NEW ORLEANS (Thursday, June 12) – The New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with local research firm MDRG, has initiated a comprehensive survey to better understand the permitting and licensing challenges businesses face in Orleans Parish.

Responding to growing concerns from New Orleans Chamber members and the broader business community, this research aims to gather data on business owners’ experiences with City Hall processes—including permit applications, compliance requirement, and the use of tools like the City’s One Stop Shop website. The results will help quantify the barriers businesses encounter and offer informed recommendations to city officials for improvement.

“Businesses across every industry and size are encountering unnecessary delays and confusion when trying to operate legally and efficiently in New Orleans. We want to support our leaders at the City in correcting these challenges,” said Sandra Lindquist, president & CEO of the New Orleans Chamber. “It is our role at the New Orleans Chamber to advocate for the priorities that drive economic growth in our city. This study will allow us to elevate the experiences of our business leaders and work toward real, practical solutions.”

Beginning Thursday, June 12, New Orleans Chamber members and other Orleans Parish businesses should expect to see the survey in their email inbox. It is also available on the New Orleans Chamber website (LINK TO TAKE SURVEY) and will be presented through a public QR code campaign at New Orleans Chamber events in the coming weeks.

All local business owners and any employee that oversees permitting or licensing for their for-profit or non-profit entity are encouraged to participate. There are no limits on the type of business or industry that should contribute a response.

"We believe that any change or reform to the current processes must start with understanding the concerns and challenges that local businesses encounter, in addition to understanding what is working,” said Sondra Brown, president and founder of MDRG. “This survey will ensure that the voices of the business community are understood, and the report will highlight those experiences to provide local leaders a starting point for enacting change."

Upon completion of the survey by local business leaders, the New Orleans Chamber will work with MDRG to prepare a comprehensive study, highlighting the most serious areas of concern and chokepoints in the current permitting and licensing process. The results of the study will be shared with city leaders later this year to inform potential reforms.

To learn more or participate in the survey, visit NewOrleansChamber.org/Survey or contact the New Orleans Chamber via email at info@neworleanschamber.org.

**The information you provide will only be used for analysis of this study and will be kept strictly confidential.**

SURVEY ENDS FRIDAY, JULY 11.