| Request for an advisory opinion from the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority as to whether it is permissible for a current member of the Board to purchase immovable property owned by the agency. |
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The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) is a public body created pursuant to La. R.S. 33:4720.55 and offers New Orleanians the opportunity to acquire properties in NORA's inventory adjacent to their properties under the "Lot Next Door Program." Toni Hackett-Antrum, a member of the board of NORA since 2010, owns property adjacent to property owned by NORA, which is available for sale to Hackett-Antrum as an adjacent property under the Lot Next Door Program. NORA requested an advisory opinion to determine whether it could sell the property to Hackett-Antrum.
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Ethics Advisory Opinion No. 2009-920: The Board advised that given that the "Lot Next Door" Program administered by NORA offers no preferential treatment to participants, there is no negotiation on the sale price of the property and the only participant can be the adjacent landowner, then the Code of Governmental Ethics would not prohibit someone from purchasing the property adjacent to their own property.
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La. R.S. 42:1113B prohibits an appointed member of any board or commission, member of his immediate family, or legal entity in which he has a substantial economic interest from bidding on or entering into or being in any way interested in any contract, subcontract, or other transaction which is under the supervision or jurisdiction of the agency of such appointed member.
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Adopt the proposed Advisory Opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Greg Thibodeaux |
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