Sam Karlin

1 week ago | nola.com | Sam Karlin

New Orleans has quietly adopted a key change to local building rules to require permits for new roofs, a long-discussed idea that advocates hope will alleviate the home insurance crisis by giving insurers more confidence in the city’s housing stock and building codes. Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s office pushed the change through the City Council in February, but had not widely communicated the update until asked about it this week.

2 weeks ago | nola.com | Sam Karlin |Missy Wilkinson

The FBI said Tuesday that it continues to believe that the man who rammed a truck into revelers on Bourbon Street on New Year’s Day acted alone, despite reports that Iraqi officials arrested an alleged ISIS member for inciting the attack. “The FBI's investigation into the New Year's Day terrorist attack in New Orleans remains active and ongoing," the agency said in a statement.

4 weeks ago | nola.com | Sam Karlin

About a year after Louisiana’s utility regulator moved to set up a long-sought program to help residents reduce energy use and save on their bills, the Public Service Commission voted Wednesday to abruptly change course and end the program. A complex vote by the Commission’s three Republican members — JP Coussan, Eric Skrmetta and Mike Francis — ends a statewide program to put millions toward energy efficiency in homes and businesses, especially for low-income residents.

1 month ago | nola.com | Sam Karlin

Louisiana lawmakers are proposing a host of measures to help incentivize — and possibly require — the building of fortified roofs, which are widely seen as one solution to the spiraling insurance premiums saddling homeowners. The Legislature will consider at least six bills directly addressing fortified roofs during the session that begins April 14. If successful, proponents of the changes hope Louisiana can rapidly accelerate the pace at which new, stronger roofs are built in the state.

1 month ago | nola.com | Sam Karlin

A year after lawmakers agreed to a package of bills to make Louisiana friendlier to insurance companies, the ongoing home insurance crisis is prompting a host of legislators to seek more relief from spiraling costs for homeowners. Lawmakers have filed bills to ramp up oversight of insurers, to crack down on what some see as “excessive” profits and to provide tax credits to people who pay high premiums, among an array of other ideas.