VCC Enforcement

What are Vieux Carré Commission (VCC) violations?

VCC violations include, but are not limited to:

  • any exterior work executed without a permit
  • improper or illegally placed signs
  • lack of maintenance
  • placement of merchandise on the exterior of a shop

Why Does The City Enforce VCC Guidelines?

VCC enforcement has a role to play in:

  • improving quality of life for all residents
  • protecting property values and neighborhood character
  • stimulating tourism and economic development
  • creating safer, healthier neighborhoods

How Does The City Enforce VCC Regulations?

The City aims to:

  • Prioritize violations that present the biggest quality of life and public safety issues to the public
  • Build public trust by quickly responding to violation complaints.
  • Take aggressive action and fine owners who refuse to bring a property into compliance.

What Properties Are In The VCC Enforcement Pipeline And How Long Does The Process Take?

View the enforcement dashboard

Correct a Violation

Violation Notice

After investigating a complaint of a potential violation, the VCC sends a Notice of Violation to the owner of the property.

Do not ignore this letter, even if the violation predates your ownership or control of the property.

In most cases, a building owner can correct a violation by obtaining a permit from the Commission and performing the work authorized by the permit. Please note that in some cases, the Commission will require that the illegal work be modified, removed, or replaced.

If the property owner fails to respond to the violation notice or is unwilling to correct the problem, the Commission files an affidavit of charges against parties responsible for the violations with the City's Administrative Adjudication Bureau and/or the applicable court(s). Commission inspectors are deputized by the New Orleans Police Department and may issue a summons directly to a responsible party on the premises for certain violations.

Stop Work Order

The removal of a STOP WORK ORDER in order to allow work to continue requires a full Commission hearing and approval.

An application must be submitted to the VCC for the work, and the applicant must present to the VCC a clear and detailed account of the existing condition prior to the work, in addition to all required submittal documents for the proposed work. In some cases, the Commission may require alterations to or removal of the work performed without a permit.