BlightStat Revisited

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by Charlie London
blightstat-revisited
I took a new job about six months ago that no longer allows me to attend the BlightStat meetings on a regular basis as I once did. It was great to see the movers-and-shakers again today that keep fighting blight in our city.

The folks pictured above are the unsung heroes that, like you,
are passionate about moving New Orleans forward.

The Code Enforcement Department continues to lead the pack with over 1,000 inspections each month. The new land asset management application is far superior to the old computer system. The Code Enforcement Department was heralded for their continued vigilance in the fight against blight.

The Technology Department noted that while the virtual private network used by the inspectors is not providing the service expected, one of the features negotiated for the current technology contract allows for unlimited technical support. The problem is being worked on as you read this.

If you haven’t taken the time to check out data.nola.gov … you should. Surf around data.nola.gov and you’ll be amazed at the information you’ll find. The City of New Orleans Technology Department is working hard to dispel any misconceptions that New Orleans might be behind the times.

The Law Department also uses the land management asset application.

new-lot-next-door

The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority has a new lot next door program which will be released soon. Expect a press release from the City soon! NORA will be using online expressions of interest in properties for the new lot next door program. Those expressions of interest will be collected this May through August. The program will soon be available at NORAWORKS.org Properties will be sold at market value from September through December of this year.

The BlightStat team continues raise expectations and lead the nation in an idea that was developed right here in New Orleans. The results of their efforts will be felt for generations to come as New Orleans rises once again to become the “Queen of the South”.

Keep the faith… you’ll see.

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April 12, 2013

NORA releases list of properties for expanded Lot Next Door Program

The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) in partnership with the Mayor’s Office and City Council is pleased to announce the release of the list of properties for the amended Lot Next Door Ordinance. The City Council adopted Ordinance 29,397 on February 21 and the Mayor signed it into law on February 25, 2013.

Beginning today, NORA will publish the list of available properties in The Times-Picayune. The list is also available on NORA’s website www.noraworks.org and at data.nola.gov, the City’s official data catalog.

Eligible Lot Next Door buyers MUST notify NORA of its intent to purchase a Lot Next Door property by completing an Expression of Interest (EOI) form. The EOI form will be available on NORA’s website www.noraworks.org beginning May 1, 2013 until August 1, 2013. The deadline to complete an expression of interest (EOI) form is August 1, 2013. Submitting an expression of interest does not guarantee a purchase.

In order to be considered for the Lot Next Door Program you must share a common boundary to an eligible Lot Next Door Property and meet all other eligibility requirements. For more information regarding qualifications and eligibility please visit NORA’s website www.noraworks.org and click on the Lot Next Door tab or contact the Lot Next Door Program Office at 504.658.4422.

***

The New Orleans City Council voted Thursday to authorize demolition of several dozen blighted and dilapidated buildings throughout the city owned by the Housing Authority of New Orleans. The list includes properties in all five council districts.

HANO had requested permission to demolish all the buildings.

Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell originally filed a motion to allow demolition of several properties in District D, but other members then asked to add HANO properties in their districts as well — “hitching our wagons to yours,” as council President Stacy Head told Hedge-Morrell.

The final list comprises:

District A: 1715, 1723, 1727 and 1735 Cambronne St.; 1738-40 Gen. Ogden St.; 2115-17 St. Ann St.; and 8718-20 Willow St.

District B: 2331-33 Annunciation St.; 1421-23-25 and 5312 Constance St.; and 2118-20-22 Danneel St.

District C: 1815-21 Ptolemy St.; 1500-14, 1508-14, 1524-30 and 1532-38 Hendee St.; 1814-20 Lawrence St.; 717 De Armas St.; 2427 Ursulines Ave.; 1916 Roman St.; 1927 Mandeville St.; 2522 N. Rampart St.; 1814-20 Bayou Road; 2023 N. Robertson St.; 1319 Montegut St.; 600, 601, 615, 616-20 and 621 France St.; 4100-14 and 4200 Royal St.; 1112 N. Rocheblave St.; and 4319 Chartres St.

District D: 2500, 2501, 2524, 2525, 2600, 2601, 2624 and 2625 Bartholomew St.; 2123-29 Painters St.; and 3013 Mandeville St.

District E: 1501-03, 1505-07, 1509-11 and 1515 Benton St. and 4727 Ray Ave.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/04/city_council_approves_demoliti.html#incart_river

BlightStat Gets National Recognition

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NEW ORLEANS, LA — Today, the City of New Orleans announced that its Blight Reduction Strategy has been named a 2012 Bright Idea in Government by Harvard University’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. The Bright Ideas initiative is designed to recognize and promote creative government initiatives and partnerships and create an online community where innovative ideas can be proposed, shared, and disseminated.

“We are thrilled that our aggressive blight reduction strategy is being recognized on a national stage,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu.  “When I came into office, I knew we needed a better way to track data on blight progress to ensure we were actually achieving results.  BlightStat is one way we’re making that happen.  And this award is an acknowledgement that the work is paying off.”

Nearly two years ago, Mayor Landrieu announced a new, aggressive blight strategy aimed at reducing the blight count in New Orleans by 10,000 properties by 2014. A recent study released by The Greater New Orleans Community Data Center showed that blighted properties have been reduced by by approximately 8,000 addresses since 2010. The study attributed the reduction in part to the focused efforts of City agencies to bring properties into compliance.

The City’s Blight Reduction Strategy aims to significantly reduce blighted properties by prioritizing aggressive code enforcement and code lien foreclosure sales. The BlightStat public performance management system aggressively manages and tracks the benchmarks outlined in the strategy. In these public meetings, senior staff meets with front-line department heads and program managers to discuss progress in meeting goals through the analysis of performance metrics. These are working meetings, intended to provoke constructive dialogue on what’s working, what’s not, and what the various City departments and agencies need to do to improve.

“This is a strategy that only works with a dedicated staff and ongoing community partnerships,” said First Deputy Mayor Andy Kopplin. “I want to congratulate and thank Jeff Hebert, Oliver Wise and the whole team who are out on the front line fighting blight in this city every day.”

Additionally, the City’s Blight Reduction Strategy was awarded the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary’s Award at the 2012 Council on Philanthropy Conference for its public-philanthropic partnership with the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF), the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and the Center for Community Progress (CCP).  Through this partnership, New Orleans is developing a national model for dealing with blight. Cities from across Louisiana and the country are working to replicate the success of New Orleans.

Jeff Hebert, Executive Director, New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and Oliver Wise, Director, Office of Performance and Accountability, City of New Orleans are 2012 recipients of the Innovation Award from the Bureau of Governmental Research. The Innovation Award recognizes employees who have used innovative solutions to solve pressing problems.

The BlightStat program, along with QualityofLifeStat, ReqtoCheckStat and BottomlineStat are examples of Mayor Landrieu’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and data-driven management. Coupled with the quarterly ResultsNOLA report cards for City departments’ key performance indicators, the Landrieu administration is implementing performance management initiatives designed to improve results to citizens.

To learn more, visit the website of the Office of Performance and Accountability, the team created by Mayor Landrieu to implement a performance management system in City Hall: www.nola.gov/opa.   

Link to full Bright Ideas Program Descriptions:
http://www.ash.harvard.edu/Home/News-Events/Press-Releases/Innovations/Harvard-Announces-111-Bright-Ideas-in-Government/2012-Bright-Ideas

BLIGHT STATUS AVAILABLE OCTOBER 11th

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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.

Above you can see the type of information that will be available after October 11th. The blight status website is not to be used currently for gathering information. This graphic is provided to you as a “sneek peek” of the type of information that will be available once the Blight Status website is fully functional.


Click HERE or on any graphic for a “sneek preview” of the Blight Status website.









Write to neworleans@codeforamerica.org for more information.





http://blightstatus.nola.gov/

BlightStat 37

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by Charlie London

The Landrieu administration currently has a goal
of removing 10,000 “units” of blight in 4 years.
Units are individual apartments/condos or lots with blight.

Much of the precipitous drop in blight since 2005 has been individual homeowners refurbishing their homes. The City has instituted a much lauded BlightStat program that has done a tremendous job with few resources.

And, there is where the problem is… few resources. When crime is rampant, infrastructure is crumbling and the city struggles to keep the streetlights working, should blighted properties be a main emphasis where significant resources are allocated?

If so, are you willing to pay more taxes to make that happen? I am. I’d like to suggest a specific blight tax be implemented to help get blight removed from New Orleans. And, with that increased tax, I’d like to see an ordinance passed that says something like, “any property blighted since 2005 will have action taken on it by the City of New Orleans, regardless.” This would include blighted property that has people living in it. Why? Because 7 years is long enough for anyone to decide what to do with their property. Blight is holding back New Orleans. Blight contributes to crime and scares off potential investors… those investors bring jobs.

While the the city’s goal of removing 10,000 blighted properties in 4 years is laudable, the chart above shows over 35,000 properties that still need attention. You do the math.
10,000 blighted properties removed in 4 years. 35,000 total…

That means it will be 15 to 20 years before the CURRENT inventory of blighted properties is removed. Meanwhile, future hurricanes and irresponsible owners will contribute further to the number of blighted properties in New Orleans.

So, do we ignore the problem and complain that the city isn’t doing enough or do we step up and demand that a Blight tax be implemented and that it be spent specifically on blight reduction?

And, how ’bout an ordinance that makes it easier for the city to rid New Orleans of blight? Is it fair for the responsible citizen to live next to blight just because? How long should the irresponsible owner be given to do something about their blighted property… 7, 10, 20 years?
I don’t think so.

Quite frankly, the city is doing the best they can with what they’ve got. Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough manpower to get the job done… specifically on the legal end. Click here to read my thoughts about this in a previous BlightStat report. The city can get the properties inspected timely but the adjudication process is slow and laborious. Yes, we should protect the owner’s property rights. But, how long should property owners be allowed to affect your quality of life… 7, 10, 20 years? I don’t think so.

In the link below please find the city’s latest presentation on blight reduction in New Orleans:

A PDF of the City’s September 13, 2012 BLIGHTSTAT presentation.

Click on the chart above or visit the link below to view the Greater New Orleans Data Center’ report on the progress of the BLIGHT fight in New Orleans:

The Greater New Orleans Data Center’s Report on Blight in New Orleans.

City Touts Progress in Fight Against Blight

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article by Mitch Landrieu, Mayor of New Orleans | photo by Charlie London

New Orleans received exciting news this week in the fight against blight in our city.

As of March 2012, there are an estimated 35,700 blighted homes and empty lots in New Orleans, down from 43,755 in September 2010, as indicated by United States Postal Service (USPS) data. This means the city of New Orleans is no longer the most blighted city in America. According to The Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, the continued reduction in blight since 2010 is attributable to a strong economy and ongoing population growth complemented by the focused efforts of City agencies to bring properties into compliance.

You can read the entire report at www.gnocdc.org.

Nearly two years ago, our administration announced a new,
aggressive blight strategy aimed at reducing blighted properties by
10,000 by 2014. Since then, our tracking indicates 4,930 properties
have been remediated through our effort. These new numbers validate
that we are well on our way to achieving our goal.
Keep up with our progress through BlightSTAT. Click here for
more information on BlightSTAT meetings.
Sincerely,

Mitchell J. Landrieu
Mayor
City of New Orleans

______________________________________________________________

Drop in New Orleans blight marks significant progress: Editorial

Published: Wednesday, August 22, 2012, 7:02 AM
By Editorial page staff, The Times-Picayune

New Orleans no longer tops the nation’s list of most blighted
cities, and though that’s not nearly enough to declare this chronic
problem solved, it shows we’re making tremendous progress.
The Greater New Orleans Data Center, in an analysis using U.S.
Postal Service data, estimated that 8,000 properties in the city
were repaired or rebuilt between September 2010 and March 2011. For
any urban area, that’s a significant bite off blight. Indeed, that
caused New Orleans to drop behind Detroit and Flint, Mich., which
now have a larger percentage of ramshackle or abandoned properties.

Much of the progress came as Mayor Mitch Landrieu launched an
initiative to target this massive problem, and the mayor deserves
credit for making blight reduction a priority in his
administration. Residents who have continued rebuilding their homes
and new residents who have moved into the area in recent years also
deserve credit for the city’s progress.

Shortly after taking office in 2010, Mayor Landrieu set a goal of
eliminating 10,000 of the city’s then-43,755 blighted properties by
the end of 2013. The city then proceeded to demolish almost 1,600
properties last year. That was almost three times the number of
buildings demolished in 2010. Many of the demolished properties
included homes that were flooded after Hurricane Katrina and
properties sold to the Road Home program.

At the same time, the city cleared 1,750 lots in 2011, or almost
twice the number it cleared the year before. The Landrieu
administration has also been aggressive in filing writs to seize
properties whose owners have neglected them. As a result of city
efforts, owners brought more than 1,000 properties into voluntary
compliance last year. The city also put some of its surplus
property up for sale, and other public agencies, such as the
Housing Authority of New Orleans, focused on getting rid of their
own blighted property as well.

These are impressive and encouraging results. Decades of neglect
and poverty, aggravated by destruction post-Katrina, left our city
with the country’s highest proportion of dilapidated buildings,
reaching 34 percent in 2008. Progress since then has dropped that
figure to 21 percent, according to the data center’s estimates.

That’s still a very large number. Even excluding vacant units that
are likely habitable, the center estimated that the city still has
close to 36,000 blighted properties. Allyson Plyer, the data
center’s chief demographer, said surveys show residents who have
rebuilt are growing inpatient with blight in their neighborhoods.

That gives Mayor Landrieu support to continue targeting blight
aggressively and help the city improve further in this undesirable
ranking.

BlightStat 36

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photos and article by Charlie London

BlightStat 36 | August 9, 2012

Mr. Oliver Wise, Director of the Office of Performance and Accountability, began the meeting with introductions and announcements. No meeting last month due to the implementation of the new city computer system known as LAMA(Land Management). Cameras from MSNBC were rolling. This was the 36th meeting to which the public was invited.

Dr. Allison Plyer of the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center gave a presentation on growth in New Orleans neighborhoods.

Between 2010 and 2011, both Census population estimates and U.S. Postal Service households receiving mail grew by roughly 5 percent. From 2011 to 2012, U.S. Postal Service households grew another 2.5 percent.

Dr. Plyer indicated the New Orleans metro economy has weathered the recession relatively well. As jobs increase so will the number of people returning to the city. Among all metro area parishes, Orleans experienced the largest gain in households receiving mail over the last year.

Fully 66 out of 72 New Orleans neighborhoods gained active residential addresses since 2010. About half of all neighborhoods have recovered over 90 percent of their households since the Federal Flood. The gain of more than 12,300 active residential addresses receiving mail since 2010 may indicate that a large number of homes have been renovated and re-occupied over the last 2 years.

Mr. Andy Kopplin asked about how the numbers presented relate to blight. Dr. Plyer indicated that the numbers indicate that houses are getting rehabilitated. She indicated that her general theory is that stronger code enforcement has given people incentive to rehabilitate their property.

It was a full house for BlightStat 36!

A question from the audience indicated that blighted commercial properties are not being addressed so that services such as grocery stores can replace those blighted commercial properties.

Mr. Kopplin and Mr. Hebert focused on the city’s efforts at removing large apartment complexes. Mr. Kopplin said the city’s legal team is working to get blighted strip malls removed or rehabilitated so that services can be provided to the returning populace.

Jen Cecil introduces the new computer system for the City of New Orleans.

125 users were trained on the new LAMA software. The input from these users was used to tweak the software to make it even more user friendly.

Website content will be revamped. Permits and code enforcement cases will be easier to find. City departments are being interconnected. Website content is the main focus with an emphasis on easy to find comprehensive information.

The return on investment will be recouped within 3 years. Accela cost the city $300,000 per year. The LAMA system will cost about $70,000 per year and will be more efficient which will produce even more cost savings over time.

Ms. Pura Bascos sang the praises of the new system because it helps Code Enforcement find addresses for properties that do not have an address.

The LAMA system will go “live” on the public website sometime in September, 2012.

Mr. Allen Square indicated that the 311 system will eventually be integrated into the LAMA system.

The assessor is also being integrated into the LAMA system.

The LAMA number given at the time of a 311 call will be used by all departments accessing the system. So, a citizen that calls 311 can follow the process with the same number all the way up to the blight eradication hearing.

http://data.nola.gov will have a plethora of information available to the public starting in September, 2012.

Ms. Pura Bascos continued the meeting with a discussion of inspections. Inspections this period were not up the the usual high number. Vacations and computer system training slowed productivity somewhat. Fewer hearings were scheduled due to the implementation of the LAMA system.

Ms. Bascos introduced John Hagan who will be concentrating on title abstracts.

Mr. Carrere indicated that demolitions exceeded targeted expectations for this reporting period. He said the contractors are running out of buildings to demolish due to the entire process slowing down due to the implementation of the city’s new LAMA computer system.

The Bayou St. John property cost the property owner $150,000 to demolish the property. Consistent action from the city got the property demolished. The city’s enforcement of laws gave the owner the needed incentive to demolish the property.

There were 21 FEMA demolitions which consisted of 40 units. There are approximately 50 demolitions to go consisting of 160 units. The city has requested thousands more properties to be demolished by FEMA. Due to the many disasters that have happened recently around the country, the amount of money available is dwindling.

Mr. Wise indicated that 414 properties that were threatened with demolition were rehabilitated. Mr. Wise indicated that there is a 2 to 1 ratio of compliance over non-compliance due to the city’s actions.

Mr. Hebert indicated the city is now paying 25 dollars per lot for routine grass cutting and 175 dollars for lots that have extremely high grass.

Mr. Granderson indicated that the backlog has been eliminated. Fifty-three files were accepted for foreclosure proceedings during this reporting period.

There was some group discussion over the time it takes to get properties adjudicated. The process can take up to 90 days. Demolitions and writs are the slow end of the system.

Mr. Kopplin suggested sending a letter immediately after properties are adjudicated that the city can and will demolish and/or take the property away from owners who refuse to comply.

Mr. David Lessinger reviewed the NORA inventory disposition. 136 units have been rehabilitated or renovated. 245 newly constructed units have been completed.

Noraworks.org has properties for sale online. Citizens can indicate interest on specific properties. This is for serious inquiries only.

Mr. Brian Lawlor of the Office of Community Development indicated that they are working aggressively with non-profits to hold them accountable for the properties given to them.

Mr. Lawlor indicated the Soft Second Program is really making a difference. This program gets first-time home buyers out of rentals and into their own homes. Once applicants have been certified through the lender the process moves along swiftly.

Questions were taken from the audience.
Thirteen inspectors are currently working in zones throughout the city. Code for America is working on a program that will show what city action has been performed on any property on a given street.

Mr. Wise said hearings, historically, have taken a while because hearing managers had poor information. The new LAMA computer system is supposed to alleviate a lot of that problem.

A new lawyer has been hired to look at Chapter 26 and 28 as well as occupied blighted properties.

Call 311 for information about properties or call the Code Enforcement office directly at 658-4346 or go to data.nola.gov
Mr. Kopplin indicated that 311 is the best avenue to acquire information about blighted properties.

American Factfinder is the website for the U.S. Census.

Click here for a PDF of the city’s presentation at the August 9, 2012 BLIGHTSTAT meeting.

The next BlightStat meeting will take place Thursday, September 13th at 8 a.m. in the Homeland Security meeting room on the 8th floor of City Hall.

BlightStat 35

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RECORD AMOUNT OF CASES ACCEPTED FOR FORECLOSURE!


It was noted at today’s meeting that Ms. Joyce Joseph is now the interim head of the Code Foreclosure process. Ms. Tammy Jackson will continue on as the Deputy Director of Code Enforcement Hearings. Ms. Brenda Breaux has taken a position with the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority.

The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority put their available inventory online. Look for the orange PROPERTY SEARCH tab at:
http://www.noraworks.org/residents/blighted-property-info

The list of properties available at upcoming Sheriff Sales was also presented at today’s BlightStat meeting.

See the list in the link below:
https://fsjna.org/2012/06/sheriff-sales-june-july-august/

The success of the city’s “LOVE YOUR BLOCK” program was noted at today’s BlightStat meeting.

Find more in the link below:
https://fsjna.org/2012/06/love-your-block/

Ms. Mary Beth Romig is the new Director of ServeNOLA. Ms. Mary-Jo Webster, the previous Director, has agreed to help the New Orleans Recreation Department.

Click here to view today’s BlightSTAT presentation.

THERE WILL NOT BE A BLIGHTSTAT MEETING IN JULY. The City is moving from Accela to LAMA (Land Asset Management) and will need every bit of time to make sure the transition and training go smoothly. The move away from Accela is a long desired item of city employees and residents. No BlightSTAT meeting in July.

BLIGHTSTAT MEETING (2nd Thursday of every month)
WHO: Key blight policy and code enforcement staff
WHEN: Thursday, August 9, 2012
8:00-9:30 AM CST

WHERE: 8th Floor Homeland Security Conference room in City Hall

***

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 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).

We have a team of 2 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 lawyers working on filing writs for the code lien foreclosure process (Mr. Tyler Gray & Mr. Miles Granderson). Ms. Breaux has a bunch of other responsibilities that do not involve actual writs, in addition to managing her team (like working on the constitutionality of the foreclosure process as a whole), and Ms.Tammie Jackson is Deputy Director for case managment.

THERE ARE ONLY 2, yes I said 2 lawyers working on filing writs for the code lien foreclosure process.

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.

“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.

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 32 for You

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by Charlie London
This was the 32nd BlightStat meeting to which the public was invited.

BlightStat 32 | March 8, 2012

Mr. Oliver Wise began the meeting by introducing Mr. Anthony Faciane as the new Director of Neighborhood Development.

Mr. Jeff Hebert is now the Executive Director of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority. Mr. David Lessinger now also works with Mr. Hebert at NORA.

Lestin Morgan is now with the Office of Performance and Accountability.

Mr. Wise announced that 1,000 hits were received on information about BlightStat. Slideshows of BlightStat presentations are now appearing on the city’s website.

Kirsten Melberg has been hired to work with the NORA team.

Ms. Pura Bascos began the meeting by reviewing the “Inspections by Type and Result” indicating she was satisfied with the numbers.

Mr. Wise followed up by noting the continued emphasis on compliance.

Ms. Bascos moved on to the “Timeliness of Inspections” slide indicating that continued focus is being maintained on getting inspections done.

Mr. Wise asked, “How do you know what to prioritize?”

Mr. Reid replied that sweeps are part of the process.

Mr. Square indicated that the “Service Level Agreement” notation on the slide should be rephrased as “target” because SLA indicates a guarantee.

Mr. Winston Reid indicated the Hollygrove area has a large concentration of blight. The City is focusing on this area now.

Ms. Illarmo review the “Timeliness of Hearings Process” slide. She indicated that Mardi Gras did not have much of an effect on results.
Mr. Wise inquired if there are any problems getting hearings done.
Ms. Illarmo indicated that research continues to be a challenge but the job is getting done.

Mr. Wise inquired about using Bar Association lawyers for hearings. Ms. Breaux indicated she will be meeting with them soon.

Ms. Illarmo reviewed the “Distribution of Hearings Outcomes” slide.
Mr. Kopplin indicated that was a nice slide.

Mr. Kray indicated he is always trying to make the presentation more clear.

Mr. Wise indicated that there are plenty of “cats and dogs” that still need to be addressed. He was referring to the backlog of hearings.

A discussion ensued about the clarity of slides that present similar but not identical information. Mr. Kopplin indicated the presentation is designed to get folks to remain focused.

Ms. Bascos indicated work continues on all cases. Mr. Reid explained the inspections process. Mr. Kopplin indicated the goal is to get faster.

He continued by noting that previously the focus was on how many. Now the focus is on how quickly inspections and hearings get done.

Mr. Wise indicated that more and more home owners are choosing to get their properties in compliance which indicates the city’s efforts may be working.

Mr. Kray indicated an upcoming hearings calendar is now available at www.data.nola.gov

Mr. Illarmo indicated the calendar will be updated every two weeks on Friday. Mr. Kopplin said, “this is incredibly exciting”.

Ms. Bascos reviewed the “Demolitions by Program” slide.
Ms. Bascos said demolitions were completed in the Gentilly area.

Mr. Will McGowan, FEMA representative, indicated that Cindy Place in New Orleans East, which has been an eyesore next to I-10 for some time, has been removed. Eighteen properties have been salvaged with the architectural elements donated to area non-profits.

Mr. Keith Ferrouillet of the Interim Nuisance Abatement Program reviewed the “lots cut” slide. Mr. Brian Lawlor indicated the “one cut” rule could be circumvented by how the cuts are classified.

Mr. David Lessinger of NORA said a pot of money has been dedicated to cutting lots in the lower 9th Ward. He said most of the lots have been cut now. Over 1200 lots have been cut through February, 2012.

Mr. Lessinger wants this to be a jobs program in addition to removing blight. Mr. Hebert indicated that there are lots needing attention next to properties that have new construction taking place.

Mr. Kopplin said the Quality of Life officers are indicating the “hot spots” of crime activity. He said those areas should be targeted for cleanup from a crime fighting perspective.

All FEMA trailers have been removed. Mr. Kopplin said an article about all the FEMA trailers being removed appeared in the Los Angeles Times but not in the local paper.

Mr. Brian Lawlor indicated that Phoenix of New Orleans is helping the last FEMA trailer resident to find a new place to stay.

Mr. Granderson said 63 of 116 files have been accepted for foreclosure. Mr. Kopplin stressed that any 2011 cases with “noticing” problems need to be addressed.

Mr. Granderson indicated that not all cases can be researched on-line and that two code enforcement people are doing the research that cannot be done on-line.

Mr. Kopplin said that New Orleans’ Sheriff Sale process is the only one of its kind in the country. Ms. Breaux said that the process was challenged legally but the city prevailed. Mr. Hebert asked that the judgment information be sent to members of the City Council.

Mr. Kopplin stressed the importance of getting case files back to code enforcement if the case cannot be adjudicated.

Mr. Kopplin stressed that the focus should be on properties that will sell quickly. Ms. Tammy Jackson indicated that is currently being done.

Mr. Granderson indicated 32 properties are scheduled for Sheriff’s Sale in February. Mr. Kopplin said letters should be sent to judges and lawyers who are not furthering the process. Ms. Breaux indicated this has already been done and that some people have been re-assigned.

Mr. Granderson said 1.6 million dollars have been collected from liens and sales.

Mr. Lessinger talked about properties sold to the State of Louisiana through the Road Home program. He indicated the getting the properties under local control is the goal.

Ms. Kirsten Melberg talked about the soft 2nd program run by Mr. Brian Lawlor and that more and better information will becoming available for NORA properties.

Ms. Melberg indicated that much work is being done on the disposition of State-owned properties in Orleans Parish.

Mr. Lawlor talked about the Office of Community Development.
Rental Housing Program | Homeownership Development Program | Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Program

The Rental Housing Program provides affordable rental housing for low to moderate income families. Funds are provided to Not-For-Profit and For-Profit Housing Development Organizations for the acquisition, rehabilitation, new construction and soft development cost associated with developing affordable rental housing.

The Homeownership Development Program provides homeownership opportunities by developing properties through acquisition, rehabilitation or new construction of homes that will be sold to low-income families. Not-for-Profit and For-Profit Housing Development Organizations can apply for HOME funds to subsidize the cost of construction, land acquisition, and down payment assistance that will produce a code compliant home.

The Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Program provides financial assistance to low-income homeowners to enable them to bring their residences into compliance with the Federal Government’s Housing Quality Standards and the International Residential Code adopted by the City of New Orleans. The program is administered by the Not-for-Profit Housing Organizations and In-House Office of Community Development staff.

Mr. Wise asked which programs were most relevant concerning blight. Mr. Lawlor indicated that the Rental Housing Program and the Homeownership Development Program most affected blight.

Mr. David Lessinger talked about the “Market Value Analysis” for properties in New Orleans. The city can use this data to better target areas for redevelopment. The clerk of Civil District Court holds this information. A meeting with the folks from Civil District Court was held during November of 2011 according to Mr. Allen Square.

Mr. Hebert indicated that 16 Katrina cottages are available. Ms. Kirsten Melberg should be contacted if anyone is interested.

2nd sale properties do have a minimum bid that consists of the total of fines and liens. 1st sale properties have a minimum bid of 2/3 of the appraised value. 2nd sale properties do not have a minimum real estate value bid but do have a minimum big that consists of whatever fines and liens that are currently imposed on the property.

Mr. Kopplin proposed a “mow to own” program where adjacent property owners can acquire a property next to them that they are taking care of. He suggested this process take place after the properties have gone to auction and don’t sell.

Mr. Kopplin indicated the current acquisitive prescription process is not very effective.

Ms. Illarmo answered a question from the audience: 7 case managers, 13 inspectors, 20 case managers that rotate in from various law firms.

Ms. Basco answered a question from the audience: Phone calls and emails are returned by Code Enforcement on Mondays and Fridays.

Ms. Bascos indicated that citizens should use 311 to have information forwarded to the Code Enforcement Department.

There is not an effective enforcement program for blighted properties that are occupied. Mr. Hebert indicated that for the most aggregious blighted properties that are occupied, the Fire Department can make progress where the city can not.

Mr. Hebert answered a question about getting a bill from the State legislature to make the blighted property disposition process faster and smoother. House Bill number 430 is authored by Jared Brossette. CLICK HERE TO READ House BILL 430.

Any residents wanting to comment on HB 430 can send them to
brossettj@legis.la.gov. This bill is requested jointly by the City of NO and NORA. In an effort to reduce the blight, NORA will be able to purchase adjudicated property directly from the City of New Orleans.

Mr. Kopplin suggested getting Gilmore Auctions involved with NORA properties since they’ve done such a good job with Sheriff Sales.

Mr. Hebert talked about http://ownthecrescent.org

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 33 will be held on April 12, 2012. The meetings are on the 8th floor of City Hall in the Homeland Security Conference Room.

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

Faubourg St. John NEWS

by

Neighborhood News

Postcard from Home Every Sunday
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/postcard-from-home-12/
***

Love on the Bayou
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/today-love-on-the-bayou/
***

Mardi Gras Legally
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/mardi-gras-legally/
***

Neighborhood Meeting this Monday
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/board-meeting-agenda-2/
***

BlightStat 31
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/31-flavors-of-blight/
***

The Color of Wonderful
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/12524/
***

Rail Improvements in the Future
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/new-orleans-rail-gateway-program/
***

Magical Mystery Tour Every Wednesday
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/magical-mystery-tour-web-of-lines/
***

It’s a Wonderful Life in Faubourg St. John
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/its-a-wonderful-life/
***

Pick Up Your Produce Box Here
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/fresh-from-the-farm-at-swirl/
***

Burned Car Gets Picked Up
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/blight-attracts-burnt/
***

Mid-City Library
https://fsjna.org/2012/02/mid-city-library-to-have-grand-opening/
***

Mid-City Cyclones
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/mid-city-cyclones/
***

Party with the Women of the Opera Guild
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/party-with-the-women-of-the-opera-guild/
***

Support Our Local Artists
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/the-healing-power-of-art/
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/contemporary-crafts-at-jazz-fest/
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/art-world/
***

Prevent Flooding, Clean Your Catch Basin
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/city-catches-up-with-faubourg-st-john/
***

Carnival Designs Online
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/carnival-designs-online/
***

S&WB Wants to Raise Your Rates. Speak Up!
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/rate-increases-and-drainage-funding/
***

Neighborhood Author Releases Book
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/neighbor-releases-book/
***

Deadline Looming for Matching Fund
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/local-sustainability-matching-fund/
***

Red Cross Opportunity During Mardi Gras
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/mardi-gras-volunteer-opportunity/
***

Bayou Treme Center on Bayou Road
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/bayou-treme-center/
***

List of Mardi Gras Parades
https://fsjna.org/2012/01/2012-mardi-gras-parades/
***

Faubourg St. John’s QR Code
https://fsjna.org/2011/12/have-you-seen-me/
***

Build a Bike and Make a Difference
https://fsjna.org/2011/12/build-a-bike-and-make-a-difference/
***

Lafitte Greenway News
https://fsjna.org/2011/12/lafitte-greenway-news/
***

Free Light Bulbs
https://fsjna.org/2011/12/energy-smart/
***

View all the links to the BlightStat meetings
https://fsjna.org/category/blightstat-meetings/
***

Lots of articles about historical events
https://fsjna.org/category/history-2/
***

Check out the Magical Mystery Tour posts
https://fsjna.org/category/magical-mystery-tour/
***

Check out the POSTCARDS from HOME posts
https://fsjna.org/category/postcards-from-home/
***

Charlie London

Join Today!

31 Flavors of Blight

by

BlightStat 31

February 9, 2012

This was the 31st BlightStat meeting to which the public was invited.
The city continues to march toward its goal of the removal of 10,000 blighted properties within three years. It is estimated that over 40,000 blighted properties were in New Orleans in 2006.

Mr. Oliver Wise moderated the meeting.

Mr. Wise quipped about the change from bi-weekly to monthly meetings and that the report produced this month is the first data for 2012.

Ms. Williams will be changing departments and Mr. Kray will be replacing her.

Ms. Denise Ross introduced the Code for America team. Code for America representatives Ms. Alex Pandel, Mr. Amir Reavis-Bey, Mr. Eddie Tejeda, and Ms. Serena Wales produced a slide show.

Code for America worked in Boston on education last year. They made an easy to use application. 26 fellows are working with 8 cities.

The focus in New Orleans is blight, open data, and 311. The goal is to have active collaboration between city staff, neighborhood leaders, non-profits, community members and the tech community. The Code for America team can be reached at neworleans@codeforamerica.org

Mr. Kopplin thanked the Code for America team for their contribution to the city. Jeff Hebert indicated that the Code for America team is here due to problems found during the BlightStat meetings.

Mr. Square indicated that citizens are very happy that the Code for America team is here. Mr. Kopplin indicated that New Orleans would be a great place for them to stay permanently.

On Code for America’s website, the situation is described as follows:
“The City of New Orleans wants to partner with Code for America to support and further legitimize the invaluable role neighborhood stakeholders continue to play in community revitalization. By developing a light-weight application to allow community stakeholders to submit bulk information to the city about their neighborhood, view existing relevant city data, and receive status for each of the on-going issues in their neighborhood, they will be better able to advocate and support their neighborhoods.”

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CITY’s NEW and IMPROVED BLIGHTSTAT PRESENTATION.

Major portions of the presentation have undergone a redesign to focus on quality and timeliness of the steps in the process

Ms. Basco continued the meeting. During January…
reinspections were high due to better property-owner compliance which requires reinspections.

Ms. Basco indicated posting of hearings should increase over time.

Mr. Lessinger indicated the “Inspections by Type and Result” slide better shows the inspection to to posting of hearing process. He thanked Mr. Kray for his work on producing the new format for the presentation.

Mr. Square indicated that some undercounting may be occurring.

Ms. Basco indicated that the majority of the complaints are over the 30 day mark.

Mr. Wise explained the “Timeliness of Inspections” slide. The goal is to have all inspections done within 30 days and to have no inspections that exceed the service level agreement.

Mr. Kopplin and Mr. Wise further discussed the parameters of the powerpoint slide. Mr. Kray clarified the details of the information.

Ms. Basco indicated the priority is on the older inspections while continuing to work incoming complaints.

Ms. Basco indicated that the city is “rockin” concerning the hearings process.

Mr. Kopplin indicated that performance is important but just as important is “Did we do it when we said we would do it?”

Ms. Tammie Jackson reviewed the “Hearings Outcomes” slide. She indicated that better communication has produced improved results.

Ms. Jackson further stated that “yes, 6 years later there are people who are still working through the Road Home process”.

Mr. Kopplin and Ms. Jackson discussed the details of the Road Home program with Ms. Illarmo clarifying how many are still working through the Road Home program. It ranges from 60 – 78 still working through the process.

A representative from the Road Home program asked for help from citizens locating people who have not used their grants from the Road Home program to refurbish their property.

Mr. Wise indicated “the reset – no inspection numbers are still troubling”. He inquired, “What’s going on?” Ms. Basco indicated she did have an answer today but would look into it.

Mr. Hebert said that is not an indication of poor performance of Ms. Basco’s department but that reinspections are a problem.

Mr. Lessinger indicated that Mr. Kray has produced a presentation which better indicates what is going on.

Mr. Kray does not have a way to pull out all of the reinspections from the current system. Mr. Wise said that should become an “action item”.

Mr. Wise asked about what is happening with resets. Ms. Illarmo indicated that some cases do go on for a long time. Ms. Illarmo went through the hearings process in response to a question from Mr. Kopplin.

A discussion ensued about how the new graphics are presented.

Mr. Kray made an analogy of meetings-clients vs. hearings.

Ms. Illarmo discussed resets and that Mr. Kray has produced a valuable tool to help fight blight. More and easier to access information is being produced.

Ms. Illarmo said there will be fewer hearings in February for a variety of reasons (Mardi Gras for one) but a “big push” will be on the agenda for March.

Mr. Carrere discussed demolitions. Significant process has been made particularly in New Orleans East.

Mr. Hebert indicated the townhouses in New Orleans East produce a multitude of issues. Mr. Hebert indicated “the state is committed”. He added that commercial properties have a lot of issues that need to be solved before the buildings can be demolished.

Mr. Kopplin indicated that the City is continuing to negotiate with FEMA. A good working relationship has been established.

The FEMA rep reviewed the “New Orleans FEMA Demolitions” slide. Mr. Kopplin inquired about properties denied by NCDC/HDLC. Those properties then go before the City Council for review.

Mr. Kopplin asked for a report on how many are HDLC denials and NCDC denials and how many have gone before the City Council.

NCDC demolition denials can’t be appealed. They just die for one year.

In just over a year 2,728 demolitons have been completed.

Mr. Keith Ferrouillet discussed the interim nuisance abatement program. Call 658-2526 but INAP can only cut a specific lot once. Citizens in the 9th Ward are doing the “maintenance cuts” once INAP cuts the tall grass on a particular lot.

Mr. Kopplin inquired about the current grass cutting contract which expires March 28th. A request for proposal will go out for a contract that will replace the current non-performing contractor.

Ms. Basco indicated only 1 FEMA trailer remains.
That trailer should be removed soon. Initially there were 18,000 FEMA trailers in the City of New Orleans after hurricane Katrina.

Mr. Granderson indicated that the law department continues to work diligently on the lien foreclosure process. 57 of 144 files were approved for the lien foreclosure process during the past month.

138 properties set for sale. 62 went to auction but no one bid on them. They will be offered again at a future sheriff’s sale for a lower amount. 13 stopped due to “noticing issues”. All owners (heirs, entities, etc.) have to be notified once a property is scheduled to go to a sherrif’s sale.

There will be Sheriff Sales on February 16, February 23 and a large sale on March 6th. This info is updated at data.nola.gov

Mr. Hebert indicated LLT properties are being transferred to the City of New Orleans.

Mr. Lawlor of the Office of Community Development thanked Ms. Rosalind Peychaud for her assistance with the soft-second program.

Mr. Kopplin stated that citizens are demanding results. Mr. Kopplin wants to make sure the process from blighted property to property in commerce gets smoother with time.

Mr. Hebert indicated he and Mr. Lawlor are working together to continue the fight against blight.

The meeting was then opened up for questions from the audience of about 50 people. TV news crews were present at this meeting.

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 32 will be held on March 8, 2012. The meetings are on the 8th floor of City Hall in the Homeland Security Conference Room.

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