subject to city council review and approval without securing the necessary and proper permits, the director of the department of safety and permits shall issue the owner a post-demolition permit at a cost of 15 percent of the building value as recorded by the tax assessor.
(b) Failure to obtain a post-demolition permit shall result in the city issuing a permit at its expense, in which event the city may file an affidavit by the director of the department of safety and permits to this effect in the office of the Recorder of Mortgages for Orleans Parish, notice of which shall constitute a lien and privilege against the property. Any lien and privilege recorded against an immoveable property pursuant to this section shall be included in the next annual ad valorem tax bill.
(c) An owner assessed a post-demolition permit may appeal its cost to the city council within 30 days of the assessment of said fee.
(1) An appeal shall be filed in writing to the clerk of council, providing the following information:
a. The municipal address of the property;
b. The council district of the property;
c. Four color photographs of the structure (full views of the front, right, left and rear sides) prior to the demolition, if available. If pre-demolition photographs are not available, the owner shall note as such in the communication;
d. Photographs of the property after the demolition;
e. A printed copy of the assessor's aerial map, with the subject property indicated;
f. The amount of the post-demolition fee assessed by the department of safety and permits and the requested fee modification;
g. The reason for the demolition without securing council approval; and
h. The proposed redevelopment plans for the property, along with timing expectations for completing the redevelopment.
(2) The clerk of council shall formally receive a completed appeal request as a communication on the next available regular council agenda, which shall set the suggested public hearing date for city council review. In no event shall an initial suggested public hearing date be more than 45 days from the formal receipt of the completed appeal request.
(3) Applications for appeals shall be approved, modified, or denied via city council motion.
(4) Failure of the council to conduct a public hearing or act on the appeal request within 45 days of formal receipt shall be deemed a denial of the appeal.
(5) Within 15 calendar days of a final decision of the city council, the owner aggrieved by the decision of the city council may appeal that decision to the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans.
(d) Nothing in this section precludes the department of safety and permits from assessing additional fees related to an illegal demolition, including but not limited to those specified in Section 109.2 of the International Building Code, as adopted in section 26-14 of the Code of the City of New Orleans.
(Ord. No. 19,791, § 1, 8-3-00; M.C.S., 23005, § 1, 2-21-08; M.C.S., Ord. No. 26037, § 1, 9-18-14; M.C.S., Ord. No. 28464, § 1, 8-20-20; M.C.S., Ord. No. 28520, § 1, 10-15-20)
Source: City of New Orleans, Code of Ordinances and Home Rule Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/la/new_orleans/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH26BUBUREHOST_ARTIINGE_S26-7ILDEFetched: 10/28/2026