Forward New Orleans – a diverse, issue-focused, community initiative by the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region in collaboration with more than thirty civic neighborhood and business organizations – has completed its Second Progress Report, available here.

The results are encouraging. We commend the Administration for taking positive steps toward meeting its pledge and commitment to the citizens of New Orleans.  We will continue to monitor, particularly as the Administration enters this execution phase, and will include future assessments on this website.

We ask that you join us in presenting Forward New Orleans as the collective will of the citizenry and to require our elected officials to continue moving toward accomplishing these mandates. This time we must be certain our officials are aligned with principled reform. This time we must move our New Orleans forward.

More than thirty business and community groups joined forces to create  Forward New Orleans, a mandate for city leadership prior to the 2010 spring city elections. The purpose of Forward New Orleans was to demand reform and excellence in city government. Seven key issues were identified: crime, blight, city finance, economic development, city services and infrastructure, city contracting, and public education.

Almost unanimously, Mayor Mitch Landrieu and every elected city council member signed a pledge to achieve the seven platform mandates. Since the elections, many members of the Forward New Orleans coalition have partnered with the new leadership, serving on task forces and providing input during the transition process. In September 2010, the Forward New Orleans coalition presented its first report to the public on the progress to date regarding these mandates for reform.

Download the Forward New Orleans’ 2010 report here.