NEW ORLEANS —

New Orleans city leaders are working to balance the 2026 budget amid a $160 million deficit, with the Code Enforcement Department warning that proposed cuts could put its operations at "grave risk."

Leaders with the Department of Code Enforcement said budget cuts could impact services like demolitions, lot cutting and graffiti removal. Advertisement

The department warns that next year's budget could slow down blight cleanup across the city.

Code enforcement leaders said they are facing major challenges heading into 2026, including losing grant funding, cutting support staff and trying to do more with less.

They warned that without more resources, New Orleans could see slower responses to some of its biggest quality-of-life complaints.

The department's proposed 2026 bud

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