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New Orleans real estate developer, Edward Neal Morris III, has been charged with one count of racketeering and four counts of criminal blight for allegedly allowing dozens of properties to deteriorate into hazardous conditions. The charges were announced by Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams at a press conference, who described it as a "historic step forward" for public safety and neighborhood preservation.
The indictment accuses Morris of running a criminal enterprise that failed to remedy conditions posing a danger to public health and safety. It names two dozen properties owned through LLCs that faced repeated code violations. Williams said the case is about property owners using corporate entities to shield themselves from accountability, allowing properties to deteriorate into crime magnets and health hazards.
The city had certified four of Morris' properties as blighted, forming the basis for the criminal blight charges. Those properties included 1609 S. Liberty St., 8830-8834 Hickory St., 1909 Eagle St., and 1821 Hamilton St. The new law allows prosecutors to file charges even if the administrative process of declaring a property blighted is not fully resolved, and includes blight charge in the list of crimes that can be considered racketeering activity.
"This case is about a systemic pattern of neglect that spreads across neighborhoods, turning homes into hazards and destabilizing communities," said Daniel Shanks, director of strategic initiatives at the DA's office. Morris couldn't be reached for comment and is due for arraignment on August 18. The charges follow a change in state law championed by Democratic State Rep. Mandie Landry that gives prosecutors more tools to hold landlords accountable.
The new law also broadens the definition of blighted properties to include inhabited dwellings deemed a public nuisance, which will go into effect on August 1. City Council Vice President Helena Moreno said this change has the potential to expose many more properties to criminal blight charges.
