4 MONTHS TO DECIDE - (NOLA neighborhood viability - Eminent Domain)

[funkybutt]

Nagin panel says hardest hit areas must prove viability city's footprint may shrink; full buyouts proposed for those forced to move. New housing to be developed in vast swaths of New Orleans' higher ground

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1136962572109650.xml

Residents of New Orleans areas hardest-hit by Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters would have four months to prove they can bring their neighborhoods back to life or face the prospect of having to sell out to a new and powerful redevelopment authority under a plan to be released today by a key panel of Mayor Ray Nagin's rebuilding commission.

In perhaps its boldest recommendation, the panel says Nagin should impose a moratorium on building permits in shattered areas covering most of the city, while residents there meet to craft plans to revive their neighborhoods. The proposals are spelled out in the final report of the land-use committee of Nagin's Bring New Orleans Back commission, which was obtained by The Times-Picayune.

Addressing the debate about whether planners and politicians should declare areas off limits or allow market forces to determine the city's future, Nagin's panel clearly sought a compromise by instead proposing a process to gauge residents' intentions to return to their neighborhoods. But ultimately, commissioners say, not every neighborhood will be sustainable and there will be a need to use EMINENT DOMAIN to seize some property. The panel proposes the creation of a new public agency, tentatively called the Crescent City Redevelopment Corp., to use that power, but only as a "last resort."


My comment: It's been 4 months and our rebuilding has just begun. House has been gutted for months but it takes forever to get quotes on leveling/shoring and roofing. We'll be done with that this week. The previously proposed timeline was 1 year and before that, it was suggested that there be a 3 year time span to prove a neighborhood's ability to come back. It's also the first time they've said they would use Eminent Domain.

[OneBlueSky]

1. how are neighborhood residents going to meet when . . .

they're scattered all over the country, most without the resources to return? . . .

[acmejack]

2. I have met many NOLA folks here that intend to stay.

New Austin residents, who are welcome & we're happy to have join our community. It appears that the powers that be are doing their best to force everyone out of New Orleans. Are you going to be able to stay FB?

[funkybutt]

3. We're staying

But our neighborhood is listed as one of those that will have to prove viability. I'm optimisitic our neighborhood will do that as we've already made significant progress and there has been overwhelming interest by residents to return.

If it turns out that they don't want us to rebuild there, we'll just move a mile or two to one of the areas that didn't get hit so hard. I really don't want to do that though.

[acmejack]

5. Good for you

Don't let the bastards run you out. Let us know if we can help you out in any way at all. I don't have a lot of money but we are resourceful and will always squeeze out something to help our brothers & sisters. If it is bodies you need, well you folks are only a few hours away.

Keep the faith!

[jwirr]

6. I think that is the point. They will not be able to do this on

their own. My interest is that they receive fair payments for their damaged property and that the plan to rebuild on higher ground includes plans for housing the poorer residents that were hit the worst. I do not want to pay taxes for the rich to build a segregated play ground.

[Toots]

4. Need to make room for the Casinos

New Orleans is set to become the next Los Vegas just give it two years......

[HuffleClaw]

7. sounds like a land grab to me

KNOW we know why they made sure to send all those poor folks to other states. i have real compassion for that poor mayor. he's gonna find out real fast just how powerless he is in the face of corporate interests.

[KamaAina]

8. There is already a New Orleans Redevelopment Authority

some of us at the Rebuilding Louisiana Coalition have been discussing why they just don't build that up instead of creating a whole new entity like this "Crescent City Redevelopment Corp."

http://disc.server.com/Indices/231355.html

discussion is down near the bottom of the page under "Urban planning or architecture..." We use our true and actual names over there, so I guess my secret's out... Another discussion may be farther down on the archive pages.

NORA has not been particularly active up to this point; not a whole lot of info available on it. Here's some:

https://secure.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=57&tabid=9

NORA was created in 1968 by an act passed by the Louisiana Legislature to eliminate and prevent the spread of slums and blight in the City of New Orleans. Its powers include the acquisition of real property through negotiation, gift or expropriation, disposition of property by sale or lease; to borrow money, issue bonds and give security to support slum clearance and neighborhood development.

Say, what if large numbers of new people were to arrive in the city, preferably before the voter registration deadline, and concentrate themselves in the struggling neighborhoods? Just a thought...

[KamaAina]

9. Those of you who are back in town may be interested in a conference

being held this Fri. and Sat. at Fair Grinds (the heir to True Brew, which, believe it or not, is where I had my first cup of Kona coffee!)

http://www.rebuildinglouisianacoalition.org/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&Itemid=&agid=29&year=2006&month=01&day=13

Rebuilding Sustainable Neighborhoods Conference
by Rolufs
Hits : 18 From Friday, January 13 2006 - 4:00am
To Saturday, January 14 2006 - 4:30pm
Every day

Rebuilding Sustainable Neighborhoods Conference
13th and 14th January, 9 - 4:30
Fair Grinds Cofeehouse (upstairs)
3133 Ponce de Leon
Off Esplanade near the old Whole Foods

Day 1 Friday, January 13, 2006
Morning Speaker
Christopher Faust: Thermal energy for heating and cooling
Loretta Pyles: Neighborhood organization
Mary Howell: Justice system
Marty Rowland: Urban governance - transparency and accountability
James Uschold: Eminent domain

12:00 - 1:30
Catered lunch

1:30 - 4:00 pm
Panel - Neighborhoods Speak

Day 2 Saturday, January 14, 2006
Morning Speakers
George Reith: Sustainable building practices
Forest Bradley-Wright: Green rebuilding
Marty Rowland: EPA's New Revitalization Initiative - SMARTe and restoration of contaminated properties

11:30 - 1:00 Catered lunch

1:15 - 1:45 Panel: Speakers from yesterday and today take questions
1:45 - 4:00 Panel: Neighborhoods Speak

Obviously I won't be able to make it (flights this time of year, y'know :-) ) so it would be most excellent if a NOLA DUer could attend in my stead.

edit: speling