Janet R. Howard, The Lens contributing opinion writer | On May 24, The Lens posted an article from Sara Meadows Tolleson on a bill proposed by House Speaker Jim Tucker to consolidate three housing agencies into a new entity.  After discussing the need for amendments, Ms. Tolleson attacked the accuracy of a study by the […]

By Brad Vogel, The Lens contributing opinion writer | I didn’t expect to, but I actually broke into applause last Thursday at the city’s BlightStat meeting. Toward the end of the meeting, Jeff Hebert, the city’s Director of Blight Policy and Neighborhood Revitalization, casually mentioned that the city would no longer be pushing blighted properties […]

By Sara Meadows Tolleson, The Lens contributing opinion writer | Reshaping the way Louisiana handles affordable housing may be a worthwhile endeavor, but tandem housing bills now nearing a vote in the state Legislature are not ready for a floor vote. Thoughtful amendments to these bills are needed now to ensure that the state’s housing […]

By Benjamin Leger, The Lens contributing opinion writer | Talk to anyone who lives near an oil refinery or chemical plant in Louisiana, and they’ll tell you they worry every night about what might happen. “We go to sleep always ready to roll,” says Sonyja Thomas, a resident of north Baton Rouge near ExxonMobil, the […]

By Devin Lowell, The Lens contributing opinion writer | President Obama’s 2009 stimulus package breathed new life into a Louisiana energy-efficiency program. But now low enrollment threatens the funding for that program, and state Department of Natural Resources wants to shift the money into programs they view as a better investment. If that happens, the […]

By Maggie Tishman and Jack Davis, guest opinion writers | For centuries, New Orleans’s largely intact street grid has fostered transportation efficiency, connectivity and the success of our compact and walkable neighborhoods. However, the grid is threatened by the $2.5-billion hospital complexes planned for Mid-City. The first of the two, the Veterans Affairs Hospital, has […]

Follow our coverage on Twitter at Thursday night’s public meeting on the redevelopment of the  Municipal Auditorium. By Marie Chinappi, The Lens contributing opinion writer | The Municipal Auditorium was once the site of bustling community activity – home to graduation ceremonies and pageants, a venue for Mardi Gras balls and festivities, host to sporting […]

By Brad Vogel, The Lens contributing opinion writer | The surest sign of success was when the fire marshal showed up. I’m not talking about a jazz gig on Frenchmen Street. I’m talking about Saturday’s auction of nearly 100 vacant Orleans Parish properties. The property at 2811 Ursulines Avenue brought the top price of the […]

By Mark Moseley, The Lens opinion writer | I trust you did something unstructured and excessive during Carnival. That’s the reason for the season, right? The morning parades after Mardi Gras are noticeably less festive. Everyone’s back in their regular costumes, congregating together to receive ashen foreheads instead of colorful beads. It’s a time for […]