The Times-Picayune | Nola.com: New Orleans council faces tough choice: Raise taxes, or cut services
CBNO Executive Director Nellie Catzen was interviewed on the 2027 Proposed City Budget.
Gambit: The 2026 Gambit 40 Under 40 List
Executive Director Nellie Catzen was honored on Gambit’s 40 Under 40 List for 2026. Her profile with quotes are included in the article.
Verite: City leaders are wrangling a significant budget deficit for the second year in a row. With limited funds, what should they prioritize?
Verite quotes comments made by Executive Director Nellie Catzen at Big Easy Budget Coalition’s ‘Where Da Money At? The People’s Town Hall’.
WWNO: Layoffs, major homeless shelter closure on the table in Mayor Moreno’s proposed 2027 budget
WWNO quotes public comments made by CBNO Executive Director Nellie Catzen at the City’s Budget hearings.
Verite: Moreno proposes lean $1.47 billion city budget for 2027, with layoffs and further cuts
CBNO Executive Director Nellie Catzen was interviewed on the 2027 proposed budget cuts and restoring public trust in the City’s Administration.
How to Use the City’s New Budget Dashboard
For over a decade, CBNO has been advocating for greater transparency in the City’s budgeting and spending, and we’re proud of our progress! This year, the Moreno Administration published the City’s first Budget Dashboard. It includes a breakdown of budget and spending by department and by fund. We invited the City’s Chief Performance Officer, Abby Vienne, to walk us through the dashboard.
It’s your moment: Where to show up for the 2027 Budget Process
The City of New Orleans’ 2027 Budget season is heating up! The City’s money is your money, and you should have a say in how it’s spent. Here’s your chance to make your voice heard in the City’s most important decision.
Biz New Orleans: CBNO Launches $40K Community Initiative
Biz New Orleans staff use quotes from CBNO Executive Director Nellie Catzen and Common Ground USA Program Manager Krystal james to introduce the Front Porch Lab.
Welcome, Kevin!
We’re thrilled to announce our new Program Manager has joined the team! Please join us in welcoming Kevin Kellup. He’ll be responsible for delivering and strengthening CBNO’s civic education programs, and we are so excited to have him on the team.
Celebrating 60 Years of the Bryan Bell Forum: Apply to the 2026 Leadership Forum + Front Porch Lab
This year, CBNO is celebrating our 60th anniversary, and we’re trying something a little different. For six decades, we’ve been bringing leaders together across divides across race, class, gender, and neighborhood lines to build a better New Orleans. In honor of our anniversary, we’re trying something a little different this year.
Welcome, Summer Team!
As we move into the summer season, we're excited to welcome three new members to our team. Please join us in welcoming Neomi Washington, Destiny Brown, and Kaylie Nhan.
We’re hiring a Program Manager
Committee for a Better New Orleans (CBNO) is hiring a full-time Program Manager to help lead and grow our civic engagement and leadership programs.
We believe New Orleans works best when residents have the knowledge, relationships, and tools they need to shape the future of their communities. From our Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum to the People’s Budget Project and Better New Orleans Block Party, our work is about building a more effective, more connected, and more equitable city.
Guide to the May 16th Election
Since the recent Supreme Court ruling overturned significant elements of the Voting Rights Act, there’s some confusion about the May 16th election in Louisiana. The election is still happening. Here’s everything you need to know.
Get Your Sample Ballot & Polling Place
What’s on the Ballot in New Orleans?
Louisiana has moved to a closed primary system, which means that your ballot will depend on what party you're registered as.
Block Party Recap: Transforming New Orleans, one block at a time
Our 3rd Annual Block Party was more than just a celebration; it was a reflection of what’s possible when community organizations, volunteers, staff, and neighbors come together with a shared purpose. From music, food, wellness resources, youth activities, voter engagement, performances, to meaningful conversations and joyful connection, the event created space for relationship-building, resource sharing, neighborhood pride, fundraising, awareness, and healing. This year we had over 600 attendees from 21 different neighborhoods, from the West Bank all the way to the East.
We’re hiring an Americorps VISTA member!
Thanks to a partnership with Tulane University Center for Public Service, CBNO is recruiting for an Americorps VISTA service member to complete their year of volunteer service with our team.
Position: Program & Membership Coordinator
Create an organizing home for New Orleans changemakers through developing a membership program and regular membership meetings
Coordinate community events focused on civic engagement and education
Support coordination of the Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum
Develop communications, outreach, and engagement materials to build awareness and support for CBNO’s programs
New Orleans Is Bleeding Money on Trash Pickup
New Orleans Is Bleeding Money on Trash Pickup
You've been paying $24 a month for trash pickup since 2011. That fee hasn't budged in 15 years. And for most of that time, nobody made a big deal about it. The City just quietly made up the difference. Until now.
Here’s everything you need to know.
How to engage with the new City Council
New Orleans has a new City Council! Following the January 2026, inauguration, fresh faces joined returning council members, and the entire committee structure has been reorganized with new chairs and members.
This means new opportunities for you to engage with the local government on issues that matter the most. But what you might not realize is that the real work of the City Council isn’t done at big meetings you might see on TV. The real work happens in committee meetings.
This guide will help you understand what these committees do, who’s now on them, and how you can participate in shaping policy decisions that affect your daily life.
2025 Budget Season Recap
The 2025 Budget season kept us on the edge of our seats with one crisis after another. The story had its twists and turns, but the bottom line was this – the City spent more money than it brought in. This meant they had to borrow $100M from the State to break even in 2025, and they’re going to need to close an additional $222M hole in 2026.
How did we get into this mess?
A look at the American Rescue Plan Cuts
The City has a $200M budget hole to fill, and for revenues, they’re dipping into already-allocated American Rescue Plan dollars. The American Rescue Plan was the direct allocation of federal money the City of New Orleans received for COVID relief. It was intended to help the City and its people recover from economic losses due to the pandemic (More about ARPA here).
A total of $14.7 Million is being diverted from 32 ARPA programs. (Source) Here’s a rundown on what’s being cut, and from whom.
Verite: RIDE panel discusses unsafe infrastructure, accessibility issues at annual State of Transit event
CBNO Executive Director Nellie Catzen moderated the panel discussion at RIDE New Orleans’ 2025 State of Transit event. Verite New Orleans covered the event.