LouisianaNew Orleans demolition rules permit fines and property liens
People who demolish New Orleans structures without the required certificate could face fines, while unpaid penalties could become liens on the property.
What it does
People who demolish a New Orleans structure without the required certificate could face one fine based on a fixed amount or 15 percent of the structure's assessed value.
Local governments could place a recorded lien on property tied to a violation to secure unpaid fines, costs, and penalties after the underlying decision becomes final.
Unpaid property liens would appear with annual taxes and could lead to tax-lien enforcement; homestead property follows special payment triggers after death, refinancing, or transfer.
Argument forRecorded liens could give local governments another way to collect unpaid penalties tied to unauthorized demolitions.
Argument againstProperty owners could face forced-sale procedures if violation-related liens remain unpaid with their property taxes.
More detail
A person who demolishes a New Orleans structure without the required certificate could receive one fine. This covers an owner, agent, lessee, or another person acting for or with the owner. The fine is no more than the greater of a fixed dollar amount and 15 percent of the structure's assessed value before demolition. The supplied formatting does not clearly show the fixed dollar amount. The rule applies when a structure is demolished without an appropriate certificate; the text does not state an effective date.
A municipality or parish may secure fines, costs, and penalties with a lien on the property where the violation occurred. The lien covers the affected immovable property and the fines, costs, and penalties listed in the recorded order, judgment, notice, or lien. The order, judgment, notice, or lien must be final and no longer appealable before recording. Recording in the parish mortgage office gives the lien the effect of a judicial mortgage. The local government may seek a court writ to enforce the lien, and these remedies may be used with other legal remedies. The lien arises only after the final document is recorded; no separate effective date is stated.
The property lien is added to the next annual property-tax bill and may be enforced through tax-lien and other collection procedures. This applies to liens on property where the violation occurred, including property with a valid homestead exemption. The lien is paid with the property taxes, subject to a valid homestead exemption. Unpaid liens can expose the property to the same auction process used for unpaid property-tax liens. For property with a legal homestead exemption, the lien becomes payable 90 days after the owner's death or when a mortgage is recorded or ownership transfers, whichever happens first. The lien is placed on the next annual tax bill; special homestead payment timing begins at the owner's death, a mortgage recording, or a title transfer.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 23Becomes Act No. 959 without the Governor's signature.Latest
- Jun 23Effective date: 08/01/2026.
- Jun 2Sent to the Governor for executive approval.To Governor
- Jun 1Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.Minor
- Jun 1Signed by the President of the Senate.
- May 31Conference Committee Report read, roll called, yeas 82, nays 11. The Conference Committee Report was adopted.
- Vote recorded ADOPT (#1599). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded ADOPT CONFERENCE REPORT (#1787). Result: pass.Lower
- May 31Notice House adopted the Conference Committee Report.
- May 31Conference Committee Report read; adopted by a vote of 32 yeas and 1 nays.
- May 31Notice of Senate adoption of Conference Committee Report.
- May 29Notice of Senate conferees appointed.
- May 29Conference Committee report received. Lies over under the rules.
- May 29Conference committee report received.
- May 29Scheduled for floor debate on 05/31/2026.
- May 28House conferees appointed: Freeman, Gadberry, and Knox.
- May 28Notice House Conference Committee members appointed.
- May 28Senate conference committee members appointed: Barthelemy, Luneau, and Miller.
- May 27Read by title, roll called, yeas 94, nays 0, Senate amendments rejected, conference committee appointment pending.
- Vote recorded REJECT SENATE AMENDMENTS (#1591). Result: pass.Lower
- May 27Notice House rejected the Senate amendments.
- May 26Scheduled for concurrence on 05/27/2026.
- May 25Received from the Senate with amendments.Minor
- May 21Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#1108). Result: pass.Upper
- May 13Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.Minor
- May 12Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- May 11Reported favorably.Minor
- Apr 27Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs.Minor
- Apr 22Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 78, nays 13. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#665). Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 22Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Minor
- Apr 21Scheduled for floor debate on 04/22/2026.
- Apr 20Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- Apr 16Reported favorably (15-0).Minor
- Mar 31Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.Minor
- Mar 30Read by title. Lies over under the rules.
- Feb 27First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
- Feb 24Prefiled. To be introduced at a later date.Introduced
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