Renovate Your Substandard Property and Receive a 100% Break on City Liens

To continue rebuilding New Orleans, the City of New Orleans has created Blight Busters - Project Lien Wavier to assist property owners in restoring blighted and substandard property to commerce. The Lien Waiver Committee works with the owners of blighted and substandard property in removing city code violation fines and liens that have been placed against their property, if they renovate it.

WHAT IS A LIEN?
If a property owner fails to maintain his or her own property in accordance with city codes, the owner can be fined by the city for violation of city codes. If the fines are not paid, they can become liens against the property. Liens are like mortgages and can be foreclosed upon.

HOW DO I APPLY?
Complete a lien waiver claim form which can be obtained at the:
Office of Public Advocacy
City Hall
1300 Perdido Street, Room 1W09
New Orleans, LA 70112, or
Download the form directly from this web site.
Submit the completed claim, with supporting documentation, to the same address.

How Can the Committee Work with You?

WAIVER & CANCELLATION
• Your property has been renovated and is up to code.
• You purchased your property through expropriation by the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority.
• You just bought the property, and the lien was assessed against the previous owner prior to the sale, but was filed after the sale.
• The lien was improperly assessed.

SUBORDINATION
(An agreement that the liens will be second to the mortgage)
You want to renovate, but your construction lender is requiring that the liens be paid first.

AGREEMENT TO WAIVE
The owner is willing to donate the property to you and you plan to renovate it. You must be a non-profit organization or an individual or entity unrelated to the owner.

WHAT TYPE OF DOCUMENTS DO I NEED?
• Recent city tax bill obtained from the Treasury Department in Room 1W38 of City Hall
• Photographs of the property
• Letter from your lender that your loan would be approved if your property were lien-free.
• Legal documentation transferring ownership to you or agreement to purchase
• HUD-1 settlement statement from when you purchased your property

* All applicants are subject to the Lien Waiver Committee's review and discretion.