New Orleans to require permits for new roofs. Here's why it could affect insurance premiums.

Insurance News Net, By Sam Karlin, May 8, 2025

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. It is not clear if the city is widely enforcing the new requirement, or whether roofers will have a separate track to receive the permits, raising concerns that they may be bogged down in the permitting office's notorious delays and be required to pay hundreds of dollars per roof.

Cantrell's office acknowledged the new rules Wednesday, saying the move aims to "assist residents during the ongoing insurance crisis."

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