New Orleans opens aid fund as French Quarter suit advances
New Orleans opened a $200,000 fund for French Quarter businesses hit by Decatur Street work as a lawsuit seeks changes to the SWBNO project.
Fund opens while the construction fight moves into court
New Orleans has opened a $200,000 Business Stabilization Fund for businesses on Lower Decatur and St. Peter streets that say the Sewerage and Water Board project has hurt access and sales. The city said the application portal opened June 29 and applications are due July 10, 2026.
The fund offers one-time payments in two tiers: $2,500 for businesses with fewer than 8 employees and $5,000 for businesses with 8 employees. The city says the money is meant to help keep the corridor operating while construction continues.
The work itself is a yearlong replacement project
SWBNO says it is replacing 115-year-old water transmission mains in the 900-1100 blocks of Decatur Street and the 600 block of St. Peter Street. The utility says the project is expected to take about a year and includes new water, sewer and drain lines.
Verite News and FOX 8 have reported that businesses along the corridor say the construction has driven away customers and cut revenue. FOX 8 reported that a group of French Quarter businesses filed suit June 26 in Orleans Parish Civil District Court, and a judge set a preliminary hearing for July 9.
What the lawsuit asks for
The suit asks the court to remove unnecessary fencing, require 72 hours’ written notice before new or extended closures, require work only where the road is actually closed, and order a revised schedule and 24/7 work on active blocks. It also seeks a pause in water and sewer billing during obstructive closures and damages.
For merchants, the immediate questions are whether the fund will cover enough losses to matter and whether the court case leads to faster access changes.
Sources
- City of New Orleans mayor’s office: New fund for French Quarter businesses affected by SWBNO construction project
- FOX 8 New Orleans: French Quarter businesses sue SWBNO over Decatur Street construction
- Verite News: Decatur Street construction lawsuit coverage
- WWNO public radio: French Quarter business impact and neighborhood context
- Sewerage and Water Board French Quarter Transmission Main project page
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