Resources for Renters

The Healthy Homes Program helps ensure that all rental property in New Orleans meets important housing safety and maintenance requirements. Renters should be familiar with the minimum rental standards and know how to register a complaint.

How do I submit a Healthy Homes Complaint?

Renters can submit a complaint by calling 3-1-1, or log on to nola311.org. For assistance in a language other than English, call (504) 539-3266.

For questions about enforcement, please email healthyhomesenforcement@nola.gov. To contact the Department of Code Enforcement, please call (504) 658-5050.

What Happens when I make a Complaint?

Upon receipt of a complaint of substandard conditions, a Healthy Homes Inspector, stationed within the Department of Code Enforcement will be sent out to review compliance with the Minimum Rental Standards. A full list of inspection procedures can be found here.

Following a Healthy Homes inspection, if there are non-trivial violations of the provisions of the Healthy Homes ordinance, the inspector will inform the resident and the owner that the residence has failed and that professional repairs must be completed immediately.

Can Landlords retaliate for complaints?

Renters have a right to make complaints without fear of retaliation. Renters can:

  • Notify landlords or property managers of any Healthy Homes violations.
  • Request reasonable repairs to ensure their unit meets the Healthy Homes Ordinance.
  • Notify regulatory authorities or members of the public of any violations of the Healthy Homes Ordinance.
  • Provide testimony in court or in administrative proceedings related to violations of the Healthy Home Ordinance.

Protected activities under the Healthy Homes Ordinance do NOT include: nonpayment of rent; intentional damage to property on the premises; verbal or physical threats to the personal safety of the landlord, landlord’s employees, or another renter. Renters should make a reasonable attempt to notify their landlord of needed repair(s).

Prohibited acts of retaliation include, but are not limited to, unlawful termination of a lease (illegal/self-help eviction), decreasing services, increasing the rent or fees, bringing or threatening to bring a lawsuit against a lessee for possession (eviction), or refusing to renew a lease.

There is a rebuttable presumption that a landlord has committed a prohibited act of retaliation if any of the acts described above take place within six months of a renter (or renter’s representative) engaging in protected activity and there is evidence that violation of the Healthy Homes Ordinance has been committed.

Multilingual documents on Rights of Lessees can be found here:
EnglishEspañolFrançaisKreyòlPortuguêstiếng Việtукраїнськаعربي Arabicहिंदी Hindi中國人 Chinese (Traditional)

Multilingual documents on the Minimum Rental Standards can be found here:
EnglishEspañolFrançaisKreyòlPortuguêstiếng Việtукраїнськаعربي Arabicहिंदी Hindi中國人 Chinese (Traditional)

Who can I contact for legal help?

Renters in Orleans Parish can contact the following agencies for legal representation if facing eviction or if they need legal help:

The City of New Orleans cannot assist with private legal matters.