The second phase of the City of New Orleans’ Healthy Homes Rental Registry Program, for owners of rental properties with 4 to 49 dwelling units, went into effect on July 1, 2024. The registry is part of the city’s Healthy Homes Program, which was created by a 2022 City Code and City Council Ordinance to ensure safe and habitable homes for renters within Orleans Parish. The program establishes a list of minimum rental standards, requiring adequate and operable household systems for plumbing and electrical, heating and cooling, and fire and smoke detection, along with a clean, weathertight building envelope free from leaks, mold, rodent infestations, and structurally compromised walls.
All rental property owners will eventually be required to register for an Annual Healthy Homes Certificate of Compliance, but the registry has been phased in, starting with owners of large and mid-sized rental properties in 2024. Smaller rental properties will need to be registered in 2025.
The three phases of the registry process are as follows:
- Parcels with 50+ dwelling units: Past due
- Parcels with 4-49 dwelling units: July 1, 2024- August 15, 2024
- Parcels with 1-3 dwelling units: Jan. 1, 2025- Feb. 15, 2025
The application for property owners requires minimal information, including a self-reported declaration that the property has undergone a “reasonably recent” inspection and complies with the minimum rental standards. There is no fee to register, and property owners will be required to renew their certificate of compliance annually.
The Healthy Homes Program relies on tenants (or concerned citizens), protected by anti-retaliation laws, to report on locations with substandard living conditions. Complaints will result in a visit from a Healthy Homes Inspector from the Department of Code Enforcement, who will evaluate the property for compliance with the minimum rental standards. As a result of a failed inspection, the owner will be informed that they need to complete the required repairs immediately. The inspector will also submit a report to the Healthy Homes Program administration for enforcement
MaryNell Nolan-Wheatley is PRC’s Advocacy Coordinator & Public Policy Research Director.
