One of the worst feelings a person can experience is being kicked out of their own home. The place you thought was your safe space, your shelter, suddenly no longer belongs to you. That’s exactly what many families at 1201 Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, are going through. Not too long ago, more than 40 residents received notices telling them they had to leave. Many said they had no other options and didn’t know where to go after being forced out.
This all happened after the city council voted to allow the owners of 1201 Canal Street to convert 58 of its units into commercial short-term rentals. Despite earlier promises from those pushing for the change that no families would be displaced, New Orleans residents say that’s clearly not the case.
1201 Canal Street residents are angry about the short notice, calling the move outright displacement. Many said the 60 days they were given to figure out their next steps simply isn’t enough. One family said they had been living in the building for five years and had just signed a new lease a couple of months ago. Still, they were told they only had 30 days to vacate their home.
Another 1201 Canal Street resident who lives alone shared that they too had just signed a new lease two months ago. They said they felt completely betrayed, unsure of what to do or where to go next.
The 1201 Canal Street building’s owners and management have insisted they did nothing wrong. They claimed this isn’t an eviction, stating that the leases weren’t long-term and are simply being terminated in line with contract terms. Now, many of the affected New Orleans residents are hoping to find legal support and are reaching out to attorneys to help them understand their rights and possibly fight back.
Many Redditors shared their sympathies for the residents of 1201 Canal Street, expressing that what they experienced wasn’t right. Others criticized the building owners for trying to avoid calling the incident an eviction, accusing them of hiding behind technicalities and wordplay. One user wrote, “This is crap. They lied in their application. That should nullify the exemption.”
Much of the blame was also directed at Councilmember Freddie King, who played a key role in pushing the decision in 1201 Canal Street forward. Another commenter said, “The councilperson who pushed this through, Freddie King, also cost the city millions in HUD funds. Elections have consequences. Notably, not a single one of our other so-called progressive council members has stood up to this. Fake ass, credit-claiming, clout-chasing clowns.”
