February 27th 2013 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Headquarters

photo and article courtesy Broad Community Connections

Headquarters Barber Beauty & Natural Hair Salon is sleek and polished, with shiny dark wood floors, exposed brick, and modern fans, yet the place retains a classic barbershop feel with old-style chairs and lighting, and the tan uniforms worn by the eleven barbers working at the shop.

The positive, soulful music playing and Spanish-style exterior makes for a truly special location on North Broad for Headquarters.

The shop celebrated its second year on Broad Street in October, owner Jamal McCoy said. The business was relocated to the corridor as a part of the land acquisition for the VA hospital from its old Banks Street location. McCoy said he loves the feel of neighboring Ursulines Avenue and the accessibility for people using the bus system of having his shop on a main street. The store has been getting more traffic after the move to Broad Street and the addition of a large front window so passers-by can see the shop’s unique style, McCoy said. Many times up to 30 customers are in the store, which also boasts an impressive salon in its upstairs area, he said.

“I’m thankful to be in a place like this,” said Jay Free, a barber-in-training who comes to learn from McCoy. “It’s not like an ordinary place you could be in—no negative energy could come into this environment…you could come in with a bad attitude and leave with a positive state of mind.”

In addition to creating a positive environment in the shop, barbers have been active in the corridor and surrounding neighborhoods. The shop has hosted voter registration drives, and McCoy is part of the organization Barbers Against Crime, in which barbers are trained to talk to youth about violence and promote positive events, such as basketball tournaments, in their communities.

“A lot of these kids will share information with their barbers that they won’t share with other people,” McCoy said. “Sometimes you can influence them from making the wrong decision.”

Headquarters is open 9 am to 7 pm, Tuesday through Saturday at 1101 N. Broad Street.

February 26th 2013 Global Green USA

NOLA Wise Neighborhood Energy Challenge Update

Competition is stiff in the NOLA Wise Neighborhood Energy Challenge!

NOLA Wise has challenged neighborhood teams to see who can have the most Home Performance Evaluations (HPE) completed within their boundaries. The winning neighborhood will receive $5000 to put towards a neighborhood greening project. HPEs will be tallied until March 31st, and the winning neighborhood will be announced mid-April.

All homeowners who complete a home energy retrofit through the NOLA Wise program, including those located outside of Neighborhood Challenge team boundaries, are eligible for a limited-time-only $750 cash back incentive.

Contact NOLA Wise to sign up for a Home Performance Evaluation and learn how your house can start saving energy and money, and help your neighborhood to reach its greening goals!

504-523-WISE (9473), , or http://www.nolawise.org

Participating Neighborhood Challenge teams:
Mid City Volleyball Group and Mid City Neighborhood Organization (Mid City)
Hollygrove Neighbors
Villages of the East Coalition (VEC)

February 26th 2013 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

WALK EVERY SATURDAY

The Ruth U. Fertel Tulane Community Health Center invites you to join our Soul Steppers Walking Club!

Our walking group is already strong in numbers, all that is missing is you! Bring friends, family, and pets…and let’s get moving!

Every Saturday @ 9am

Rain or shine – we’ll be there!

Location: Meet at City Park on the steps of the NOLA Art Museum
(Where Esplanade and Carrollton hit City Park)

Every Soul Stepper receives a T-shirt, pedometer and other tools to inspire walking!

QUESTIONS? Contact Sarah or Steven at 504-988-0389 or E-mail: //';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='<';l[4]='|117';l[5]='|100';l[6]='|101';l[7]='|46';l[8]='|101';l[9]='|110';l[10]='|97';l[11]='|108';l[12]='|117';l[13]='|116';l[14]='|64';l[15]='|99';l[16]='|104';l[17]='|99';l[18]='|117';l[19]='|116';l[20]='>';l[21]='"';l[22]='|117';l[23]='|100';l[24]='|101';l[25]='|46';l[26]='|101';l[27]='|110';l[28]='|97';l[29]='|108';l[30]='|117';l[31]='|116';l[32]='|64';l[33]='|99';l[34]='|104';l[35]='|99';l[36]='|117';l[37]='|116';l[38]=':';l[39]='o';l[40]='t';l[41]='l';l[42]='i';l[43]='a';l[44]='m';l[45]='"';l[46]='=';l[47]='f';l[48]='e';l[49]='r';l[50]='h';l[51]=' ';l[52]='a';l[53]='<'; for (var i = l.length-1; i >= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == '|') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i]));} //]]> ">

Steven Jones
Program Coordinator
Ruth U. Fertel Tulane Community Health Center
Brinton Family Health & Healing Center
711 N. Broad Street, New Orleans, LA 70116
Office: 504-988-0389
Cell: 504-756-4380

February 25th 2013 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

HOME SECURITY

If you were locked out of your house, would you still be able to get in? Maybe you keep an unlocked window in the back, or a hidden key in your mailbox, or on top of a window ledge.

You may think this is a good idea, but guess what? If you can break in, so can a burglar!

For a small amount of time and money you can make your home more secure and reduce your chances of being a victim. Many burgulars spend no longer than 60 seconds to try to breaking into a home. Good locks — and good neighbors who watch out for each other — can be big deterrents to burglars.

click on the graphics for a larger view

February 24th 2013 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Postcard from Home

Courtesy the Linda Burns Collection

February 23rd 2013 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Big Bass Rodeo

If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.
~Doug Larson

To welcome springtime fishing, New Orleans City Park will host its Big Bass Rodeo and Fishtival, the oldest freshwater rodeo in the country. This 66-year-old event attracting over 600 participants affords an opportunity for anglers of all ages and backgrounds to catch those elusive lunkers for bragging rights and trophies. Unlike high caliber bass fishing tournaments, this nonprofessional rodeo encourages families and friends to enjoy a day in the park. This year’s Rodeo will be held on Saturday, April 6th with registration beginning at 6:00 a.m. at the Casino Building (presently Morning Call Café). Fishing begins at 6:30 a.m. and weigh-in ends at 11:00 a.m. by the Bandstand. The entry fee is only $10 for Adults (13 and older) and $5 for kids (12 years and under). Be sure to visit: http://www.neworleanscitypark.com/bigbass for details, online registration, registration forms, rules & regulations and a fishing map.

There are 5 fishing categories:
1. Bass by baitcaster, spincast or spinning reel.
2. Bass by fly rod and reel.
3. Team Event-Rio Grande Roundup for the team bringing in the heaviest stringer of cichlids.
4. Junior Anglers for those 12 years and under catching the heaviest single bream or cichlid.
5. Champion’s Challenge for past 1st place winners of the Bass category compete against one another for the largest bass.

Catfish Kids is a bonus for those 16 years and under catching the 3 single heaviest catfish.

The Fishtival complete with music by a DJ begins at 9:00 a.m. (its free!) around the Casino and Bandstand area and offers activities for young and old alike. A special section for children by Wish To Fish La. offers a casting contest for ages 6-15, free casting and cast net throwing lessons and other activities. Wildlife educators from Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries will have demonstrations and exhibits as well as their pellet-shooting trailer. Numerous other exhibitors include local artists, ecology, wildlife, conservation groups, kayak displays, live “critters” to pet and more! And if you are feeling lucky you can participate in the $1 raffle for great fishing and outdoor gear including a fishing kayak or the $5 raffle to win one of 3 charter boat fishing trips with well known Captains C.T. Williams, Dudley Vandenborre or Aaron Gelfand. The popular Mardi Gras toss of fishing tackle during the awards ceremony affords an opportunity to put up your hands and catch baits to fill up your tackle box.

The Big Bass Rodeo was founded in 1946 by Paul Kalman. Paul spent many hours of his childhood fishing the tree-framed waters of City Park. For Paul, it was an angler’s urban heaven. After serving in World War II, Paul conceived the idea of an annual fishing rodeo, planting the seeds of what would become City Park’s Big Bass Rodeo. A reporter for the New Orleans Item at the time, he persuaded his bosses to sponsor the inaugural event. So armed with a meat scale borrowed from Schwegmann’s original grocery store, the Rodeo was launched. Under his guidance, the rodeo grew to where it drew as many as 1,000 participants. Although he passed away in 1987, his legacy lives on today with the Paul Kalman award presented to the angler 12 years old or less who lands the largest bass. The Joe Courcelle award has since been added to rodeo to honor his 30 years plus serving as Weigh Master and is given to the angler 13 years and up landing the largest bass.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 6th and try your luck to catch a record-breaking bass. Good Fishing!

February 22nd 2013 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Fish Under the Dome

Fish under the big dome on the bayou at 1368 Moss. Here are the dates for this year’s fish fry:
FRYDAY, February 22 | FRYDAY, March 1 | FRYDAY, March 8

Although Holy Rosary Parish officially began in 1907, the history of the parish began as early as the settlement of Bayou St. John and City Park (Allard Plantation) area. The historic waterway, discovered by Iberville in 1699, served as a passage from the Gulf to Lake Pontchartrain. Soon the Spanish missionaries came to settle Louisiana. At the mouth of the Bayou, a resort called Spanish Fort was constructed.

Along the upper side of the Bayou was the Allard Plantation which, in the mid-1800’s became New Orleans City Park. On the opposite side, a number of fine homes were constructed as was the Fair Grounds. The present Holy Rosary property was originally part of a large tract of land that extended to Gentilly Boulevard. It was sold by Joseph Chalon and his wife, in 1871, to Don Andres Almonester y Roxas, the builder of the St. Louis Cathedral, who constructed a home for himself. Almonaster sold the land to Louis Blanc in 1792 and in 1799, it was acquired by Don Nicolas Maria Vidal, lieutenant governor of the Louisiana Colony. The land finally was purchased by Evariste Blanc and it remained in the Blanc and Denegre family until 1905.

Many fine homes were constructed in the area including the Spanish Custom House (now the residence of Vincent Saia), the Judge Tissot home and the Cucullu home. In 1855, Esplanade Avenue was opened to the Bayou on land obtained from the Blanc family. In 1856, St. Louis Cemetery was established on the site of the Old Bayou Cemetery originally founded by the City in 1835.

Soon after the Civil War, the Fair Grounds was established and the beautiful Gallier home became the Louisiana Jockey Club. A burial ground for Civil War soldiers was established by Governor Nicholls in 1883. In 1861, a horse-drawn car line was established with a car barn on Desmare playground next to the present Cabrini High School property.

As the area around Faubourg St. John and Grand Route St. John steadily developed, a call went out from residents for a parish church. The area originally was part of the distant St.Ann Parish but the distance was excessive for the residents to travel.

Mrs. Fanny Labatut Blanc offered a piece of ground in 1855 for the erection of a parish church, along with 300,00 bricks. The act of donation was passed in 1855 before Notary Octave de Armas. A small cottage on the property became the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Father Maistre, the first pastor, deemed that the formation of the church was impractical and he went on to form St. Rose de Lima parish of which the parochial territory of Holy Rosary remained part of until 1907.

In 1904, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, who would later become America’s first canonized saint, trudged down the Esplanade looking for the ideal piece of land to construct an orphanage. In 1906, with the help of Captain Salvator Pizzati, Mother Cabrini constructed the Sacred Heart Orphanage. This project escalated the founding of Holy Rosary Parish. Also, the Denegre family was pressing the Archbishop to fulfill the commitment and construct a church as agreed, or else the land should revert back to the family.

In 1907, Archbishop Blenk took the long-awaited action and appointed Rev. William J. Vincent to build a new parish to be called Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. On December 25, 1907, the first mass was celebrated at midnight in the old home. According to newspaper accounts, Archbishop Blenk officiated at the mass. Mrs. Denegre did not live to see the final church building as she passed away on September 12, 1910 at the age of 93.

Although the first mass was celebrated in the home as Mrs. Denegre had wished, a small chapel was completed in January of 1908. As the new parish grew, a school was needed. While the chapel remained overloaded, especially during the period following the fire that destroyed St. Rose of Lima, other parish needs took precedence over the construction of a new church. It was not until 1924 that construction of the permanent church was begun. On Sunday, November 22, 1925, the new church was finally dedicated. Father Vincent died in November of 1934, having taken the parish from its humble beginnings to a fully developed congregation with a school, church, societies and a strong Parish spirit. It was found that Father Vincent had personally financed a modest part of the parish works.

Father Vincent was followed by Msgr. Francis Canon Racine and Bishop L. Abel Caillouet who contributed to the strong growth and parish spirit. Today, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish remains a strong bastion of faith in the Archdiocese.

References: Golden Jubilee publication by Roger Baudier, Sr. KSG, LLD. and various documents contained in the New Orleans Public Library.

February 21st 2013 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Bike Share Program

Article courtesy NOLA DEFENDER. Click on the bikes for more.

NOLA has buses, and plans for streetcar expansion are underway. Nonetheless, with less than 1400 cabs in a city of more than 360,000, it’s hard to get around in the Crescent City. Thanks to Bike Easy, the EPA, and city officials, public transportation could soon become a little easier with a new bike share program. The initiative is still in its infancy, but the first step marks a major jump for New Orleans as she makes plans to join the ranks of 22 other major American cities.

Next time you see a drunken tourist with a hand grenade, put on a friendly face. He or she could be subsidizing cheap, eco-friendly public transportation for us locals. Over Super Bowl weekend, Bike Easy and the City teamed up to implement a weekend-long bike share program that served over 500 people in five days. Under the long term bike share plan, tourists will be able to buy a $5 pass that will allow them to use their bike for 30 minutes at a time for free.

NoDef spoke to Bike Easy Director Jamie Wine about the plans. “There are two different fees, one for residents and one for tourists,” explained Wine. “The tourists are subsidizing the residents’ use of the system.”

A local can buy an annual pass for $65-$85, the cost is still to be determined. “It’s less than the cost to ride the bus,” said Wine.

Wine said the program fulfills their nonprofit’s core goals.

“That’s the thing about biking, it touches many different pieces. There are four major pieces [in Bike Easy’s philosophy]. Transportation equity, environmental improvement, traffic congestion reduction, and physical activity,” said Wine.

The program is already in effect in a number of American and European cities. One of the federal funds New Orleans may be able to tap is the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ). For years, New Orleans’ air quality was actually too good to receive such a subsidy. However, the feds upped their standards for clean air, and New Orleans is now eligible.

“There are less dirty standards now, so New Orleans might be able to qualify for CMAQ money,” explained Wine.

The city has already received what is called a “Technical Assistance Grant,” from the EPA. Wine clarified that the grant is “not money. They bring experts in to walk the city through the process. At this point the number of kiosks is not determined yet.”

The overall cost of the “phase one” system will total an estimated $1.5 million, which is cheap for public transportation systems. Wine explained that said amount would cover “300 yards of highway,” and said, “for three city buses, you could have 200 bicycles.”

Bike advocacy carries a lot of environmentally friendly lagniappe, but the bike share program’s universal selling point is its economic sustainability. Although the initial cost sounds substantial, the program will pay for itself in the long run. “No other type of public transportation will actually make money,” said Wine.

The first set of bike kiosks will be placed somewhere downtown. Wine explained that the “core” is established by determining “the biggest daytime population.” Once that location begins to make money, other bike share sets will be built in various locations across New Orleans.

Wine thanked the City of New Orleans for pedaling up to the plate. “The thing about this that’s so great is that it indicates that the The City is on board. They’re doing a really great job with this,” said Wine. The Director doesn’t know when the Bike Share program will go into effect. However, he said 2014 is a realistic estimate.

http://www.noladefender.com/content/new-orl34eans-test-d78riving-bike-share-program

February 20th 2013 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Armed Villains Apprehended

On Sunday, February 10th, a 52-year-old man lost $16.50 that he had in his pockets after an armed robber approached him from behind about 8:10 p.m. at the corner of North Lopez and St. Philip streets, police said. The robber pushed the victim against the victim’s car, took the money and fled.” NOPD’s 1st District caught the suspect as he was fleeing down Ursulines Avenue .

An armed robbery of a neighbor on Maurepas @ Crete happened just after 9pm on Monday, February 11, 2013. The perpetrators then attempted to rob another neighbor on Grand Route. The 1st District NOPD then set up a perimeter and all three were apprehended successfully. No citizens injured. One Officer sustained a minor injury during the chase. Really excellent work by 1st Police District!

February 1st 2013 New Orleans Council on Aging (NOCOA)

A new way to Help Veterans and Military Families

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), established in 1971, is now one of the largest senior volunteer organizations in the nation. Its mission is to provide a variety of service opportunities for retired persons aged 55 and older by engaging them in diverse volunteer activities with various organizations in New Orleans. RSVP volunteer sites include hospitals, nursing homes, senior centers, and government offices. Core service areas include: Education, Healthy Futures, Veterans & Military Families, and Disaster Services to positively impact local communities and strengthen the nonprofit sector. Imagine the satisfaction one can derive from improving the lives of veterans and military families in Orleans Parish. Veterans and Military families face multiple challenges and they have become the center of a national campaign to contribute to the betterment of their lives through community volunteerism. Call RSVP today to offer your time and talents. No experience required and training is provided. Flexible volunteer hours are available and volunteers must be at least 55 years old. Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (504) 821-4121;

January 30th 2013 Global Green USA

$750 Cash back Incentive

Please see the exciting new offer from NOLA Wise, which now provides Orleans Parish homeowners a $750 cash back incentive for making energy efficiency improvements on their homes! These incentives are in addition to the already-available Energy Smart incentives from Entergy New Orleans.

Spread the word!

Call us today at 504-523-WISE or visit nolawise.org to learn more.

January 2nd 2013 Global Green USA

Introducing the NOLA Wise Neighborhood Energy Challenge!

Talk about some healthy competition! Your neighborhood can start off 2013 right by competing to become the most NOLA Wise! NOLA Wise is an energy efficiency program available to New Orleans homeowners through a partnership between the Mayor’s office and the nonprofit organization Global Green USA.

NOLA Wise Neighborhood Challenge!
January 21st – March 31st

Applications due Tuesday, January 15th

Do you have a corner lot just waiting to become a garden? Would your community center benefit from lower utility bills? Form a neighborhood team and compete with fellow New Orleanians to win $5000 for a community greening project of your choice, courtesy of NOLA Wise!

NOLA Wise provides homeowners with the tools they need to improve their homes’ comfort, affordability and efficiency. Step one is to have a home performance evaluation (HPE) to see how the home could upgrade its energy performance. From there, homeowners have the option of working with a NOLA Wise approved and trained green building contractor to complete the energy efficiency work on their homes. NOLA Wise accesses all available incentives to lower the cost of the project, provides access to low interest loans and does the quality control on the work to ensure that it’s done right the first time.

The challenge winner is the neighborhood with the most homes to have HPEs completed!

Teams will be responsible for promoting NOLA Wise, via volunteer networks, social media, and all available outreach methods, as well as encouraging residents to get an HPE. Neighborhoods will be provided with any NOLA Wise branded marketing materials that are needed, digital or print. In order to register a neighborhood team, please submit a proposal to by Tuesday, January 15th.

You will be notified about final proposal acceptance by January 18th, and the collection of HPE’s will occur between January 21st and March 31st. Totals will be calculated and the winners will be announced by April 15th, 2013.

Proposals should include, but are not limited to, the following information:

Team Information:
Neighborhood (you may create an advantage for yourself by banning together with nearby neighborhoods)
Geographic boundaries
Team leader
Contact information

Description of Outreach Plan
How will you promote NOLA Wise and get people to sign up for an HPE? Methods can include social media, canvassing, volunteers, etc.

Community Project Information
If you win, what community project will the $5000 prize money go towards?
How will this project serve the broadest spectrum of community members and need?
Do you have any matching funding to complete the project?
What is the total cost?
What is the time frame for completion?
How would the project lead to a more sustainable New Orleans?

http://nolawise.org/events/neighborhoodchallenge

December 4th 2012 Lake Catherine Civic Association, Inc

Lake Catherine Little Free Library

Lake Catherine now has a Little Free Library located at the Fort Pike Volunteer Fire Department Fire House. Donations are welcome to the Library (Books including Children’s Books and Magazines). Donations can be dropped off at the Little Library. Check outs and returns are on an honor system. Pictures of the Library can be found in the Photo Gallery. Thank you to the Lake Catherine Civic Association Board for this wonderful addition to our Island.

December 3rd 2012 Lake Catherine Civic Association, Inc

Lake Catherine Civic Association T-Shirts

The Lake Catherine Civic Assocation has T-Shirts available for sale. Prices range from $10.00 to $13.00. Contact the LCCA if you are interested at lakecatherineassociation @yahoo.com

November 28th 2012 Global Green USA

We're Moving and Need to Sublet our Space ASAP!

TWO New Orleans CBD/Arts District Offices Available for Sublet Immediately

Sunny, beautiful offices in excellent central location in the heart of the Arts District of New Orleans.

Two spaces available for sublet together or individually:

550 square ft 2 room suite with 18 ft ceilings, large windows, hardwood flooring, architectural details including built-in bookcases, transom and unique clerestory skylight – $750 mo.

280 square ft 1 room office with 18 ft ceilings, large windows, beautiful light maple wood laminate flooring, accent wall – $500 mo.

Carondelet Street neighborhood is on the edge of the CBD in New Orleans’ historic Warehouse/Arts District, conveniently located on the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar line.

2nd floor w/downstairs street entrance buzzer/intercom access on Carondelet, DSL-ready, utilities and building alarm system included, upstairs bathrooms, safe onsite parking in rear, great fellow tenants.

Please email or leave message at 504-525-2121, X181 to schedule an appointment ASAP.

Thanks!

November 25th 2012 The Infinity Initiative

Writer for ph8 Magazine

The Infinity Initiative is looking for a volunteer writer for ph8 Magazine.

Contact us theinfinityinitiativegmail.com

October 27th 2012 Global Green USA

GreeNOLA Facebook Page Welcomes You!

The GreeNOLA group is for local residents, businesses, organizations and our supporters worldwide who care about the creation of a greener, more sustainable New Orleans and Gulf Coast through intelligent, environmentally responsible and progressive planning.

Our page is also a venue to post your ideas, events and actions that you are taking to further green building, restoration of the Wetlands and Gulf Coast, recycling/re-purposing efforts, sustainable living, and support local artists, organizations, businesses, green jobs, green space…. and the spirit of NOLA, far and wide.

Please join with us in sharing your love of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/115093039648/members/

October 27th 2012 Global Green USA

Global Green NOLA Hosts Fund Raiser/Sneak Preview of Casa Borrega

Global Green NOLA Fundraiser/Sneak Preview of Casa Borrega – November 15th

On November 15th, Global Green’s New Orleans office will host a festive VIP cocktail reception and fundraiser for more than 75 local green economy leaders and Global Green supporters to celebrate our achievements in helping to green the City of New Orleans and create a more sustainable Gulf Coast.

Join us for an exclusive preview of Casa Borrega – an exciting new restaurant and music venue set to open on the revitalized Oretha Castle Haley corridor in late 2012 – and meet the new Director of Global Green’s New Orleans Office, Linda Stone.

The event will feature food, wine and cocktails thanks to our generous friends including 360 Vodka, LA Pizza Kitchen Uptown, Elizabeth’s, Sweets & Eats, and La Divina Gelateria. We’ll celebrate our newest Holy Cross Homes residents, and enjoy an intimate musical set by Hannah KB and Friends.

New this year – raffle packages and silent auction!! Prizes include Gibson and Epiphone guitars autographed by notable NOLA musicians, fabulous burlap Re-Weekender and Hobo bags by RePurposing NOLA Piece by Peace, a complete room re-design package by Spruce NOLA, a complementary one night stay for two at the InterContinental Hotel New Orleans, 4 kayak rentals from Bayou Kayaks, Crescent City Farmers Market gift bag and cookbook, gift certificates to Boucherie, Green Serene, Branch Out, Shanti Yoga and much more! A raffle ticket is included in the $100 VIP ticket price.

Thursday, November 15th
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Casa Borrega
1719 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70113

To purchase tickets please visit: http://www.globalgreen.org/greenvip

For more information: Contact Lindsey Mayer at or 504-525-2121 ×193

Don’t forget to check out our Facebook page for more event information and prize updates! http://www.facebook.com/events/118198678333393/

October 26th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Social Event of the Season

Reconnect with your neighbors in a positive environment…

SMILE, eat, drink, dance and play this SATURDAY

Enjoy the 23rd annual Voodoo on the Bayou. Experience the joy of great fun as the Treme Brass Band tunes up for your enjoyment.

Tickle your tastebuds with food from New Orleans’ finest restaurants. Wash it down with spirits from the open bars then dance to the sounds of Lips and the Trips. Join the second line when the Treme Brass Band brings down the house.

And, speaking of houses, the 23rd annual Voodoo on the Bayou will be at the historic Pitot House at 1440 Moss Street on beautiful Bayou St. John.

So, what are you waiting for? Rush out and get your tickets at Terranova’s at 3308 Esplanade, Pal’s Lounge at 949 North Rendon, Swirl Wines at 3143 Ponce de Leon or Cork and Bottle in the American Can Company.

Check out the poster at http://voodooonthebayou.com

For more information, please visit:
http://fsjna.org/2012/10/voodoo-on-the-bayou-6/

October 4th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Neighborhood Expression of Care

In 1969, Fred Rogers appeared before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Communications. His goal was to support funding for PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, in response to significant proposed cuts by President Nixon.

Watch this video and see his explanation of what his television show is all about. He laments over the violence in cartoons and his concern over what children see on television. Did Mr. Rogers give us the answer to fighting crime? Teach children properly with a neighborhood expression of care… “for a girl can someday be a lady and a boy can someday be a man.”

September 18th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

BLIGHT STATUS AVAILABLE OCTOBER 11th

http://fsjna.org/2012/09/blight-status/

While the official roll out isn’t until October 11th, get a sneek preview of this exciting new blight fighting tool that will make finding out about the progress of the blight fight in your neighborhood a lot easier. Just type in the address of that blighted property and voila… instant information!

Don’t expect any info from the website until after October 11th. Get an exclusive preview of the new BLIGHT STATUS website at FSJNAdotORG. Click on the link below:
http://fsjna.org/2012/09/blight-status/

BlightSTATUS makes it simple for residents to find out what’s going on with blighted properties in their community – no long waits on the telephone or visits to City Hall required.

A great example of government transparency at work, BlightSTATUS pulls up-to-date property information directly from the City’s official records, providing a single, comprehensive and authoritiative view to the public for the very first time.

http://fsjna.org/2012/09/blight-status/

August 25th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Why Join the N.O.P.D.?

Listen as some 2012 N.O.P.D. recruits
talk about why they joined the New Orleans Police Department

Salary after training – $43,070

August 23rd 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Be Prepared | Not Scared

Computer projections of the hurricane show New Orleans as a place where the hurricane MIGHT make landfall. Since the hurricane is still several days away, why not make preparations now? …just in case.

Be prepared, not scared. Visit the link below for a few suggestions just in case the hurricane does come our way.
http://fsjna.org/2012/06/are-you-ready/

And, one of the things you should be doing on a regular basis is cleaning that catch basin near your home.

Check out the link below for more information:
http://fsjna.org/2012/05/free-protection/

August 20th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Be a Tree Trooper!

by Charlie London

Parkway Partners to Announce Five-Year Plan to Further Reforest Orleans Parish and Strengthen Neighborhoods.

30th Anniversary Celebration Will Kick Off Even Greater Public-Private Preservation,
Beautification and Maintenance

TIME: 10:00AM
WHEN: Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012
WHERE: New Orleans Healing Center 2372 St. Claude Ave.

I contacted Jean Fahr of Parkway Partners who said that New Orleans is the most deforested city in America because of Hurricane Katrina. Parkway Partners has already put over 10,000 trees in the ground and is going to put over 10,000 more over the next five years.

How can you help? Be a Tree Trooper!

Parkway Partners, in collaboration with The City of New Orleans’ Department of Parks and Parkways, has created the highly respected Tree Troopers Training. This 12-hour training course is held once a year and is free and open to the public!

Topics range from tree selection, to proper planting and pruning techniques, watering, pest and disease control, and garnering community support.

Trained Tree Troopers then take their knowledge back to their communities and spearhead tree plantings, maintenance and pest control, thus improving their own neighborhoods. Besides replanting trees, this program is a community builder, bringing neighbors together while teaching environmental responsibility and ownership.

Parkway Partners always tries to enlist trained Tree Troopers when it plants trees in a neighborhood, as this better ensures the survival and longevity of the trees.

Monday, September 10 – Wednesday, September 12, 4-7pm at The New Orleans Healing Center, and Saturday, September 15 at Parkway Partners, time TBD.

For more information, please click here or on the tree above.

July 22nd 2012 Lake Catherine Civic Association, Inc

Louisiana Property Insurance Fire Rating Letter

Louisiana Property Insurance Fire Rating Letter listed under Resources.

July 13th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

BASTILLE DAY in FAUBOURG St. JOHN

Please join us for the annual Faubourg St. John Merchants Association Block Party on Ponce de Leon Street between Esplanade and North Lopez.

Saturday, July 14, 2012 | 5 PM – 9 PM | Le Marseillaise will be sung by Cynthia Scott

Zazou City | Ukelele Jake | Creole String Beans

Come dance in the street at our annual Bal Populaire! | Local merchants will sell food and beverages on the street. | Art market with local artists | Children’s activities and even Napoleon! | This event is sponsored by the Faubourg St John Merchants:

Cafe Degas | Fair Grinds Coffee Shop | Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association | Maple Street Book Stores | Nonna Mia | Pal’s Lounge | Santa Fe Restaurant | Swirl Wines | Terranova’s Grocery

In addition to a cool art market and great kids’ table there will be plenty of food, drink and dancing in the street at the Bastille Day Celebration in the 3100 block of Ponce de Leon on Saturday, July 14th from 5 pm until 9 pm. Plan to join the fun! It’s free!

Check out the great music lineup at FSJNAdotORG. Come dance with us!

July 11th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

TIME TO RESTORE ORDER

How New York Became Safe: The Full Story

A citywide effort, involving many agencies and institutions, helped restore order.

Just 25 years ago, New York City was racked with crime: murders, burglaries, drug
deals, car thefts, thefts from cars. (Remember the signs in car windows advising no
radio?) Unlike many cities’ crime problems, New York’s were not limited to a few innercity
neighborhoods that could be avoided. Bryant Park, in the heart of midtown and
adjacent to the New York Public Library, was an open-air drug market; Grand Central
Terminal, a gigantic flophouse; the Port Authority Bus Terminal, “a grim gauntlet for bus
passengers dodging beggars, drunks, thieves, and destitute drug addicts,” as the New
York Times put it in 1992. In July 1985, the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City
published a study showing widespread fear of theft and assault in downtown Brooklyn,
Fordham Road in the Bronx, and Jamaica Center in Queens. Riders abandoned the
subway in droves, fearing assault from lunatics and gangs.

New York’s drop in crime during the 1990s was correspondingly astonishing—indeed,
“one of the most remarkable stories in the history of urban crime,” according to
University of California law professor Franklin Zimring. While other cities experienced
major declines, none was as steep as New York’s. Most of the criminologists’
explanations for it—the economy, changing drug-use patterns, demographic changes—
have not withstood scrutiny. Readers of City Journal will be familiar with the stronger
argument that the New York Police Department’s adoption of quality-of-life policing and
of such accountability measures as Compstat was behind the city’s crime drop.
Yet that explanation isn’t the whole story. Learning the rest is more than an academic
exercise, for if we can understand fully what happened in New York, we not only can
adapt it to other cities but can ensure that Gotham’s crime gains aren’t lost in today’s
cash-strapped environment.

As New York suffered, an idea began to emerge that would one day restore the city.
Nathan Glazer first gave it voice in a 1979 Public Interest article, “On Subway Graffiti in
New York,” arguing that graffitists, other disorderly persons, and criminals “who rob,
rape, assault, and murder passengers . . . are part of one world of uncontrollable
predators.” For Glazer, a government’s inability to control even a minor crime like
graffiti signaled to citizens that it certainly couldn’t handle more serious ones. Disorder,
therefore, was creating a crisis that threatened all segments of urban life. In 1982, James

Q. Wilson and I elaborated on this idea, linking disorder to serious crime in an Atlantic
story called “Broken Windows” (see below).

Yet it wasn’t just intellectuals who were starting to study disorder and minor crimes.
Policymakers like Deputy Mayor Herb Sturz and private-sector leaders like Gerald
Schoenfeld, longtime chairman of the Shubert Organization, believed that disorderly
conditions—aggressive panhandling, prostitution, scams, drugs—threatened the
economy of Times Square. Under Sturz’s leadership, and with money from the Fund for
the City of New York, the NYPD developed Operation Crossroads in the late 1970s. The
project focused on minor offenses in the Times Square area; urged police to develop
high-visibility, low-arrest tactics; and attempted to measure police performance by
counting instances of disorderly behavior.

Despite some initial success, Operation Crossroads was ultimately aborted, and the
NYPD returned to business as usual. Later, the police employed similar tactics in Bryant
Park after Parks Commissioner Gordon Davis threatened to close it; again they met with
early success, but again they eventually abandoned the attempt.

As soon became clear, sporadic police programs weren’t enough. Only when a wide
range of agencies and institutions began to work on restoring public order did real
progress begin. In 1980, a second attempt to fix Bryant Park took off: the Bryant Park
Restoration Corporation, headed by Dan Biederman, used environmental design,
maintenance, private security, and other approaches inspired by the success of
Rockefeller Center. Similarly, in 1988, the Grand Central Partnership (also led by
Biederman) began reducing disorder in the 75 blocks surrounding Grand Central by
employing private security and hiring the homeless to clean the streets. Thirty-two more
Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) were developing similar approaches in New
York.

Public transportation was another area where public order became a priority. In 1984,
David Gunn, president of the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA), began a fiveyear
program to eradicate graffiti from subway trains. Then, in 1989, Robert Kiley,
chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, asked the transit
police (then located within the NYCTA) to focus on minor offenses; a year later, he hired
as its chief William Bratton, who immediately zeroed in on disorder, especially fare
beating. And in the early nineties, the NYCTA adopted similar policing methods for Penn
Station and Grand Central Terminal.

Neighborhood organizations, too, began demanding that order be restored

—even the local community board in the Tompkins Square Park area, which had once been quite tolerant of disorderly behavior. And the judiciary branch got involved as well, with the 1993 opening of the Midtown Community Court, which swiftly handles those who commit minor offenses.

In sum, a diverse set of organizations in the city—pursuing their own interests and using
various tactics and programs—all began trying to restore order to their domains.
Further, in contrast with early sporadic efforts like Operation Crossroads, these attempts
were implemented aggressively and persistently. Biederman, for example, worked on
Bryant Park for 12 years. When Kiley was struggling to restore order in the subway, he
had to withstand pressure from powerful opponents: the New York Civil Liberties Union,
the mayor’s office (which had suggested bringing portable kitchens and showers into the
subway for the homeless), the police commissioner, and the transit police. In fact, it was
after the transit cops resisted Operation Enforcement, Kiley’s first effort to restore order,
that he hired Bratton.

By the early 1990s, these highly visible successes, especially in the subway, had begun to
express themselves politically. Better than any other politician, Rudy Giuliani
understood the pent-up demand for public order and built his successful 1993 run for
mayor on quality-of-life themes. Once in office, he appointed Bratton, who had
orchestrated the subway success and understood the importance of order maintenance,
as New York’s police commissioner.

Under Bratton, the NYPD brought enormous capacities to bear on the city’s crime
problem—particularly Compstat, its tactical planning and accountability system, which
identified where crimes were occurring and held local commanders responsible for their
areas. Giuliani and Bratton also gave the force’s members a clear vision of the “business”
of the NYPD and how their activities contributed to it. In short, a theory previously
advocated largely by elites filtered down to—and inspired—line police officers, who had
constituted a largely ignored and underused capacity.

Once the NYPD joined the effort, the order-maintenance movement expanded even
more. Port Authority, initially skeptical about Kiley’s approach in the subway and Grand
Central and Penn Stations, took similar action to restore order; the Midtown Community
Court spawned the Center for Court Innovation, a nonprofit organization that helped
develop the Red Hook Community Court in 1998; and BIDs increased from 33 in 1989 to
61 in 2008.

Clearly, Giuliani and Bratton were heroes in reclaiming public spaces. But Glazer, Sturz,
Gunn, Kiley, Biederman, and others were stalwarts as well. They set the stage for what
was to follow. Current mayor Michael Bloomberg and police commissioner Ray Kelly
also deserve kudos; rather than overturning the Bratton/Giuliani innovations and going
their own way—as new administrators are wont to do—they adopted, refined, and
strengthened them.

As New York confronts a fiscal crisis, its leaders need to remember that the city owes its
crime decline to a broad range of public and private agencies. Maintaining the NYPD’s
commitment to its proven crime-fighting methods is crucial, of course. But so is the
broader citywide emphasis on public order.

George L. Kelling is a professor at the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University
in Newark and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

The Mounting Evidence That Broken Windows Works

Thirty years ago, James Q. Wilson and I published “Broken Windows” in The
Atlantic, proposing that untended disorder and minor offenses gave rise to serious crime
and urban decay. We also hypothesized that government and community action to
restore order might reduce crime. Not surprisingly, responses to the article were mixed.
The Justice Department’s research arm, the National Institute of Justice, prepared to
fund a major experiment to study the links between disorder and serious crime, but
senior officials nixed it as too controversial. Police were sympathetic to the Broken
Windows theory but also wary, since they felt overwhelmed by 911 calls already and
didn’t relish the prospect of still more work. And the article got little attention in the
academy.

But after New York City’s astonishing crime drop in the nineties—much of which Mayor
Rudolph Giuliani and Police Commissioner William Bratton credited to the Broken
Windows approach—a firestorm of academic criticism erupted, claiming that Broken
Windows was racist, it harassed and criminalized the poor, it constituted cultural
imperialism, it amounted to overzealous “zero tolerance,” and so on. Moreover, the
crime drop had nothing to do with Broken Windows (or any other police action); it was
the result of changes in the economy or other broad social trends. Some criminologists
attacked Broken Windows to advance their careers, realizing that variations on the
theme of “Broken Windows disproved” were an effective way to call attention to their
own work. But for most, ideology was at stake. Not only did the effectiveness of Broken
Windows undermine the decades-long assumption that only large-scale social and
economic change could prevent crime; it also meant that breakthroughs in crime
prevention could come from the Right—anathema to criminologists, most of whom
occupied the far Left.

Still, critics of Broken Windows had one good point: New York provided, at most,
anecdotal and correlational evidence of a relationship between disorder and crime. There
were very few experimental studies—the most certain method of establishing causality—
showing that the first caused the second.

But that changed last year, when University of Groningen researcher Kees Keizer and his
colleagues published a paper in Science. In six experiments in the Netherlands, Keizer
observed and compared the behavior of people under artificial conditions of order and
disorder. Invariably, he found that disorderly conditions encouraged further and more
serious levels of disorderly behavior. In one experiment, for example, Keizer placed an
envelope conspicuously containing five euros in a mailbox. When the mailbox was clean,
13 percent of people who passed it stole the money; when it was covered with graffiti, 27
percent took it.

Also in 2008, Harvard University researcher Anthony A. Braga and his colleagues
published the results of a complex set of field experiments in Criminology. Researchers
and police identified small neighborhoods in Lowell, Massachusetts, and randomly
assigned them to experimental and control conditions. In each of the experimental
areas—where police were maintaining order, Broken Windows–style—crime dropped
more sharply than in the control areas and, moreover, did not simply move to adjacent
neighborhoods. The article also built on an earlier experiment, with the same results,
that Braga had conducted in Jersey City a decade earlier.

While these studies do not settle, once and for all, the question of the relationship
between disorder and serious crime, they do provide a substantial body of experimental
evidence that fixing broken windows ought to be an integral part of any community’s
response to crime. In fact, it’s hard to think of a policy option for fixing a major social
problem that is as strongly supported—by both experience and solid research—as is
Broken Windows.
—George L. Kelling

Compstatting the Fire Department

In 2009, the New York City Fire Department will spend more than most state publicsafety
agencies: its 2009 executive budget provides for operating expenses of $1.5 billion
and capital commitments of $224.7 million. To date, the public has continued to support
generous funding—understandably: the FDNY has earned its reputation as one of the
city’s outstanding public agencies. But the department could do even better. While it
fights fires with great success, bureaucratic mismanagement has resulted in serious
problems in two other areas: controlling costs and managing risks.

The FDNY’s expenditures don’t receive as much oversight as do state budgets, which are
managed by professionals and subject to scrutiny by various local, state, federal, and
independent entities. The department’s waste of tens of millions of dollars in overtime
pay, among various embarrassing and costly mistakes, makes clear that it deeply needs
accountability and performance measurement. Especially in a time of lean budgets, the
city deserves a better accounting for its investment. Better risk-management practices,
meanwhile, might have prevented some recent FDNY tragedies. The 2001 Father’s Day
fire took the lives of three outstanding men and was started by an explosion in a building
long overdue for inspection. Inspection failures were at least partly to blame for the
deaths of two firefighters in the Deutsche Bank fire of 2008 as well.

One way to address both problems would be to reinstitute an important tool: a firedepartment
version of the NYPD’s Compstat system. Compstat, developed in the early
nineties, issues weekly reports on crime statistics and trends. Local commanders also
receive reports on department statistics, such as overtime, accidents, sick leave, and
injuries. They are held accountable for meeting crime-reduction objectives and for
managing their resources effectively.

In early 2001, the FDNY launched its own version of Compstat, called FireMARC
(Management Appraisal, Review, and Comparisons). The program was designed to
improve communication and coordination among various bureaus in the organization.
As in Compstat, information databases were coupled with a geographic mapping system
that produced graphic displays, detailed reports, and trend analyses. These included a
variety of reports on overtime, sick leave, injuries, accidents, and apparatus downtime.
The system also assigned priorities for building inspections.

FireMARC was still being integrated in June 2001, when the Father’s Day fire took place.
A few months later, of course, the department was devastated by the 9/11 attacks, and
FireMARC understandably took a backseat in the aftermath. But even once some sense
of normality had returned, the system never became fully realized, and it was abandoned
in 2002. It’s time the FDNY gave it another look.
—Tom Von Essen

Click here to view the original article

June 5th 2012 Neighborhoods Partnership Network

NOCOG Community Survey

The New Orleans Coalition on Open Governance has designed this Community Survey to further our examination of the City’s use of our tax dollars, and to determine if the budgeting for outcomes philosophy is actually achieving any results. Please take a moment and complete this survey!

June 5th 2012 Global Green USA

Monthly Sustainability Series: THURSDAY, JUNE 14TH

Monthly Sustainability Series: Thursday, June 14th

GlobalGreen USA proudly partners with the AIA, New Orleans Chapter and USGBC, LA Chapter to present a monthly panel presentation and discussion series on issues of sustainability and environmental responsibility.

As we brace ourselves for another hot, humid summer in New Orleans, this month’s installment will feature presentations and discussion with sustainable contractor/owner Ryan Fitzmorris of Retro-Fitz Home Weatherization, energy consultant Louis Triay of Energy and Comfort Solutions and Solar Alternatives’ founder and VP, Mike Murphy.

We’ll discuss the best ways to prepare our homes and businesses for comfort in the summer months and beyond – the importance of an energy assessment and best practices in local weatherization services; products such as cellulose and spray foam insulation, radiant barrier and other new measures that can ensure comfort and save you hundreds of dollars a year on energy bills. We’ll feature information on the newest energy efficiency financing programs and incentives available – including loans, leasing and rebates that make this the most affordable time in Louisiana’s history to consider adding solar power to your energy plan – all with the sustainability of our structures, and our planet, in mind.

Monthly Sustainability Series
Thursday, June 14th
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Green Building Resource Center
841 Carondelet Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

FREE and open to the public. Continuing Education Credits available registered AIA professionals.

Join us for organic wine and refreshments – and a fresh, fizzy signature 360 Vodka cocktail debuting at 5:30pm – with our panel presentation beginning promptly at 6pm.

Very special thank you to our generous friends at Whole Foods Market, along with new sponsors Beaucoup Juice, City Greens and 360 Vodka for your ongoing support of Global Green’s work in New Orleans.

For more information, please contact Heidi Jensen at our Green Building Resource Center:

June 3rd 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

FAUBOURG ST. JOHN

Faubourg St. John is a neighborhood located
just north of Broad Street at the intersection of Orleans Avenue.

It is approximately 75 city blocks in area and has an average elevation of about 1 foot above sea level. Not bad when you consider about half of New Orleans is several feet under sea level. More than 4,000 residents call Faubourg St. John home.

One of New Orleans’ finest neighborhoods, Faubourg St. John is famous for its stately trees, abundant parks, spectacular homes, world-class museums, vibrant bayou, excellent restaurants and fine shops throughout the neighborhood especially along its business districts on Ponce de Leon and Broad Streets.

Faubourg St. John contains the full range of residential uses, fun and friendly business districts, office space, a wide range of medical services and a small amount of light industrial property. This full range of land use, plus the economic and ethnic diversity of the neighborhoods’ population qualifies Faubourg St. John as a premier destination.

FAUBOURG ST. JOHN
“Where Big Dreams Grow!”

For more information please visit http://fsjna.org

May 30th 2012 Neighborhoods Partnership Network

Timolynn Sams Honored by NDF

NPN’s Executive Director Timolynn Sams was recently honored with a 2012 Leadership Award from Neighborhood Development Foundation, and today the Times-Picayune profiles Timolynn’s tireless work in community engagement and organizing.

May 30th 2012 Global Green USA

Global Green USA Selling 4 Green Affordable Homes Holy Cross Neighborhood, Lower 9th Ward

Global Green USA, has put four LEED Platinum single-family homes on the market in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward. These homes are the result of a design competition led by Brad Pitt in 2006 and have been called “21st Century Shotgun Houses” for their nod to the city’s traditional housing stock with a modern redesign emphasizing efficiency, resilience and functionality.

There are two single-story homes with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath selling for $110,000, and two two-story homes with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths selling for $130,000, all located on Andry Street by the river in the Holy Cross neighborhood. Global Green welcomes all offers, but reserves the right to require buyers to be at 80-100% average median income and additionally grants preference to past or present residents of the Lower 9th Ward and/or teachers, community organizers, first responders or nonprofit employees in New Orleans.

Green features in all of the homes include: solar panels; 80% more energy efficient construction than standard built houses; ENERGY STAR lights, fans and appliances; water efficient plumbing fixtures; superior indoor air quality; and durable building materials that are environmentally friendly and highly storm resistant. An offer has already been made on one of the homes.

Matt Petersen, Global Green’s CEO, said, “Our goal is to have all the homes sold and occupied by the end of the summer.” He emphasized that, “We are looking forward to helping families come back to their old neighborhood and returning the area to its former vibrancy with the extra benefit of sustainable infrastructure.”

The homes are the first part of a larger development that includes raingardens and public space and a Community and Climate Action Center, which will break ground in July. Global Green is also planning a multi-family building with 18 affordable apartments that will be built when sufficient funding is available.

Additional information on the houses can be found in the Resources tab, entitled Global Green Homes 1 Story and Global Green Homes 2 Story.

For questions please contact:
Michelle Pyne

504-525-2121 ext. 171

Linda Stone
Program and Operations Director, NOLA Office

504-525-2121 ×186
504-525-2122 fax

Global Green USA
841 Carondelet Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
http://www.globalgreen.org

May 30th 2012 Build Now

Build Now Completes 50th Home

William and Tess Monaghan established Build Now in 2008 with the mission of building quality, affordable housing in the greater New Orleans area for people affected by Hurricane Katrina. Since the storm, our mission has expanded to assisting first time homebuyers and other residents who want to build in New Orleans’ blighted and underpopulated neighborhoods. To date, we have constructed over 50 homes and have more than a dozen under construction in the greater New Orleans area. This amounts to 64 families (and counting) for whom we have helped make home ownership a reality! Got to http://www.facebook.com/buildnow/photos to see Build Now’s completed homes.

May 30th 2012 Global Green USA

Global Green Release of RFP for Fresh Food Vendor

Deadline for Submission: Friday, June 8th

As part of our commitment to the sustainable rebuilding of New Orleans and demonstrating green building as a solution to global warming nationally, Global Green USA sponsored an international sustainable design competition during the summer of 2006. The product of which was our Holy Cross Project.

We are about to enter Phase II of the Holy Cross Project and break ground on construction of our 8000 + square foot Community Development and Climate Action Center (CDCAC) in July 2012. Global Green’s New Orleans office is releasing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a fresh food retailer to occupy a 1,000 – 2,000 sqft space within this structure. The deadline for submission is Friday, June 8th. A number of incentives are available to attract this fresh food retailer, including free rent and utilities for the first three months of occupancy. This is a great opportunity to bring fresh produce to the Lower Ninth Ward and address the pressing issue of the area’s food desert.

As a landmark sustainable development, the Global Green Holy Cross Project is of vital importance to Global Green, the Holy Cross Neighborhood and the people of New Orleans.

A complete Holy Cross Project background and detailed RFP can be found in our profile’s Resources tab.

For questions please contact:

Michelle Pyne

504-525-2121 ext. 171

Linda Stone
Program and Operations Director, NOLA Office
Global Green USA
841 Carondelet Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

504-525-2121 ×186
504-525-2122 fax

www.globalgreen.org

Deadline for Submission: Friday, June 8th

May 28th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Memorial Day

The National World War II Museum is conveniently located in the Warehouse/arts district of New Orleans. The museum is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute, and has been designated by Congress as “America’s National World War II Museum.”

May 26th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Million Dollar Ride

by Charlie London

Upon returning from the May 10th BlightStat meeting, I had the opportunity to, once again, ride New Orleans’ fine public transportation.

Click on the map for a larger view

If you haven’t taken a ride on a New Orleans streetcar or bus lately you really are missing out.

The streetcar operator told me each one of these refurbished streetcars cost 1 million dollars!

Get a great view of New Orleans’ architecture. Take the bus or the streetcar!

Architectural Vignettes
New Orleans, with its richly mottled old buildings, its sly, sophisticated – sometimes almost disreputable – air, and its Hispanic-Gallic traditions, has more the flavor of an old European capital than an American city. Townhouses in the French Quarter, with their courtyards and carriageways, are thought by some scholars to be related on a small scale to certain Parisian “hotels” – princely urban residences of the 17th and 18th centuries. Visitors particularly remember the decorative cast-iron balconies that cover many of these townhouses like ornamental filigree cages.

European influence is also seen in the city’s famous above-ground cemeteries. The practice of interring people in large, richly adorned aboveground tombs dates from the period when New Orleans was under Spanish rule. These hugely popular “cities of the dead” have been and continue to be an item of great interest to visitors. Mark Twain, noting that New Orleanians did not have conventional below-ground burials, quipped that “few of the living complain and none of the other.”

One of the truly amazing aspects of New Orleans architecture is the sheer number of historic homes and buildings per square mile. Orleanians never seem to replace anything. Consider this: Uptown, the City’s largest historic district, has almost 11,000 buildings, 82 percent of which were built before 1935 – truly a “time warp.”

The spine of Uptown, and much of New Orleans, is the city’s grand residential showcase, St. Charles Avenue, which the novel A Confederacy of Dunces aptly describes: “The ancient oaks of St. Charles Avenue arched over the avenue like a canopy…St. Charles Avenue must be the loveliest place in the world. From time to time…passed the slowing rocking streetcars that seemed to be leisurely moving toward no special designations, following their route through the old mansions on either side…everything looked so calm, so prosperous.”

The streetcars in question, the St. Charles Avenue line, represent the nation’s only surviving historic streetcar system. All of its electric cars were manufactured by the Perley Thomas Company between 1922 and 1924 and are still in use. Hurricane Katrina flood waters caused severe damage to the steel tracks along the entire uptown and Carrollton route and had to be totally replaced and re-electrified. The cars themselves survived and are included in the National Register of Historic Places. New Orleanians revere them as a national treasure.

Creole cottages and shotgun houses dominate the scene in many New Orleans neighborhoods. Both have a murky ancestry. The Creole cottage, two rooms wide and two or more deep under a generous pitched roof with a front overhang or gallery, is thought to have evolved from various European and Caribbean forms.

The shotgun house is one room wide and two, three or four rooms deep, under a continuous gable roof. As legend has it, the name was suggested by the fact that because the rooms and doors line up, one can fire a shotgun through the house without hitting anything.

Some scholars have suggested that shotguns evolved from ancient African “long-houses,” built here by refugees from the Haitian Revolution, but no one really knows.

It is true that shotguns represent a distinctively Southern house type. They are also found in the form of plantation quarters houses. Unlike shotgun houses in much of the South, which are fairly plain, New Orleans shotguns fairly bristle with Victorian jigsaw ornament, especially prominent, florid brackets. Indeed, in many ways, New Orleans shotguns are as much a signature of the city as the French Quarter.

New Orleans’ architectural character is unlike that of any other American city. A delight to both natives and visitors, it presents such a variety that even after many years of study, one can still find things unique and undiscovered.

This material may be reproduced for editorial purposes of promoting New Orleans. Please attribute stories to New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. 2020 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130 504-566-5019. http://www.neworleanscvb.com/.

May 25th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Our Own Fantasy Island

by Charlie London

Anyone who viewed the old “Fantasy Island” TV series knows well the refrain of the actor who announced the arrival of guests. For those who have no idea what I am referring to, please visit the link below:
http://youtu.be/1x_QbVDlLbI

Several neighbors noticed a large low flying plane over Faubourg St. John last night. This plane wasn’t bringing guests to our version of Fantasy Island but ridding its residents of mosquitos. You can learn more about this valuable city service in the link below:
http://www.nola.gov/en/RESIDENTS/Mosquito-Termite-and-Rodent-Control-Board/

Faubourg St. John is a neighborhood located just north of Broad Street in New Orleans, Louisiana.

It is approximately 75 city blocks in area and has an average elevation of about 1 foot above sea level. Not bad when you consider much of New Orleans is several feet under sea level. More than 4,000 residents call Faubourg St. John home.

One of New Orleans’ finest neighborhoods, Faubourg St. John is famous for its stately trees, abundant parks, spectacular homes, world-class museums, vibrant waterways and fine shops throughout the neighborhood especially along its business districts on Ponce de Leon and Broad Avenue.

Although sometimes referred to as back-of-town by some New Orleanians, Faubourg St. John contains the full range of residential uses, fun and friendly business districts, office space, a wide range of medical services and a small amount of industrial property. This full range of land use, plus the economic and ethnic diversity of the neighborhoods’s population qualifies Faubourg St. John as a premier destination.

FAUBOURG ST. JOHN “Where Big Dreams Grow!”

May 24th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Meeting | Magnolia Bridge | Tonight

The Meeting will include a formal presentation of the projec

PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING

Regional Planning Commission Task No. A 4.12 FHWA Contract No. PL-0011 (035)
State Project No. H.971845.1
Magnolia Pedestrian Bridge
Stage 1 Environmental Analysis
New Orleans, Louisiana
Orleans Parish

Notice is hereby given that the Regional Planning Commission (RPC) will conduct a Public Meeting in support of the Magnolia Pedestrian Bridge Stage 1 Environmental Analysis in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. The Public Meeting will be an Open House format; interested citizens are invited to arrive at any time between 6:00pm and 8:00 pm on the date and at the location listed below.

6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Thursday, May 24, 2012 The Fairgounds Black & Gold Room
1751 Gentilly Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70118t information. Interested citizens will be afforded the opportunity to provide written and verbal comments on the record. Representatives of the RPC and the project team will be present to provide information relative to the general location and design features of the bridge, and any other matters of interest. All interested citizens are invited and encouraged to attend.

Should anyone require special assistance due to a disability to participate in this Public Meeting, please contact Missi Shumer at (251) 342-1070 or via e-mail at . Written statements and other exhibits in lieu of, or in addition to, verbal statements made at the Public Meeting must be submitted to the address below and postmarked by June 7, 2012. Written statements also may be submitted through that date by electronic mail directly to . All comments must include the name and address of the person commenting.

Magnolia Pedestrian Bridge
c/o Volkert, Inc.
4640 S. Carrollton Ave, Suite 240
New Orleans, LA 70119

May 23rd 2012 St. Anna's Episcopal Church

Salsa for Smoke-free Air

Free Food; Free music by Freddie Omar; Free Health screenings and ear acupuncture; door prizes and give-a-ways.

Help us promote smoke-free workplaces for all people including bar and casino workers, including musicians. Did you know:

• People who are exposed to smoke in the workplace are 17% more likely to develop lung cancer than those who are not exposed.
• In Louisiana, approximately 690 adults die each year due to secondhand smoke exposure.
• Bartenders and casino workers involuntarily inhale enough secondhand smoke every day to suffer some identical health effects observed in pack-a-day smokers.
• Bar workers have a higher lung cancer rate than nearly all other occupation.

Come learn more and find out how you can help make all workplaces Smoke-Free!

when: Wednesday May 23, 2012
where: 1313 Esplanade Ave., New Orleans
Time: 5:30pm – 8:00pm – health screenings & acupuncture 7:00pm – 8:30pm – music & food

May 22nd 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Artist Allows Work at FSJNAdotORG

My designs are inspired by friends, family and New Orleans – the city I love.

—Lauren Alsop

Hello!

You’ve likely seen the plethora of art that local artists have allowed FSJNAdotORG to use throughout the website. I am excited to announce today that yet another local artist – Laura Alsop – has allowed use of her work at FSJNAdotORG.

Ms. Alsop allowed use of her “seasons” graphic which you can see on the main page at FSJNAdotORG. IT clicks through to Faubourg St. John’s community calendar.

If you are a FACEBOOK user please click on the link below then “LIKE” her graphic. If enough FACEBOOK users “LIKE” her graphic then it will be featured on a t-shirt from Storyville Apparel.

http://www.storyvilleapparel.com/nola-seasons.html

Many thanks to Laura Alsop for allowing FSJNAdotORG to use her work and to you for clicking “LIKE” at the link below:

http://www.storyvilleapparel.com/nola-seasons.html

Charlie London
http://fsjna.org/

May 15th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Upcoming Sheriff Sales

BUY YOURSELF SOME PROPERTY!

Click on the map for a larger view.

For more information, please go to:
http://civilsheriff.com/RealEstateSales.asp

Ownership of property, either real estate or movables, can be jeopardized by a money judgment or by a delinquent payment on a loan.

When the interests of a borrower and/or other defendants in a property are foreclosed, the property is sold to satisfy the debt at a sale called a public auction. The Office of the Sheriff Civil Division is the official auctioneer for Civil Court ordered sales in Orleans Parish.

May 14th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Exclusive Crawfish Boil

CRAWFISH BOIL
Saturday, May 19th
Advance tickets only

$25 per person.
Includes Crawfish, fried fish, fixings and 2 drink tickets

Tickets on sale now. Get them at the bar at
Deutsches Haus
1023 Ridgewood Dr
Metairie, LA 70001-6135
P: (504) 522-8014

//';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='<';l[4]='|103';l[5]='|114';l[6]='|111';l[7]='|46';l[8]='|115';l[9]='|117';l[10]='|97';l[11]='|104';l[12]='|115';l[13]='|101';l[14]='|104';l[15]='|99';l[16]='|115';l[17]='|116';l[18]='|117';l[19]='|101';l[20]='|100';l[21]='|64';l[22]='|111';l[23]='|102';l[24]='|110';l[25]='|105';l[26]='>';l[27]='"';l[28]='|103';l[29]='|114';l[30]='|111';l[31]='|46';l[32]='|115';l[33]='|117';l[34]='|97';l[35]='|104';l[36]='|115';l[37]='|101';l[38]='|104';l[39]='|99';l[40]='|115';l[41]='|116';l[42]='|117';l[43]='|101';l[44]='|100';l[45]='|64';l[46]='|111';l[47]='|102';l[48]='|110';l[49]='|105';l[50]=':';l[51]='o';l[52]='t';l[53]='l';l[54]='i';l[55]='a';l[56]='m';l[57]='"';l[58]='=';l[59]='f';l[60]='e';l[61]='r';l[62]='h';l[63]=' ';l[64]='a';l[65]='<'; for (var i = l.length-1; i >= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == '|') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i]));} //]]> ">
http://www.deutscheshaus.org

LIMITED to first 75
No tickets will be sold day of event.

When: Sat, May 19, 3pm – 7pm

Where: 1023 Ridgewood Dr. in Metairie

Description: Doors open at 3pm. Tickets for $25 per person limited to 75 people and includes tray or crawfish, sausage ,corn ,potatos , fried fish, cole slaw and two drink tickets for beer, wine, soda, or mix drink.

CRAWFISH BOIL
Saturday, May 19th
Advance tickets only

$25 per person.
Includes Crawfish, fried fish, fixings and 2 drink tickets

Tickets on sale now. Get them at the bar at
Deutsches Haus
1023 Ridgewood Dr
Metairie, LA 70001-6135
P: (504) 522-8014

//';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='<';l[4]='|103';l[5]='|114';l[6]='|111';l[7]='|46';l[8]='|115';l[9]='|117';l[10]='|97';l[11]='|104';l[12]='|115';l[13]='|101';l[14]='|104';l[15]='|99';l[16]='|115';l[17]='|116';l[18]='|117';l[19]='|101';l[20]='|100';l[21]='|64';l[22]='|111';l[23]='|102';l[24]='|110';l[25]='|105';l[26]='>';l[27]='"';l[28]='|103';l[29]='|114';l[30]='|111';l[31]='|46';l[32]='|115';l[33]='|117';l[34]='|97';l[35]='|104';l[36]='|115';l[37]='|101';l[38]='|104';l[39]='|99';l[40]='|115';l[41]='|116';l[42]='|117';l[43]='|101';l[44]='|100';l[45]='|64';l[46]='|111';l[47]='|102';l[48]='|110';l[49]='|105';l[50]=':';l[51]='o';l[52]='t';l[53]='l';l[54]='i';l[55]='a';l[56]='m';l[57]='"';l[58]='=';l[59]='f';l[60]='e';l[61]='r';l[62]='h';l[63]=' ';l[64]='a';l[65]='<'; for (var i = l.length-1; i >= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == '|') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i]));} //]]> ">
http://www.deutscheshaus.org

LIMITED to first 75
No tickets will be sold day of event.

May 13th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

It's Happening Here!

Jazz Fest is over but great things are still happening here in Faubourg St. John. Below are some posts from FSJNAdotORG posted over the last week:

What Makes a Neighborhood Great?
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/what-makes-a-neighborhood-great/

Come for coffee or come to help for a while! Help your neighbors, gab and laugh and plant or rake and sweep or mulch and play. Bring the kids to play, everyone is welcome! SATURDAY MORNING | MAY 12th | 9 am to NOON | 3456 Esplanade | SEE YOU THIS SATURDAY!
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/coffee-rake-gab-garden/

Rivers Gleason slept as his parents, Steve and Michel Gleason participated in the annual swim across Bayou St. John that takes place after the Thursday Jazz Fest.
http://fsjna.org/2012/05/annual-sunset-swim/

More Sculpture in Fortier Park
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/at-home-with-a-saint/

Household Hazardous Materials Collection Day | Saturday, May 12, 2012
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/may-12-household-hazardous-waste-day/

French Marianetti, a new resident of Faubourg St. John restored the historic sign on the bayou
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/new-neighbor-restores-sign/

Mayor Landrieu announced all streetlights in New Orleans will be fixed by 2013!
http://fsjna.org/2012/05/magical-mystery-tour-streetlights/

Check out the margarita contest at Pal’s
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/local-bars-create-contest/

Mark your calendar for the Bayou Boogaloo! | May 18-20
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/bayou-boogaloo-may-18-20/

Bayou Boogaloo Poster
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/2012-bayou-boogaloo-poster/

CRAWFISH BOIL Saturday, May 19th Advance tickets only $25 per person.
http://fsjna.org/2012/05/exclusive-crawfish-boil-may-19th/

Old waterfall dam to be removed
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/old-flood-control-structure-to-be-removed/

Who Lived in Your House in 1940?
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/who-lived-in-your-house-in-1940/

Win a Fiat!
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/friends-raffle-fiat/

Check out some history
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/history/

“It’s not about the blocked punt or the Superbowl ring. It’s about the relationships, love and what you do when you walk out of this room.” – Steve Gleason
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/team-gleason/

The Mid City Cyclones AAU Basketball Organization is sponsoring its 1st Annual Golf Tournament on June 1, 2012 at City Park Golf Club. As the organization grows, the number of young boys participating in the program continues to grow as well. So this year, all funds raised will go towards the Mid-City Cyclones’ program and Team Gleason, Steve Gleason’s foundation to raise awareness towards ALS.
http://fsjna.org/2012/05/golf-one-for-the-team/

Frank Relle installs giant photos
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/maurepas-madness/

The eyes are watching you!
http://fsjna.org/2012/04/put-on-your-best-face/

Councilmember Palmer, who represents District C held a photo contest.
http://fsjna.org/2012/05/district-c-photo-winners/

FEMA has announced $40.1 million in federal funding for recovery efforts in Louisiana
http://fsjna.org/2012/05/wishes-granted/

I like crimemapping.com because it gives me an instant picture of where crime is in relation to where I live. If you are interested in seeing a map of crimes in our area:
http://fsjna.org/2012/05/crime-mapping/

Faubourg St. John neighbor, Vivian Cahn would like you to know that FEAST NOLA is a community dinner that unites creative, civic-minded individuals to invest in ideas and inspire action.
http://fsjna.org/2012/05/feast-nola/

May 12th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

FEAST NOLA

Faubourg St. John neighbor, Vivian Cahn would like you to know that FEAST NOLA is a community dinner that unites creative, civic-minded individuals to invest in ideas and inspire action. The first FEAST is on Sunday May 20th at 6pm at the Marigny Opera House, please Reserve Your SEAT!

During dinner, a select group of artists, activists, and social entrepreneurs present creative projects that will engage the local community. At the end of the dinner, everyone votes on his or her favorite proposal; the night’s proceeds – $500 – go to making the
winning proposal a reality. This team is held accountable to the
FEAST NOLA community by providing an update at the next dinner, allowing FEAST NOLA to have a continual and cyclical effect on community empowerment.

FEST NOLA bonds creative people from all corners of Greater New Orleans. It acknowledges that great ideas exist, and is simply a platform for collaboration and connection. Proposals will be accepted through May 13th, and tickets to the FEAST are $25. Contact //';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='<';l[4]='|109';l[5]='|111';l[6]='|99';l[7]='|46';l[8]='|108';l[9]='|105';l[10]='|97';l[11]='|109';l[12]='|103';l[13]='|64';l[14]='|97';l[15]='|108';l[16]='|111';l[17]='|110';l[18]='|116';l[19]='|115';l[20]='|97';l[21]='|101';l[22]='|102';l[23]='>';l[24]='"';l[25]='|109';l[26]='|111';l[27]='|99';l[28]='|46';l[29]='|108';l[30]='|105';l[31]='|97';l[32]='|109';l[33]='|103';l[34]='|64';l[35]='|97';l[36]='|108';l[37]='|111';l[38]='|110';l[39]='|116';l[40]='|115';l[41]='|97';l[42]='|101';l[43]='|102';l[44]=':';l[45]='o';l[46]='t';l[47]='l';l[48]='i';l[49]='a';l[50]='m';l[51]='"';l[52]='=';l[53]='f';l[54]='e';l[55]='r';l[56]='h';l[57]=' ';l[58]='a';l[59]='<'; for (var i = l.length-1; i >= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == '|') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i]));} //]]> "> for more information

FEAST NOLA

May 11th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

COFFEE | RAKE | GAB | GARDEN

poster by Linda Landesberg

Saturday, May 12 walk on over to Desmare Playground.

COFFEE | RAKE | GAB | GARDEN
in
DESMARE PLAYGROUND

Come for coffee or come to help for a while! Help your neighbors, gab and laugh and plant or rake and sweep or mulch and play. Bring the kids to play, everyone is welcome!

SATURDAY MORNING | MAY 12th | 9 am to NOON |
3456 Esplanade Avenue

Free coffee, snacks and fun
Bring a rake or broom, bring a shovel or pruners and help keep Desmare Park kid friendly!

Click here to print a flyer for your neighbor!

May 10th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

BlightStat 34 and more

photo and article by Charlie London

The City’s SERVENOLA office will soon be providing a list of volunteer opportunities where you can make a significant difference toward winning the fight against blight. These aren’t cleanup days or media opportunities but real jobs where volunteers can make a difference. Why volunteers? Because the city literally does not have the money to hire more people without raising your taxes.

Click on the graphics below for a larger view

If you live next to a blighted building or an overgrown lot in New Orleans your perception of the fight against blight may not be positive.

But, when you consider that the City of New Orleans’ BlightStat program has received acclaim both nationally and internationally, that may mitigate your frustration a bit.

And, when you consider that Chicago and Philadelphia with tax bases and therefore resources exponentially larger than New Orleans have the same problems curbing blight that may help your mood as well. Chicago, Philadelphia and other cities both large and small are looking to the City of New Orleans in the fight against blight. The City of New Orleans’ perspicacity and initiatives have positioned our city as the clear leader in the fight against blight.

However, if your neighborhood is still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Katrina with blighted housing and overgrown lots in abundance, all those accolades are meaningless. You just want the problem to go away.

I’ve been to all 34 BlightStat meetings since November, 2010 and I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that the people at the table in these BlightStat meetings are passionate and purposeful in their desire to have New Orleans continue to grow, prosper and be blight-free.

So, what’s the hold up then? Here’s what I have observed:
There does not appear to be any problem getting properties inspected. In fact, the inspectors have all been assigned to specific districts within the city and are even more efficient than before. Inspections are not the problem.

Cases are being adjudicated as fast as they come in but resets and guilty with conditions have slowed the process somewhat. The City is moving toward more straight out guilty judgments which is reasonable considering owners of blighted property have had 7 years to get their act together. The adjudication process is part of the problem because case management has struggled to keep up with the volume of material coming in from inspectors, and older inspections get stale (hence the reinspections).

Miles Granderson and Tyler Gray are highly competent, motivated and passionate lawyers that are dedicated to finding heirs to dead owners and previous owners that won’t pay taxes or do anything with their property. That takes time. You would be amazed at just how much time that takes.

THERE ARE ONLY 2, yes I said 2 lawyers to do the actual research in order to file writs on thousands of cases.

The goal of these 2 dedicated lawyers is to get 65 cases completely researched and ready for adjudication each month. I dare say a highly staffed private firm would have trouble doing the same considering the amount of research and fact checking that is required to produce a writ.

So, what’s the answer you ask? You, my friend are the answer. If you can help enter information or are a paralegal that can volunteer a few hours each week your service would go a long way toward moving our city forward. At 65 cases each month, we’ll all be dead and gone before the thousands of properties that need it get adjudicated.

So, what’s it going to be? Are you going to be that bitter resident that sits around and grumbles that nothing is happening with blight in your neighborhood? Or, are you going to be that person that gets off the sofa and does something about it? I suggest the latter option will make you a much happier citizen.

The City’s SERVENOLA office will soon be providing a list of volunteer opportunities where you can make a significant difference toward winning the fight against blight. These aren’t cleanup days or media opportunities but real jobs where volunteers can make a difference. Why volunteers? Because the city literally does not have the money to hire more people without raising your taxes.

“But, that’s what I pay taxes for”, you say. That’s right. But, the problem is we have a city built for 600,000 people but only have a population of 343,000. Of that 343,000 only a comparatively small percentage pay property taxes. That is the real problem. There just isn’t enough money to make the things you want to happen… happen. I strongly urge you to consider helping the city help you. Call the city’s law department at 658-9800 to find out how you can help the city help you.

Click here to view a PDF of the full presentation of the 34th BlightStat meeting held on May 10, 2012

This was the 34th BlightStat meeting to which the public was invited.

It is clear that enforcement of laws related to blighted properties will be more aggressive in 2012. The Mayor’s directive to have 10,000 blighted properties eradicated in three years remains on track.

BlightStat 35 will be held on June 14, 2012. The meetings are on the 8th floor of City Hall in the Homeland Security Conference Room.

Below are notes from the May 10, 2011 BlightStat meeting:

BlightStat 34 | May 10, 2012

Mr. Oliver Wise, Director of the Office of Performance and Accountability, began the meeting with introductions.

Mr. Justin Kray was first up with a review of “a look across 2011-2012”. A better mix of judgments, hearings and inspections than before the BlightStat process started. Mr. Kray also works in the Office of Performance & Accountability and is the man who has a lot of technical expertise. One of his duties is to prepare the BlightStat presentation which you can click on below.

Ms. Pura Bascos, Director of Code Enforcement/Safety & Permits, reviewed the “Inspections by Type and Result” slide. Of 377 inspections 66 complied.

Ms. Bascos indicated that more owners are bringing their properties into compliance.

Rules for recording the judgment is the result of the Mennonite case.
You can see a summary of the Mennonite case further along in this post.

Mr. Kray indicated the average time between when an inspection is requested and it is completed is 15 days.

Mr. Wise indicated the “Posting of Judgments” was the most important. Currently the average time is 50 days.

Mr. Andy Kopplin, CAO, indicated that once the backlog is eliminated the numbers will become more positive.

Mr. Kopplin indicated that the graphs show steady work but could be misleading to those that believe faster is better. There are conditions and requirements that have time limitations. Departments are currently working at maximum capacity.

Accela continues to be a thorn in the side of progress. The City is currently working to change the computer system to one that better serves its purpose.

Ms. Bascos indicated that inspection sweeps are becoming unnecessary because inspectors have been assigned to specific districts.

Mr. Hillarie Carrere noted that large apartment complexes may have 300 units but the complex is counted as one.

Ms. Bascos indicated that inspections have been done in every neighborhood in New Orleans.

Mr. Kopplin inquired about files that don’t meet the standards for noticing etc., the files then go back and go through the process again.
This is being done.

Ms. Kristin Illarmo indicated that one month a lot of research is done then the next month a bunch of hearings are done. So the graph will go way up and down. To get a better flow, work has been reassigned so that steady improvement is the result.

Mr. Wise inquired about a large spike on the graph. Ms. Illarmo indicated that was when a huge backlog was eliminated but that it was not a number that could be sustained because of the amount of research required on each property.

One team will do research while the other does hearings to keep the workflow consistent. Ms. Illarmo indicated that they are required to go to the notarial archives to research properties as part of the process. This takes time. Real Estate records are on the 5th floor of City Hall.

Ms. Denise Ross indicated that the real estate records need to be digitized. Currently the records are only available to the public and city employees for two hours each day. Mr. Kopplin indicated that it is a priority that city employees be allowed to research properties more than two hours each day.

Ms. Illarmo indicated the inspectors and case managers are working together and getting better results.

Mr. Kopplin congratulated the inspectors for getting re-inspections done more timely.

Mr. Wise indicated that due to a problem with Accela, inspections were done but were not necessarily entered into the workflow process. The Accela system will be replaced eventually.

Mr. Kopplin indicated that if lack of resources is a barrier to progress then Ms. Illarmo and he should discuss. Apparently that is a problem along with Accela not showing cases in the system properly. Ms. Illarmo indicated she currently has two vacancies in her department. Mr. Kopplin indicated, “let’s get it done”.

Mr. Kray gave praise to Ms. Illarmo for her diligent work. She provides a lot of data to the Office of Performance and Accountability which makes the tracking of data and the production of graphs possible.

Mr. Carrere indicated that strategic demolitions will be down due to noticing and other issues. Ms. Bascos indicated many of the strategic demos are being pushed to Sheriff Sale.

Ms. Kopplin indicated that lack of a clear owner obstructs the process in many cases and can add as much as 6 months to the life of the case. If no one buys it once it gets to the Sheriff Sale then it goes to a Sheriff Sale again. Each property going to Sheriff Sale costs the city 1,500 dollars.

Post-judgment Supervisor Review is the part of the process where it is determined whether a property will be demolished or go to Sheriff Sale as is.

Ms. Brenda Breaux indicated that a data sharing agreement is in the works which will help move things along.

Mr. Kopplin indicated that a request to FEMA has been made to get more Katrina-damaged properties into the demolition pipeline.

FEMA rep – funding ends for the demo program ends June 30th. An extension has been applied for.
INAP contracts expired in mid-March. Ms. Bascos indicated that other resources are being investigated. Paperwork for new contracts to get lots cut have been submitted. Ms. Bascos indicated that she is requesting a pool of contractors to eliminate the problem of one contractor having broken equipment and being unable to complete the project.

Mr. Kopplin stressed the importance of getting the lots cut in the 9th Ward. Ms. Bascos indicated she is the one responsible. Mr. Kopplin indicated he would like to continue the process of getting local people to cut the lots.

Mike of NORA indicated demolishing multi-family units is a problem.
The city has identified 300 slabs from the land trust that will be removed said Mike….

Mr. Miles Granderson reviewed the foreclosure proceedings slide. He indicated that Accela is also a barrier to progress for the foreclosure process. The Accela system will eventually be replaced.

Mr. Granderson indicated that “noticing issues” prevented 8 cases from moving forward. The original goal was 1,000 cases per year but has been reduced to 750 because Mr. Granderson and Mr. Gray are the only two lawyers researching properties and “noticing” owners.

Civilsherrif.com has the Sheriff Sales listed.

Mr. Granderson indicated that proceeds from sales were down because there were no large sale days in April.

Mr. David Lessinger of NORA discussed property inventory disposition. NORA is taking on a bigger role in getting properties transferred.

Mr. Brian Lawlor, Director of the Office of Community Development, indicted the Supernova process is up and running. Rent-to-own program has training for potential home owners. Banks have been responsive to the process.

A few interesting points from BlightStat 33 are below:

Ms. Pura Bascos and Ms. Kristin Illarmo both noted that the city is allowing fewer conditional guilty judgements at the blight adjudication hearings. This is a clear message to blighted property owners that the city has given them plenty of time to get their act together. After 7 years, the city like its residents, is tired of the excuses. Fix your property or sell your property. Don’t like those options? Then the city will take action to protect their interests.

The Law Department appears to be efficient and diligent in their fight against blight. But, with only 2 lawyers to get cases ready for blight court, the situation could be compared to 2 knights swinging swords at the bottom of a well. They may eventually get to the top but it’s going to take a long long time.

Ms. Breaux mentioned that there are only 2 lawyers working on filing writs for code lien foreclosure process (Mr. Tyler Gray & Mr. Miles Granderson).The New Orleans Bar Association has been contacted for lawyers willing to perform pro bono work. Big law firms have been contacted to see if they would be willing to provide a paralegal to help. The Board of Ethics approved the city’s request to ask the public for help. Ms. Brenda Breaux plainly stated that the 2 lawyers working on research are simply overloaded with cases to work on.

Mr. David Lessinger with NORA indicated that a steady consistent stream of information is the goal.

Mr. Jeff Hebert, Director of NORA, indicated that “noticing” issues are the biggest problem nationwide. “Noticing” means notifying the owners or heir of owners that the city is about to take action on their property.

Mr. Wise noted that when the lawyers refer to the “mennonite case” they are referring to Mennonite Board of Missions vs. Adams. A summary of that case is below: ***
Summary of Mennonite Board of Missions v. Adams,
462 U.S. 791 (1983).
Facts

Alfred Jean Moore had executed a mortgage in favor of the Mennonite Board of Missions (P) to secure an obligation. Moore had purchased land from the Mennonite Board of Missions and was responsible for paying taxes. The Board was not aware that Moore had failed to pay taxes. The county moved to sell the property for lack of tax payment.

The county provided proper service according to state law. Notice was posted in the courthouse, the state published an announcement, and sent Moore a certified letter. The Board was not otherwise informed of the county’s efforts to sell the property. The land was later sold to Adams (D). Neither Moore nor the Board attended the sale. Moore continued to pay her obligation to the Board which remained unaware that the land had been sold.

Procedural History
Adams filed for quiet title and summary judgment. The Board contended that it still held title to the land because the tax sale was invalid due to inadequate service of process. The trial court found in favor of Adams and upheld the tax sale statute against the service challenge. Judgment in favor of Adams was affirmed on appeal to the court of appeals and the Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Issue

Is notice by publication and posting sufficient to provide a mortgagee of real property with adequate notice of a proceeding to sell the mortgaged property for nonpayment of taxes?

Holding and Rule (Marshall)

No. A mortgagee whose mortgage would be divested by a tax sale is entitled to personal service of notice of sale by virtue of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The constitution demands that a party receive notice through mail or other means that will ensure actual notice of a proceeding which will adversely affect the interests of any party, provided it is reasonably possible to ascertain the party’s name and address.

The Supreme Court in Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co. held that due process demands that notice must be reasonably calculated to inform interested parties of the pendency of the action and afford an opportunity to present their objections. A mortgagee has a protected property interest and is entitled to notice that is reasonably calculated to apprise of a pending tax sale.

Unless a mortgagee is not reasonably identifiable constructive notice alone is not sufficient. Constructive notice is primarily designed to attract prospective buyers and is unlikely to reach those who do not make special efforts to seek tax sales. Notice to a the property owner who is not in privity with creditors and who has failed to retain the property cannot be surmised provide actual notice to the mortgagee. The use of less reliable forms of notice is not sufficient when an inexpensive and efficient means such as mail is available.
Disposition

Judgment reversed.
Dissent (O’Connor)

Process needs to be tailored to a given situation and circumstances. With the majority holding in this case, the court has set a low-bar standard for process. Notice by mail or other means to establish certain notice is a now a minimum constitutional requirement for any legally protected property interest.

The majority is rejecting earlier cases in which this Court acknowledged the impossibility of establishing a rigid formula as to the kind of notice that must be given, and that “notice will vary with the circumstances and conditions”. Policy considerations of the state override those of process. Due process does not require that the State save a party from its own lack of care when it has acted unreasonably in failing to protect its interests. ***

Mr. Kopplin noted that Chicago and Philadelphia also have significant blight problems. They are much bigger cities but are looking to New Orleans for clues on how to fight blight.

Mr. Lessinger further stated that the largest number of properties are disposed of through the lot-next-door program. The Louisiana Land Trust is working with the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority to get properties closed out.

Mr. Brian Lawlor (Office of Community Development) said that an announcement will be made soon about the availability of 7 or 8 million dollars for rehabilitation and renewal of rental properties. The soft-second program is very successful. Mr. Lawler said to look for an announcement about the “SUPERNOVA” program soon.

Mr. Kopplin said the overall goal is to get people to do what they are supposed to do.

Mr. Hebert answered my question about Federal Government involvement (other that FEMA). He indicated that the Federal department of Housing and Urban Development has helped fund the blight eradication process and that the Justice Department is here helping because blight contributes to crime.

You can review reports on all of the previous BlightStat Meetings in the links below:
Blight Sweep in 9th Ward: http://fsjna.org/2010/11/blighted-beginnings/
BLIGHTSTAT ONE: http://fsjna.org/2010/11/bi-weekly-blight-business/
BLIGHTSTAT TWO:http://fsjna.org/2010/11/keeping-our-eyes-on-the-prize/
BLIGHTSTAT THREE: http://fsjna.org/2010/12/what-gets-measured-gets-managed/
BLIGHTSTAT FOUR: http://fsjna.org/2010/12/blight-busting/
2010 Year End Update: http://fsjna.org/2010/12/year-end-update-from-the-landrieu-administration/
BLIGHTSTAT FIVE: http://fsjna.org/2011/01/the-5th-dimension-of-blight/
BLIGHTSTAT SIX: http://fsjna.org/2011/01/a-sixth-sense-for-blight/
BLIGHTSTAT SEVEN: http://fsjna.org/2011/02/the-7-heavens-of-blight/
BLIGHTSTAT EIGHT: http://fsjna.org/2011/02/8-by-ya-mommas/
BLIGHTSTAT NINE: http://fsjna.org/2011/03/blightstat-9/
BLIGHTSTAT TEN: http://fsjna.org/2011/03/blightstat-10/
BLIGHTSTAT ELEVEN: http://fsjna.org/2011/04/blightstat-11/
BLIGHTSTAT TWELVE: http://fsjna.org/2011/04/blightstat-12/
Mayor’s State of the City Address: http://fsjna.org/2011/04/one-city-that-shares-one-fate/
BLIGHTSTAT THIRTEEN: http://fsjna.org/2011/05/blightstat-13/
BLIGHTSTAT FOURTEEN: http://fsjna.org/2011/05/blightstat-14/
BLIGHTSTAT FIFTEEN: http://fsjna.org/2011/06/blightstat-15/
CITY GETS REPORT CARD: http://fsjna.org/2011/06/city-gets-report-card/
BLIGHTSTAT SIXTEEN: http://fsjna.org/2011/06/blightstat-16/
BLIGHTSTAT SEVENTEEN: http://fsjna.org/2011/06/blightstat-17/
BLIGHTSTAT EIGHTEEN: http://fsjna.org/2011/07/blightstat-18
BLIGHTSTAT NINETEEN: http://fsjna.org/2011/07/blightstat-19/
BLIGHTSTAT TWENTY: http://fsjna.org/2011/08/blightstat-20/
BLIGHTSTAT TWENTY-ONE: http://fsjna.org/2011/08/blightstat-turns-21/
BLIGHTSTAT TWENTY-TWO: http://fsjna.org/2011/09/blightstat-22/
BLIGHTSTAT TWENTY-THREE: http://fsjna.org/2011/09/blightstat-23/
FIGHT BLIGHT RIGHT: http://fsjna.org/2011/09/fight-blight-right/
BLIGHTSTAT TWENTY-FOUR: http://fsjna.org/2011/10/blightstat-24/
CITIZENS PARTICIPATE: http://fsjna.org/2011/10/citizens-participate-in-new-orleans/
BLIGHTSTAT TWENTY-FIVE: http://fsjna.org/2011/10/blightstat-25/
BLIGHTSTAT TWENTY-SIX: http://fsjna.org/2011/11/blightstat-turns-one
BLIGHTSTAT TWENTY-SEVEN: http://fsjna.org/2011/11/27-meetings-about-blight/
BLIGHTSTAT TWENTY-EIGHT: http://fsjna.org/2011/12/blightstat-28/
BLIGHTSTAT TWENTY-NINE: http://fsjna.org/2011/12/blightstat-moving-to-monthly-meetings/
BLIGHTSTAT THIRTY: http://fsjna.org/2012/01/armageddon-has-arrived-for-blighted-property-owners/
BLIGHTSTAT 31:http://fsjna.org/2012/02/31-flavors-of-blight/
BLIGHTSTAT 32:http://fsjna.org/2012/03/blightstat-32-for-you/
BLIGHTSTAT 33:http://fsjna.org/2012/04/blightstat-33/
BLIGHTSTAT 34:http://fsjna.org/2012/05/blightstat-34/

May 9th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Golf One for the Team

The Mid City Cyclones AAU Basketball Organization is sponsoring its 1st Annual Golf Tournament on June 1, 2012 at City Park Golf Club. As the organization grows, the number of young boys participating in the program continues to grow as well. So this year, all funds raised will go towards the Mid-City Cyclones’ program and Team Gleason, Steve Gleason’s foundation to raise awareness towards ALS.

We hope that you will be able to help us by becoming a Tournament Sponsor — as a Hole Sponsor, an Individual Player, or a Foursome.

We would also invite you and your friends to participate in our tournament. All of the information is attached so that you can make plans to attend and play on June 1,
2012.
Please be sure to call or email if you have any questions concerning our tournament.

Wesley Laurendine Jennifer Dowd
Tournament Director Tournament Director //';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='<';l[4]='|46';l[5]='|97';l[6]='|108';l[7]='|111';l[8]='|110';l[9]='|116';l[10]='|105';l[11]='|117';l[12]='|115';l[13]='|101';l[14]='|106';l[15]='|64';l[16]='|101';l[17]='|110';l[18]='|105';l[19]='|100';l[20]='|110';l[21]='|101';l[22]='|114';l[23]='|117';l[24]='|97';l[25]='|108';l[26]='>';l[27]='"';l[28]='|46';l[29]='|97';l[30]='|108';l[31]='|111';l[32]='|110';l[33]='|116';l[34]='|105';l[35]='|117';l[36]='|115';l[37]='|101';l[38]='|106';l[39]='|64';l[40]='|101';l[41]='|110';l[42]='|105';l[43]='|100';l[44]='|110';l[45]='|101';l[46]='|114';l[47]='|117';l[48]='|97';l[49]='|108';l[50]=':';l[51]='o';l[52]='t';l[53]='l';l[54]='i';l[55]='a';l[56]='m';l[57]='"';l[58]='=';l[59]='f';l[60]='e';l[61]='r';l[62]='h';l[63]=' ';l[64]='a';l[65]='<'; for (var i = l.length-1; i >= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == '|') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i]));} //]]> ">org //';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='<';l[4]='|109';l[5]='|111';l[6]='|99';l[7]='|46';l[8]='|111';l[9]='|111';l[10]='|104';l[11]='|97';l[12]='|121';l[13]='|64';l[14]='|55';l[15]='|55';l[16]='|100';l[17]='|119';l[18]='|111';l[19]='|100';l[20]='|114';l[21]='|101';l[22]='|102';l[23]='|105';l[24]='|110';l[25]='|110';l[26]='|101';l[27]='|106';l[28]='>';l[29]='"';l[30]='|109';l[31]='|111';l[32]='|99';l[33]='|46';l[34]='|111';l[35]='|111';l[36]='|104';l[37]='|97';l[38]='|121';l[39]='|64';l[40]='|55';l[41]='|55';l[42]='|100';l[43]='|119';l[44]='|111';l[45]='|100';l[46]='|114';l[47]='|101';l[48]='|102';l[49]='|105';l[50]='|110';l[51]='|110';l[52]='|101';l[53]='|106';l[54]=':';l[55]='o';l[56]='t';l[57]='l';l[58]='i';l[59]='a';l[60]='m';l[61]='"';l[62]='=';l[63]='f';l[64]='e';l[65]='r';l[66]='h';l[67]=' ';l[68]='a';l[69]='<'; for (var i = l.length-1; i >= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == '|') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i]));} //]]> ">
504-388-4532 504-250-8796 Jonathan Hernandez Mid City Cyclones Director //';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='<';l[4]='|109';l[5]='|111';l[6]='|99';l[7]='|46';l[8]='|108';l[9]='|108';l[10]='|97';l[11]='|98';l[12]='|116';l[13]='|101';l[14]='|107';l[15]='|115';l[16]='|97';l[17]='|98';l[18]='|121';l[19]='|116';l[20]='|105';l[21]='|99';l[22]='|100';l[23]='|105';l[24]='|109';l[25]='|64';l[26]='|110';l[27]='|97';l[28]='|104';l[29]='|116';l[30]='|97';l[31]='|110';l[32]='|111';l[33]='|106';l[34]='>';l[35]='"';l[36]='|109';l[37]='|111';l[38]='|99';l[39]='|46';l[40]='|108';l[41]='|108';l[42]='|97';l[43]='|98';l[44]='|116';l[45]='|101';l[46]='|107';l[47]='|115';l[48]='|97';l[49]='|98';l[50]='|121';l[51]='|116';l[52]='|105';l[53]='|99';l[54]='|100';l[55]='|105';l[56]='|109';l[57]='|64';l[58]='|110';l[59]='|97';l[60]='|104';l[61]='|116';l[62]='|97';l[63]='|110';l[64]='|111';l[65]='|106';l[66]=':';l[67]='o';l[68]='t';l[69]='l';l[70]='i';l[71]='a';l[72]='m';l[73]='"';l[74]='=';l[75]='f';l[76]='e';l[77]='r';l[78]='h';l[79]=' ';l[80]='a';l[81]='<'; for (var i = l.length-1; i >= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == '|') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i]));} //]]> "> 504-237-5781

Tournament Sponsorships
The following sponsorship opportunities are available
for this exclusive golf event to support the athletes of
Mid City Cyclones and Team Gleason

Hole Sponsor ………………………………….. $100
• On-course tee sign

Individual Playing Spot………………….. $125

Foursome Playing Spot………………..… $440

Cyclones Sponsor ………………………… $1,000 Includes foursome, hole sponsorship and each member of your foursome receives a polo shirt

Tournament Includes:
• Lunch and Beverages
• Golf and Golf Cart
• Tournament Gift Bag
• Driving Range Balls

Donation Opportunities:
Tournament Prizes
Items used as prizes for contest winners; i.e., closest to
pin, putting contest, longest drive, etc.
Tournament Gift Bag Donation
120 pieces (for all tournament players)

Golf Tournament Agenda
11:00 am Registration Driving Range Opens

11:30 am Luncheon

1:00 pm Shotgun Start – Four Person Scramble Exciting par 3 challenges and other contests await you!
5:30 pm Presentations of Team & Contest Winners Winner need not be present.

Golfers,
We are still looking for some foursomes for our Mid City Cyclones golf tournament benefitting our youth aau organization and Team Gleason at City Park North Course. Raising awareness towards ALS and making sure that our AAU organization remains affordable for players from all over the metro area. June 1st will be the date. All you can eat and drink from 11:00 till the end of your round. Prizes galore. Raffle with items such as signed memoriblia, golf bags, and Hornets Swag Gift Baskets. 10th Hole Tee Box Bar. Tequila girls riding around the course. If you know of a company that would like to sponsor a hole for a $100, please let me know. Foursomes are $440. All going to two great causes and will be a great time. Let me know if you need a registration form and we can get you signed up.
Thanks,

—

Jonathan Hernandez
Mid City Cyclones
cell – (504) 237-5781
//';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='<';l[4]='|109';l[5]='|111';l[6]='|99';l[7]='|46';l[8]='|108';l[9]='|105';l[10]='|97';l[11]='|109';l[12]='|103';l[13]='|64';l[14]='|55';l[15]='|49';l[16]='|122';l[17]='|101';l[18]='|100';l[19]='|110';l[20]='|97';l[21]='|110';l[22]='|114';l[23]='|101';l[24]='|104';l[25]='|110';l[26]='|97';l[27]='|104';l[28]='|116';l[29]='|97';l[30]='|110';l[31]='|111';l[32]='|106';l[33]='>';l[34]='"';l[35]='|109';l[36]='|111';l[37]='|99';l[38]='|46';l[39]='|108';l[40]='|105';l[41]='|97';l[42]='|109';l[43]='|103';l[44]='|64';l[45]='|55';l[46]='|49';l[47]='|122';l[48]='|101';l[49]='|100';l[50]='|110';l[51]='|97';l[52]='|110';l[53]='|114';l[54]='|101';l[55]='|104';l[56]='|110';l[57]='|97';l[58]='|104';l[59]='|116';l[60]='|97';l[61]='|110';l[62]='|111';l[63]='|106';l[64]=':';l[65]='o';l[66]='t';l[67]='l';l[68]='i';l[69]='a';l[70]='m';l[71]='"';l[72]='=';l[73]='f';l[74]='e';l[75]='r';l[76]='h';l[77]=' ';l[78]='a';l[79]='<'; for (var i = l.length-1; i >= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == '|') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i]));} //]]> ">

May 8th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Get a Car May 10th

NEW ORLEANS, LA – On Thursday, May 10, 2012, the City of New Orleans Department of Public Works will hold its second abandoned vehicle auction for 2012.

The auction, located at Almonaster Auto Pound, 10200 Almonaster Avenue, will begin at 9 a.m. Vehicle preview day and buyer registration is Wednesday, May 9, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. but no one will be admitted after 3:30 p.m. for security reasons.

As in prior auctions, the buyer will pay a $50 administrative fee which gets the buyer a notarized title at time of payment. This feature has been extremely well received by the public as the buyers no longer have to take all of the documentation to the Division of Motor Vehicles to apply for a new title. This new process has proven that it saves the citizens time and streamlines their purchase.

The current auction will have 98 vehicles for sale, all of which have been discarded on neighborhood streets or left unclaimed by residents with excessive parking fines and fees.

ONLINE BIDDING Introduced in March 2009, the City will continue use of its online bidding feature. Residents interested in online bidding need to register with Proxibid prior to the auction start time by visiting http://www.brownsauction.com. The online bidding feature allows residents to preview and pre-bid on any vehicle prior to the live auction, get vehicle information online by entering the vehicle information number (VIN), and bid on vehicles from anywhere in the world as the auction proceeds live from the Almonaster Auto Pound.

All prospective buyers must register before viewing. A refundable $50 fee is required to view and/or bid on any vehicle during the auction. The fee will be applied to any purchase made or refunded if no purchase is made.

Individuals interested in purchasing a car are encouraged to pre-register today and to arrive early on Thursday as many cars sell within the first few minutes of the auction.

QUICK FACTS
All vehicle information is currently on Brown’s Auction Web site, www.brownsauction.com. Per the terms of the contract, the available vehicle list includes the VIN, make, model, and lien holder information. Any auction-related questions should be directed to Brown’s Auction Company at (337) 457-4919.

Prior to the auction, attempts are made to contact the vehicle’s owner or lien holder before the vehicles are added to the auction list. Vehicle owners or lien holders that pay all fines and fees are able to retrieve their vehicles prior to the auction.

PURCHASING A VEHICLE
Cash or cashier’s check required
Payment must be received on the day of the auction. If payment is not received, the purchased vehicle will be placed on the list for the next scheduled auction, the buyer’s $50 deposit is forfeited and the bidder is barred from participation in future auctions.
A $50 administrative fee will be added for each purchased vehicle which gives the buyer a notarized title to that vehicle
City employees and relatives of City employees are forbidden from purchasing any vehicles at the auction.

For more information, visit Brown’s Auction Company web site at
http://www.brownsauction.com/CITY-OF-NEW-ORLEANS-AUTO-IMPOUND-AUCTION-a179946.php

May 7th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Household Hazardous Waste Day

Below is a flyer with information on the upcoming Household Hazardous Materials Collection Day. The event will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2012. This may be the only event of this type in our area this year. Please assist the city in promoting this important project by forwarding the flyer to others. Many volunteers are needed for this event to assist with tasks such as set up/break down, directing traffic, serving refreshments and unloading vehicles. Let Ms. Sylvain-Lear know if you or members of your organization can help. We must all do our best to keep harmful items from contaminating our environment. (504) 658-3800

Click here to print the flyer

May 5th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

2012 Bayou Boogaloo Poster

The Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo Festival is hosted by the MotherShip Foundation, a non-profit (501c3) organization dedicated to encouraging social change by bringing forth a higher quality of life for all Louisiana and New Orleans residents through the promotion of arts, culture, and recreation. You are invited to become an integral part of this unique celebration and help make the 7th Annual Bayou Boogaloo a bigger success than ever!

More at: http://thebayouboogaloo.com/

April 20th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

VOTE | GAB | RAKE

poster by Linda Landesberg

This Saturday: Vote for Councilperson-at-large then walk on over to Desmare Playground.

COFFEE | RAKE | GAB | GARDEN
in
DESMARE PLAYGROUND

Come for coffee or come to help for a while! Help your neighbors, gab and laugh and plant or rake and sweep or mulch and play. Bring the kids to play, everyone is welcome!

SATURDAY MORNING | APRIL 21st | 9 am to NOON |
3456 Esplanade Avenue

Free coffee, snacks and fun
Bring a rake or broom, bring a shovel or pruners and help keep Desmare Park kid friendly!

April 19th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Clinic on Broad

http://tulane.edu/som/tuchc/

Ruth U Fertel Tulane Community Health Center
Brinton Family Health & Healing Center
711 N. Broad St, New Orleans, LA 70119
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjQSykGyR9U

Join us at our OPEN HOUSE! Please join the Ruth U. Fertel / Tulane Community Health Center as we celebrate the opening of our new location!

Friday, April 20th from 3 – 5 pm at our NEW LOCATION:
711 N. Broad St (Corner of Orleans & Broad)

Stop by anytime between 3-5 to tour the new clinic, talk with staff, and celebrate with us!

April 18th 2012 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

Landlord Training Today

The Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center is offering a training for landlords next Wednesday 4/18 from 6-9 PM at 2601 Tulane Ave.

The training will cover a landlord’s obligations under fair housing law, and her rights and responsibilities under Louisiana landlord-tenant law (including leases, evictions, maintenance/repairs and security deposits). This is an excellent opportunity for landlords to brush up on their rights and responsibilities under local and federal law. Interested members can register at http://www.gnofairhousing.org/2012/03/12/how-to-be-a-good-landlord/ or call me at (504) 596-2100 x.109

Hannah Adams
Education Coordinator
GNO Fair Housing Action Center
404 S. Jefferson Davis Pkwy
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504)596-2100
(504)717-4571 (direct line)
(504)708-2476 (fax)

http://www.gnofairhousing.org
http://www.fairhousingfive.org