Tenants' association sues Mayor Landrieu over allegedly unfair representation on Housing Authority board

NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has been sued over a disagreement on how commissions to the city’s housing authority board are being handled by administration.

City Wide Tenants Association filed suit against Mayor Mitchell J. Landrieu, in his official capacity as the Mayor of the City of New Orleans in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court.

The suit questions whether Landrieu can appoint elected members of the Tenants Association to the Board of Commissioners.

An injunctive relief is also requested to prohibit the meeting of July 29, and thereafter all meetings of the board of commissioners due to lack of representation by members of the tenants association as mandated by law.

The plaintiffs contend under Article 3901 of the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, the City Wide Tenants Association is entitled to an injunction ordering defendants to come forward and state what, if any, authority they can deny the duly elected members of the Tenants Association to the Board of Commissioners.

The City Wide Tenants Association is seeking a few mandates. The plaintiffs are asking that the court issue a declaration that the plaintiffs have a right to elect and seat as members of the Board of Commissioners. The City Wide Tenants Association has also requested order the issuance of a writ directing defendants to establish the members of the City Wide Tenants Association elected members to the Board of Commissioners. lastly, the plaintiffs are asking the court rule as to make this writ peremptory and awarding plaintiffs all of the attorneys’ fees and costs.

In addition, the Tenants Association seek to be recognized and immediately placed on the board of commissioners of the HANO Tenants Association, in charge of future Board of Commissioners meetings, a permanent injunction prohibiting defendants in taking any further action without plaintiffs’ participation and that the defendants be served a copy of the petition and be required to appear by law.

The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Robert C. Jenkins and Ike Spears.

The case has been assigned to Div. L Chief Judge Kern A. Reese.

Case no. 2014-07457.