NorthWest Carrollton

Well, I guess some New Years revelers decided to shoot off some fireworks and set this house on fire.

The Fire Chief told me that someone was arrested.

Last night I attended a meeting of NORA. It was a hurried attempt to fulfill a public meeting req. An interesting attempt to placate a group of weary citizens.

On the bright side, I also attended a Budget Hearing for the Inspector General. There is a lot of hope in that arena right now. The Inspector General should, if done correctly create a more efficent,honest and functional Government. Click here to listen to The new IG Robert Cerasoli speak.

LOT NEXT DOOR UNDER ASSAULT (AGAIN)

Attend NORA’s Public Comment Hearing On TheOrleans Parish Redevelopment and Disposition PlanFor Louisiana Land Trust (aka Road Home) Properties

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2007 6:30 PM
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) has prepared a draft plan as required by the State of Louisiana which details how the agency intends to manage and dispose of an estimated
7,500 properties in the Parish which have been/will be acquired through the Road Home program.

THE DRAFT PLAN (ATTACHED) NO LONGER INSURES THE ADJOINING HOMEOWNER’S RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY THROUGH THE LOT NEXT DOOR PROGRAM. INDEED THE PLAN MAKES CLEAR NORA’S INTENTION TO TAKE THE VAST MAJORITY OF PROPERTIES AND BUNDLE THEM FOR SALE TO FOR-PROFIT AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPERS. BASED UPON NORA’S INDICATED AVERAGE SALES PRICE OF $10,000 TO PRIVATE DEVELOPERS AND $7,500 TO NOT FOR PROFIT DEVELOPERS (AS INDICATED IN NORA’S PROPOSED
BUDGET) SALES ALSO MAY BE MADE AT BELOW MARKET VALUES POTENTIALLY IMPACTING THE VALUE OF SURROUNDING HOMES.

This, despite the fact that:

- The City’s Lot Next Door Ordinance was passed which explicitly requires
NORA to give first priority to purchase lots/homes to homeowners living
next door to homes/lots owned or acquired by NORA or other City
agencies;

- The NORA Board has approved Policies &
Procedures for the acquisition and disposition of Properties which
recognizes that adjacent homeowners have an explicit first priority over
developers to acquire adjacent properties through the Lot Next Door
Program;

- Recent academic research shows that one of the best
ways of insuring the upkeep of lots and houses sold by government
agencies to private owners is to sell them to adjacent homeowners; and,

- St. Bernard Parish’s Redevelopment & Disposition Plan which
contains a practically mirror program of the Lot Next Door has already
been approved by the State.This meeting is your opportunity to protect
your rights to have the right of first refusal to acquire Road Home
properties.

If this is important to you, it is necessary to attend the
meeting on November the 28th at 6:30 pm in the Council Chamber and
follow up meetings before the relevant City Council committees. To
assist you, we have attached several documents that you may want to
review prior to the meetings:

- NORA’s Draft Plan for the Redevelopment & Disposition of Road Home Properties to be submitted to the State;

- Excerpt from Federal CDBG Regulations which explicitly allows government agencies to sell properties acquired with CDBG funds at current market value (as called for in the Lot Next Door program);

- A recent academic article which compares and contrasts the quality of upkeep and maintenance of lots/homes which were sold by government in a county in Michigan which has a very similar program to the Lot Next Door; and,

- The Lot Next Door Ordinance.Beyond attending this meeting you may also consider writing, emailing, calling, and faxing your Councilmembers and Dr. Blakely to let them know the value you place on the Lot Next Door initiative and your concern associated with the diminishment of resident’s rights under this approved program.