New Orleans City Council revokes tax exemptions for Parc Fontaine Apartments

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - For the second time, the New Orleans City Council voted to revoke tax exemptions for the religious organization that owns the Parc Fontaine Apartments in Algiers.

"This is a benefit; remember, this is a benefit. This is why the state legislature and the overwhelming majority of the people in the state of Louisiana said that exemption should be removed when you are no longer treating people humanely. When you become a slumlord, you should no longer be offered this benefit," Council President Helena Moreno said during Thursday's meeting.

After a series of FOX 8 Defenders reports exposed the living conditions inside the complex, city leaders took notice. They toured the apartments and expressed their appalledness.

Global Ministry Foundation owns Parc Fontaine, and in July, it lost its exemptions for the Willows in New Orleans East.

"How do you do you do that to people? They were clearly aware of all of the different things that were wrong. They were fine with it, just there to collect the money. If that's what you're about then you don't get to have any benefits from the City of New Orleans, including of course a property tax exemption," Councilwoman Moreno said.

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She says if the Global Ministry Foundation does not change or pay their leans from the Code Enforcement Department, the city can move faster to remove the owner and put the property up for sale.

"It gives us a lot more tools to deal with this problematic property," she explained.

Parc Fontaine had 89 violations in July alone. The Department of Code Enforcement says more than half were the complex's fault. The fines for July were nearly $16,000.

Councilman Freddie King, who represents Algiers, remembered what the apartment complex used to look like.

Parc Fontaine had 89 violations in July alone. The Department of Code Enforcement says more than half were the complex's fault. The fines for July were

"Parc Fontaine used to be one of the premier places to live. I hear all the stories about what it was like to live there in the 80s and 90s. How nice it was. I remember going and dropping off teammates in the 90s and seeing how nice it was. And to see it in the condition it is in now, it makes you feel bad," he said.

He says he wants this to be a learning moment for other landlords.

"I want this to be a lesson to all other landlords, this city council is not playing, we're very serious about the conditions that our residents live in. If you have an apartment complex and you're getting tax breaks, and if you're not keeping it up to code and keeping a safe environment safe for the residents you will be next," Councilman King said.