FOX 8 Defenders: Orleans D.A. considers criminal charges for owner of Willows apartments

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - A bat infestation may be the tipping point that leads to criminal charges against the owner of The Willows apartments, according to the district attorney's office.

Code enforcement discovered the infestation Wednesday (Oct. 16) at the New Orleans East complex, marking the latest in a series of challenges for tenants who say they've endured years of horrific living conditions.

City Council President Helena Moreno said code enforcement and rodent control specialists found bats by opening a ceiling in one of the units.

"Sure enough, they believe there's a significant infestation. They even found a dead bat. The conditions were horrific," Moreno said.

Moreno further described the scene as shocking: "The rodent folks were blown away. The rodent guy we had there was like, 'Oh my gosh.'"

The complex, owned by a religious nonprofit based in Tennessee, has a long history of code violations. FOX 8 has documented the substandard living conditions at the property for years, often accompanying code enforcement inspectors on their tours.

The Willows has accumulated dozens of code violations. In June 2022, then-Code Enforcement Director Thomas Mulligan noted, "They do seem to be one of the entities that has been a chronic problem."

Following extensive FOX 8 Defenders reports, the New Orleans City Council revoked the nonprofit's tax-exempt status earlier this year .

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The move came after changes to the state constitution allowed the city to take action, and council members, frustrated by the lack of improvement, said the conditions remained unacceptable.

"It still seems like problems persist," Moreno said.

As a result, Moreno reached out to District Attorney Jason Williams.

"This morning, I finally reached out to the D.A.'s office and asked what we can do to potentially move forward with some criminal charges against the landlords because there are criminal blight statutes on the books in the criminal code," Moreno explained. "He is committed to working with me on the possibilities of this happening."

Moreno emphasized that too many Willows residents are living in deplorable conditions, and the bat infestation is just another reason the city must intervene to protect them.

She added that 14 other tenants in the building may have been exposed to the bats. The health department recommends they receive rabies shots.

The city has cited the property for eight violations and is expediting the case for an administrative hearing.

A spokesperson for District Attorney Jason Williams said his office is reviewing both criminal and civil charges, calling the property's neglect "unacceptable."