nola.com38%
Residents of this troubled New Orleans East complex just landed a $3M win. Here’s what’s next. 41%
By Sophie Kasakove51%
7/15/2026, 8:08:00 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 18 faulty reasoning types, including Optimism Bias, Anecdotal, and Pessimism Bias, with Appeal to Emotion as the most egregious example at 34.3% saturation with 173 hits. Analysis detected 867 faulty-reasoning hits from 504 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 45.8% and a BS Rank of 41% (9,442 of 16,008 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 59.00% of the article peer group.
Hundreds of people who suffered hazardous conditions at a New Orleans East apartment complex will recover a collective $3 million in rent payments after a judge ordered a class-action settlement on Tuesday.
The settlement, approved by U.S.
District Judge Barry Ashe, is a major win for tenants of The Willows Apartments, who alleged in a 2023 lawsuit that their landlord had let the New Orleans East property fall into disrepair and become unsafe.
“We’re incredibly happy about the resolution and to be able to return money to these people,” said Megan Kiefer, an attorney who represented the tenants.
She said she hopes the outcome will put other neglectful landlords on notice.
“Essentially, you broke the promise,” said Kiefer.
“Every lease agreement is a promise from landlord to tenant: ‘We’re going to provide you livable housing.
You pay rent.’"
The complex’s former owner, Tennessee-based Ministry Outreach Foundation, a religious nonprofit, did not respond to a request for comment on the settlement.
Residents were notified in May that they would be required to vacate the property for an estimated two years as it undergoes a major cleanup and gut renovation.
Kiefer said that she hopes the settlement funds will assist residents remaining at the property with moving costs.
“We're just hoping for a full circle moment where it becomes a habitable place again — maybe all the tenants can go back and get what they bargained for,” said Kiefer.
Young said that he is not aware of any other class-action cases in the U.S. that have won reimbursement of rental payments due to poor conditions.
“My hope is that it would be used as a blueprint for any bad actors that are doing the same thing, so that there’s recourse for tenants that might feel like they don’t have any,” added Kiefer, who noted that tenants often struggle to find attorneys in individual cases against landlords because damages are typically small.
Angela Thompson, who moved out of The Willows last year after persistent water leaks, mold, and air conditioning issues in her apartment, said that she plans use the settlement funds to visit her grandchildren in Texas.
For years, Thompson declined visits from family out of concern for their health.
“You could feel the dampness in the apartment — it had me sick,” said Thompson.
“I just want to be able to see my kids and my grandkids.”
Laci Hargrove, who moved out of The Willows last year, said she plans to use the settlement funds to purchase a new toaster, microwave and coffeemaker after hers were infested by roaches at the Willows.
But she said whatever amount she receives as a result of the settlement will feel like a small payback for the mold and pests her family lived with for years.
“I feel like it’s never going to be enough — putting my children's lives in jeopardy,” said Hargrove.
“Money is not enough.”
Email Sophie Kasakove at sophie.kasakove@theadvocate.com.
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