Neighborhood Spotlight

September 8, 2025 | From City of New Orleans

Neighborhood Spotlight: Ms. Claudia Celestand

1.How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

My husband and I moved from the Gaslight Square Apartments, and used his GI Bill to purchase our first home in our neighborhood in 1983 when interest rates were 14.5%. This was to be our starter home but things changed after Hurricane Katrina. I elected to focus on downsizing and financial stability instead of building another home.

2. How did you get involved in your neighborhood?

I became involved in my neighborhood by attending our Fauberg Homeowners Improvement  Association meetings. In 2017, the subdivision was going through a decrease in neighborhood engagement and we had an acting President. I was attending some of the East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission (ENONAC) meetings and I was approached by our neighborhood acting president, Sonja Saizan, to become the President of our neighborhood association. I accepted the position in 2017. I also am a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and we believe in community service.

3.What do you love about your neighborhood?

What I love most about my neighborhood is the size of the subdivision, the proximity to attractions and the way neighbors look out for each other. The subdivision is comprised of approximately 114 lots, most of them are developed and inhabitated. The small footprint allows me to interact with my neighbors. We are becoming a community of second generation of homeowners. This has helped us to maintain the roots of the community. My neighborhood is in close proximity to The Nature Center, J W Brown Memorial Park, The N O East Regional Library and access to the Interstate. The neighbors looks out for each others and attempts to keep the feeling of family cohesiveness. My area is walkable and dost residents take pride in keeping the subdivision clean.

4.What successes have you had in your neighborhood?

Some successes our neighborhood has had include: the reactivation of good standing with the state post Katrina, combatting those who interfere with our quality of life by hosting paid pool parties,  keeping overgrown abandoned properties manicured and collectively speaking up and out against issues that affects our communities. We had several incidents where the police intervention was necessary and the situations were amicably resolved; one incident was a SWAT standoff.

The Fauberg neighborhood sign was destroyed by Hurricane Ida and our neighbor Lawrence Lucas Sr. assisted us in funding to replace it. The volunteers created a flower bed surrounding the sign and a City of New Orleans grant provided funding for beautification. We attempt to engage the community for several years by recognizing the best dressed Christmas Yard contest. New neighbors are greeted and placed on the electronic news thread.

5.What are you working on right now in your neighborhood?  

I am presently working on securing a place for quarterly meetings and expanding the neighborhood association board. The board needs to usher in a new group embracing the young families. Many of the neighbors would like crime cameras that was initially delayed by lack of fast speed internet. I am constantly working to help maintain the quality of life our neighbors expect. I am also looking for ways to increase retail development in the East.

6.Any words of advice for other neighborhood leaders and change-makers?

If I was to pass on any words, I would strongly encourage maintaining lines of communication by any method (s) that works. Don't be afraid to be seen out and about in your neighborhood. Listen to concerns that are voiced. Be consistent even if you are by yourself. Always let others see that you remain hopeful and engage in opportunities to learn.

June 6, 2025 | From City of New Orleans

Neighborhood Spotlight: Mr. Edward "Ned" Bergin

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

I have lived at my current home for 29 years.  Prior to that, I lived in another home in the neighborhood for 11 years.

How did you get involved in your neighborhood?

I have always been interested in what is going on in my neighborhood and in the city.  I have been active in my local neighborhood association, although not an officer.  I joined SCAA Board of Directors a number of years ago and have risen through the ranks to my current role as president.

What do you love about your neighborhood?

What I love about the St. Charles Avenue Association is that we share a love for, and a common goal of, preserving St. Charles Avenue as a beautiful, historic linear park.  We work to preserve the oaks along the Avenue, have obtained recognition of our historic streetcar line, and constantly monitor construction issues to insure that the character of the Avenue is preserved.

What successes have you had in your neighborhood?

We have been successful in getting the historic nature of the Streetcar recognized by the state and federal governments.  We have preserved the lovely canopy of oak tress long the Avenue and have largely maintained the character of the buildings.

What are you working on right now in your neighborhood?  

We are working on a master plan that more fully recognizes the Avenue as a linear park.  We will prepare a rough draft and then seek input from the RTA and various City departments, as well as from the businesses and neighborhood associations along the Avenue.

Any words of advice for other neighborhood leaders and change-makers?

Have a purpose that everyone buys into” and fill your board with enthusiastic members.

August 8, 2025 | From City of New Orleans

Neighborhood Spotlight: Mr. Lee Williams

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

I have lived at my current home for 20 years. I purchased my home shortly after Hurricane Katrina.

How did you get involved in your neighborhood?

I was invited to a Melia Neighborhood Association meeting 20 years ago and I've been a member of the association ever since. I was started as a member, I then became Chaplin, Vice President, and I now hold the position of President of the association. 

What do you love about your neighborhood?

In my neighborhood the neighbors are very quiet but we are always looking out for each other. We keep an eye out for everyone in the area and have established a real since of community! 

What successes have you had in your neighborhood?

The Melia Neighborhood Association has secured a new meeting space for monthly association meetings at KIPP: East. Additionally, a walking path along Dwyer Blvd. was recently completed. It has been a breathe of fresh air in the area. Residents in the area have become more prideful and in a collective effort, have taken better care of the neighborhood. There are new developments coming to the Melia neighborhood from new construction to new businesses. The new and improved Downman Road has also been a huge success for Melia Neighbors; they appreciate the smooth ride down Downman Rd. 

What are you working on right now in your neighborhood?  

We are currently working to coninuing to beautify the area. We recently were joined by church volunteer groups who helped clear debris behind houses along Dwyer Blvd. We also had a Back to School Giveaway for children in the neighborhood where we were able to gave away 100 backpacks.

Any words of advice for other neighborhood leaders and change-makers?

We must prioritize the youth and invest in them. I encourage neighborhood leaders to connect the children in their neighborhoods/commuity to resources that will help them succeed!

May 13, 2025 | From City of New Orleans

Neighborhood Spotlight: Ms. Elizabeth Boone

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

I was born and raised in Hollygrove, so I've been here all my life. 

How did you get involved in your neighborhood?

I got involved with the Hollygrove Neighbors Association through volunteering. Ms. Dee Dee Green gave me a flyer for an upcoming meeting being hosted by Mayor Cantrell, and the meeting was a great opportunity to hear directly from her.

What do you love about your neighborhood?

This neighborhood, Hollygrove's 17^th ward, is a great place to be homeowner. It's centrally located with easy access to Metairie, Downtown, the Lake Front, and local festivals and events. Even though I have a vehicle, city transportation is abundant. Lastly, I appreciate the representation we get from our local and state representatives such as Representative Shaun Mena and Senator Royce Duplessis at the state level and Mayor Cantrell, Councilmember Giarrusso, and Elise Williams on behalf of the Neighborhood Engagement Office. 

What successes have you had in your neighborhood?

The #1 success in Hollygrove are the neighborhood gardens in partnership with Peace by Piece. They have been a success because we have been able to harvest and provide produce to neighbors. Marion and Blaire with Xavier University help to coordinate volunteer efforts through students, and Grow Dat has been instrumental in supporting the build of garden beds. The second success I'd name would be the Hollygrove Neighbors Association's quarterly meetings. These serve to help us better understand different city departments and agencies and the different projects and initiatives by their offices. Next, the improvement of bus routes and equipment in the Hollygrove neighborhood. Busses are emitting less exhaust into the community. Lastly, thanks to Councilmember Giarrusso and the Mayor's Office, our concerns about the pumping system being addressed has led to a noticeable reduction of flooding concerns. 

What are you working on right now in your neighborhood?  

I am currently working with the Hollygrove Neighbors Association's gardens. I also volunteer to distribute information on upcoming events throughout the neighborhood to improve information sharing. 

Any words of advice for other neighborhood leaders and change-makers?

A word of advice I have for other community leaders and change makers is to have more events geared to support youth and invite their families. I'd also encourage them to have regular or quarterly meetings. Having these meetings in Hollygrove has allowed us to see progress in resolving our concerns.

March 11, 2025 | From City of New Orleans

Neighborhood Spotlight: Mr. Darrius Gray

Mr. Darrius Gray has been a longtime resident of the Debattista Neighborhood for over 20 years. His dedication and commitment to his community is evident in the countless hours he invests in organizing events, listening to residents’ concerns, and working tirelessly to ensure the Debattista neighborhood remains a vibrant and welcoming place for all.

With a deep commitment to preserving the unique character of the Debattista neighborhood, Mr. Gray and his association members work diligently to address local concerns, organize community events, and advocate for improvements that benefit all residents. 

Whether it's through supporting local businesses, organizing neighborhood clean-ups, or simply checking in with residents, his genuine care for the well-being of his community is always clear. For him, being a leader is not about position, but about fostering a sense of belonging and helping others thrive in a place he truly loves!

November 11, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

Neighborhood Spotlight: Adam Kelly

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

11 and 1/2 years, since February, 2013. Plus I renovated my house for a year before moving in (I met a lot of my neighbors during that time).

How did you get involved in your neighborhood?

I heard about our neighborhood association from a neighbor, and attended a meeting, I think it was a December holiday party. Then I became friends with the president at the time, Debby Pigman, and started volunteering. I soon became the (unofficial) vice-president and then eventually ran for president when Debby retired.

What do you love about your neighborhood?

We are a very diverse neighborhood in so many ways, so many different personal stories. Neighbors here are friendly and take the time to introduce themselves and get to know each other. It's amazing, even after many years it seems like a couple times a week I meet a new neighbor or someone who just found out ahd wants to join our next meeting!

What successes have you had in your neighborhood?

We've done well on getting out the word about our meetings and encouraging neighbors to attend and communicate with our mayor's office and city council liaisons to address issues. I think we've had a nice string of successes over the past year, which is encouraging. We've also done well with getting street lights fixed, getting catch basins cleared, reporting potholes (and getting a few fixed), and debris removal after Ida and now Francine.

What are you working on right now in your neighborhood? 

We're working to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety on Magazine Street and to add traffic controls, such as stop and slow down signs, at locations within the neighborhood where some drivers speed through. We're also thinking about doing a beautification project, maybe at street corners or around the Lyons Center property.

Any words of advice for other neighborhood leaders and change-makers?

Don't just rely on word of mouth or e-mail lists to communicate with your neighbors. People are busy, e-mail in-boxes get full, and people sometimes just forget. There's no substitute for putting out signs around the neighborhood to advertise a couple weeks before your meeting. Sending or hand-delivering postcards about your neighborhood association is also a good idea. There's no such thing as "too much information" when it comes to getting out the word about your group!

September 9, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

Neighborhood Spotlight: Clark Thompson

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

I’ve lived in New Orleans my whole life, but only moved across town into the Bayou St. John neighborhood 7 years ago 

How did you get involved in your neighborhood?

I was involved in Boulingy Neighborhood Association previously.  When I moved, I attended a meeting and was recruited to the board.

What do you love about your neighborhood?

There is a lot to love, the bayou, the shade, lots of people out walking in the street.  It’s the best neighborhood in town for casual cycling.  

What successes have you had in your neighborhood?

Renaming our park for Walter “Wolfman” Washington was a win, and our “stop for pedestrian” signs have noticeably calmed violent driving on Esplanade. 

What are you working on right now in your neighborhood?  

We persuaded the DPW to do a traffic study on Moss St. and its speed is being reduced soon. I really want to see Moss become a calm place for people with strollers or wheelchairs to feel safe. That is a constant effort, but most of the people in our neighborhood want that, so I have faith we will get there with patient effort.

I’m also working to calm Claiborne Ave. between St. Louis and Lafitte. There is a lot of pedestrian traffic there with the Greenway and the Ujamma development under the elevated expressway. It’s a real test of patience to press LaDOTD to take action to save lives here.  

I’m also part of the SWB Community Advisory Committee, which helps me to keep my neighbors informed. 

Any words of advice for other neighborhood leaders and change-makers?

Change does not move as fast as you think it should, and there is a lot of moving parts that you and I are not aware of.  When you are pushing for change, be prepared to be reasonable and patient. And be prepared to keep on pushing.  

It’s very helpful to know the jurisdictions and interests when pressing for change.  For instance, at Claiborne and Lafitte, you have LaDOTD, DPW, Ujamma, Lafitte Greenway, NORD, Treme Neighborhood Association, and Parks and Parkways.  That’s a lot of potential partners or obstacles to making changes. It pays to know that landscape and seek out those with common interests.

August 12, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

Neighborhood Spotlight: Freddie Leslie

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

I was raised in the lower ninth ward, where I graduated from George Washington Carver Senior High. I lived in the ninth ward over thirty years.

How did you get involved in your neighborhood?

My activeness in my community began during the time of Mayor Ernest Dutch Memorial. I also became involved with other stake holders in my community and some nonprofit organizations to improve the status of our neighborhoods.

What do you love about your neighborhood?

The lower ninth ward consisted of a vibrant community that had doctor’s offices, pharmacies, supermarkets, restaurants, movie theaters, gas stations, corner stores, funeral homes, schools, parks, etc. It will never be what it once was, but it can be better.

What successes have you had in your neighborhood?

The success there was in this community was being involved in neighborhood meetings, meeting with council members, mayor-liaison code enforcement, and other stake holders. Progress has been made with drains getting repaired, streets being worked on, abandoned homes being demolished, and empty lots with high vegetation being cut.

What are you working on right now in your neighborhood?

Currently, I am working on the continuation of trying to make the ninth ward and the lower ninth a vibrant and safe community to live in again. I also would love to see more individuals in their neighborhood to become more involved.

Any words of advice for other neighborhood leaders and change-makers? 

 I am a strong believer that people can make a change. Let your voices be heard!

 

July 5, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

Neighborhood Spotlight: Dr. Sonya Forte Duhe

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

I’ve lived here for 16 years. 

How did you get involved in your neighborhood?         

I volunteered to serve on the Lakeshore Property Owners Association Board some years ago and have remained on it ever since.

What do you love about your neighborhood?

Lakeshore is one of the safest neighborhoods in New Orleans. It is beautiful and steps away from Lake Pontchartrain which is such a lovely area. Our residents are friendly, generous and work together to make it an even better place to live. 

What successes have you had in your neighborhood?

After joining the board, one of the first projects we completed was to create a more interactive web site where residents can join the association, pay dues, donate, find links to city and state offices, view a calendar of events and access a member directory. The web site also features gorgeous photos from our friend and professional photographer David Mora. Go to lakeshorenola.com to check it out. 

The upgraded, interactive website is a critical tool that allows neighbors to learn more about LPOA, know who we are and access information about our association.

As part of our plan to continue to improve and beautify our neighborhood, with the help of grants from the Nola Tree Project under the leadership of Connie Uddo, the Garden Study Center of New Orleans and Burke Brokerage Real Estate, we planted 22 live oaks, replacing trees lost to storms and disease.   

A 2023 Mayor’s Neighborhood Enrichment grant - a green infrastructure and beautification initiative - allowed the LPOA to plant eight more trees to make 30 live oaks added to our beautiful tree canopy.   

We didn’t stop there. Our beautiful oaks have been neglected for decades and funds from the New Orleans Recreation and Culture Fund sponsored by Councilman Eugene Green served as seed money to start a major pruning/cleanup effort for our oaks in our public spaces. Residents have stepped up as well and joined the board in donating to the “Love Our Oaks” campaign. 

We have developed a plan for pruning every tree in our public spaces withing a four-year span.  

Through generous donations from residents, we have beautified our entry ways, restored signage, enhanced lighting and cleaned and painted our bus stops, making our neighborhood entrance a more beautiful, environmentally sustainable and ecofriendly area.  

Partnering with the Lt. Governor’s ‘Clean the Boot’ project, The LPOA hosted a successful spring cleanup and social. Neighbors came together to remove weeds and pick up litter and tree debris, collecting more than 100 large bags of trash and stacks of waste. We completed our day with food and music in one of our beautiful parks where we’ve sponsored a dog show, Night Out Against Crime, Halloween social, a chili cook-off with our Lake Oaks neighbors, a Santa Claus visit for families and children and wine socials prior to our general membership meetings. All events are an opportunity for neighbors to get to know each other better.

This fall, our board is planning another clean up and social, a Love our Oaks fundraiser and more planting to replace trees that have died. Of course, we’ll host a number of social events culminating with Santa in the Park in December, where we also work with the United States Marine Corps to collect items for their Toys for Tots campaign. We continue to strive for enforcement of our building and legal restrictions and work with city officials to suppress any nuisances. Councilman Green has given considerable support to LPOA and we have one of the best quality of life officers in the city, SPO Mary Lou Agustin. 

What are you working on right now in your neighborhood? 

In early August, we’ll host local arborist, Roger Mattei, from A Perfect Cut at a neighborhood social to discuss the health of oak trees throughout the city and in our neighborhood. We are also working on “Love our Oaks” fundraisers and informative gatherings to educate residents about our beautiful oaks and native plantings.

While we do have the capability for electronic newsletters, we are adding text messaging to our communications efforts. We continue our efforts to increase membership to keep residents informed and make Lakeshore an even better place. There will be numerous opportunities to meet and greet at fall and winter social events.

Any words of advice for other neighborhood leaders and change-makers?

We have a wonderful team of board members who care deeply about our neighborhood and city. Get to know your city leaders, your council representative, participate in neighborhood engagement events and ask for help from your residents and city officials. If you have the opportunity, sign up for the New Orleans’ Civic Engagement Class where you’ll get to know and learn from other city and neighborhood leaders.

June 7, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

Neighborhood Spotlight: Robert Conger

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

We bought our home in February 2021.

How did you get involved in your neighborhood?

As soon as we learned about the neighborhood improvement association, we started attending meetings and participating in events. When the time came to elect a new board, the former President asked me to run and I did.

What do you love about your neighborhood?

Our beautiful oak lined neutral ground is a great place to walk our dog, catch up with neighbors and meet visitors who have come to see our equally beautiful St Roch Cemetery. 

What successes have you had in your neighborhood?

Litter and pollution continue to be a challenge. I started doing a weekly trash pick-up on the neutral ground as soon as we moved in.  Initially neighbors would thank me. As time has passed there are a few neighbors who have started a similar trash pick-up routine. It really has made a difference. 

What are you working on right now in your neighborhood?

We have an ongoing issue with speeding and reckless driving along N. Claiborne and N. Robertson, which we have been trying to get addressed for over a year. We have had well over a dozen accidents at those intersections since we moved in. Three of which involved cars going into homes (including ours). The St Roch neutral ground is a place where families walk their dogs and children. But the speeding is so bad that it makes it very dangerous for anyone crossing those two intersections. 

Any words of advice for other neighborhood leaders and change-makers?

Be empathetic. Be honest (with yourself and others). Be persistent. But most of all be patient.