February 5, 2026 | From City of New Orleans
City Council Unanimously Advances Mayor Moreno’s Pick for Public Works Director
NEW ORLEANS – Today, the New Orleans City Council Governmental Affairs Committee has voted to advance the appointment of Steve Nelson as the Director of the Department of Public Works.
Nelson’s nomination highlights Mayor Helena Moreno’s commitment to a “Fix the Basics” strategy, providing a comprehensive overhaul of how the city’s infrastructural issues are tackled. Nelson serves as both the city’s Deputy CAO for Infrastructure, as well as nominee for Director of Public Works. He is responsible for maintaining and improving the city’s streets, sidewalks, streetlights, traffic signals, parking enforcement, and public right-of-way infrastructure.
Nelson has already been hard at work for the people of New Orleans with the Department of Public Works (DPW). His work is an integral part of Mayor Moreno’s “Lights On” initiative, an aggressive push to repair the city’s broken streetlights; he chairs the Infrastructure Coordination Council, a new oversight body designed to force DPW and utility companies to sync schedules; and is spearheading the Mayor’s work to limit outsourcing and to rebuild in-house construction teams to handle street and surface repairs rather than relying on expensive outside contractors.
“With the City facing a major budget shortfall, we have to be smart and intentional about every repair we make,” Mayor Helena Moreno said. “Through Steve’s work with the Lights On initiative, our new street maintenance unit, and the Infrastructure Coordination Council, we can prioritize projects that deliver the greatest impact at the lowest cost.”
Nelson leaves behind his post as General Superintendent of the Sewerage and Water Board (SWBNO), where he led a team of more than 400 employees across four divisions, including Engineering, Joint Infrastructure Recovery Roads (JIRR) projects, transmission water main replacement work, Networks, and Water Purification.
“The Department of Public Works is dedicated to maintaining and improving our city's infrastructure. I know that the folks at Public Works are hard-working and dedicated to our city,” Nelson said. “They just need to be supported, equipped, and led to provide those basic services that New Orleanians should expect.”
Under Nelson’s leadership, the Department of Public Works will live out their mission to enhance mobility, safety, and accessibility for residents, businesses, and visitors while ensuring compliance with city codes and standards.
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