Finding a Better Balance in How We Use Technology

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courtesy Religion and Ethics News Weekly
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2016/09/02/digital-addiction/29965/

Americans are increasingly dependent on their digital devices, and while these provide undeniable benefits, some say their negative consequences must also be addressed. Correspondent Kim Lawton talks with Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Sherry Turkle, who says there must be times and places where conversations and human relationships are more important than technology. “Empathy is at stake,” she says, “and we need empathy to raise children who are able to be ethical and moral people.” Also interviewed are Tanya Schevitz of the Jewish cultural organization Reboot and the National Day of Unplugging, and Zen master Jane Dobisz, who leads device-free meditation retreats.

courtesy Religion and Ethics News Weekly
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2016/09/02/digital-addiction/29965/

KIM LAWTON, correspondent: It’s Friday night in San Francisco. These people are heading for a lively night on the town. And they are doing something many would find unthinkable: they’re checking their phones at the door. This is the National Day of Unplugging, launched seven years ago by the Jewish nonprofit group Reboot. The goal is to encourage people to take a break from technology and find other ways to entertain themselves. For many, that’s easier said than done.

CYNTHIA AHR: If I leave my phone, I feel like I’m driving a car without a seat belt. I never know what’s going to happen.

SHANNON KELEHER: I check my email all the time. I was doing it before.

KYLE BALLARD: She was. We were at a bar, and she was checking her email from work at 7:30 at night on a Friday. So this is good. It’s just an excuse to leave the phone behind.

ABI KOH: It’s like a security blanket in a way for me. If I don’t have it when I go out the door from home, I kind of feel vulnerable.

04KAY DELGADO: There was a time when you would go out and not know what happens in the world for that time you went, so why has that changed? I guess we’re just addicted to the constant stream of I’m knowing what’s happening at all times.

LAWTON: At National Day of Unplugging events like this one, people have fun doing non-digital activities, from knitting and coloring to writing notes the old-fashioned way. There’s face painting, live music, and even a photo booth.

TANYA SCHEVITZ (Reboot National Communications and San Francisco Programs Manager): We ask people to think about what they like to do when they’re unplugged. So many people say, “I can never put down my cellphone, I wouldn’t be able to live without it.” But in reality there are so many things that we like to do when we are unplugged.

15LAWTON: Reboot spokesperson Tanya Schevitz says it’s not anti-technology, but rather urging people to find a better balance in how they use technology. She says the concept comes from the Jewish Sabbath, Shabbat, a regular time set aside for rest.

SCHEVITZ: It’s ancient wisdom that’s ever more important right now in our hyper-connected world, in a world where we are on 24/7, where there is an expectation that you can be reached and will respond to every buzz, beep, vibration, and ping of your phone or your digital devices, so I think it’s needed more than ever, really.

LAWTON: Americans are increasingly dependent on their digital devices. According to the Pew Research Center, 92 percent of US adults own cellphones, and almost 70 percent of those are smartphones. About three-quarters of Americans own a computer, and nearly half own some kind of tablet. While this has undeniable benefits, many analysts say the negative impact must also be addressed.

17PROFESSOR SHERRY TURKLE (Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology and Director, Initiative on Technology and Self, Massachusetts Institute of Technology): The latest studies shows that 89 percent of Americans took out a phone during their last social interaction, and 82 percent say that “it deteriorated the conversation.” That’s my concern, that we are deteriorating our presence and in-person presence.

LAWTON: Psychologist and Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Sherry Turkle is author of Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age. She argues that the near-constant distractions of technology can harm many aspects of relationships.

PROFESSOR TURKLE: All the things that we get out of conversation—intimacy, empathy, our ability to connect with other people and know them and form relationships, because we are always elsewhere in some way at the same time.

LAWTON: She argues that a deterioration of personal connections has troubling consequences for the entire society.

23PROFESSOR TURKLE: When something becomes the social norm, we become desensitized. We say that’s just the way it is. But that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t do its damage, and it’s particularly damaging to young people, to the children that we’re raising.

LAWTON: In his recent document on the family, Pope Francis also noted that technology can hurt families such as “when at dinnertime everyone is surfing on a mobile phone, or when one spouse falls asleep waiting for the other, who spends hours playing with an electronic device.”

LAWTON: For the National Day of Unplugging, Tanya Schevitz organizes non-digital events for adults and children as well. She says she was taken aback by one recent interaction with a father.

SCHEVITZ: He said “Oh, my gosh, we really need this,” and he turned to his daughter who was about five and said, “Who is mommy’s best friend?” And without hesitation, this little girl said, “Her cellphone.” My gosh, that is heartbreaking. I wouldn’t want my kids saying that.

LAWTON: Still, Schevitz admits unplugging is something that she struggles with as well. She puts her phone away when she picks up her kids from school and tries not to be on it again until they go to bed.

36SCHEVITZ: They know that they are going to get my attention. When I pick them up from school, I’m not going to be half-listening or going to be glancing at my phone or checking Facebook. They know that I’m going to listen to what they have to say, that I’m going to play with them.

LAWTON: Many experts are also concerned that people use digital devices as a way to avoid being alone with their thoughts.

PROFESSOR TURKLE: You can see that anxiety about being alone, when you look at people in a checkout line in a supermarket, when I study people at stop signs. They are supposed to wait four seconds; in three seconds they are checking their texts.

LAWTON: As a Zen master and guiding teacher at the Cambridge Zen Center http://www.cambridgezen.com/ in Massachusetts, Jane Dobisz believes there are great spiritual benefits to being still and being in the present moment. She finds help in the ancient Buddhist practice of meditation.

28-2JANE DOBISZ (Zen Master, Cambridge Zen Center): That’s what meditation addresses, is that this moment is so rich, it’s so wonderful if you could just stop running away from it. Take a breath, take a rest, settle into the moment. Then hear the sound of the bird, feel the wind on your cheeks, smell the flower, feel your body. Feel your heart.

LAWTON: Dobisz leads device-free meditation retreats for college students.

DOBISZ: They are told in the beginning of the day no phones. And you can’t check your phone during the break or anything. And they are so happy at the end of that day, it’s just 9 to 3, and it’s not like a huge commitment. They are so happy.

LAWTON: She says they are amazed at their heightened awareness of the world around them.

DOBISZ: And it’s a revelation for them that they could see the flower, because you can’t see the flower. If you’re doing this [texting].

38PROFESSOR TURKLE: I feel that we’re at a moment where we’ve adopted a new technology. We’ve been vulnerable to its seduction, and we’re also ready to say this has led us not to a good place in terms of how it’s affected our relationships. It’s time for a change.

LAWTON: Professor Turkle says one of society’s ethical priorities should be carving out what she calls sacred spaces, where conversation and relationships are given more importance than technology.

PROFESSOR TURKLE: Empathy is at stake, and we need empathy to raise children who are able to be ethical and moral people.

LAWTON: But given the new digital gadgets flooding the market, the challenges to doing that may only get greater.

I’m Kim Lawton reporting.

 

 

Faubourg St. John Discusses Short Term Rentals

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The City Council is voting on short term rentals on October 6th.
Write to them and tell them you want to keep neighbors in your neighborhood.

 

shead@nola.gov
jasonwilliams@nola.gov
sgguidry@nola.gov
lcantrell@nola.gov
districtc@nola.gov
councildistrictd@nola.gov
jagray@nola.gov

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no-air-bnb
 

YOU BETTER PAY ATTENTION OR
YOU’LL PAY A WHOLE LOT MORE

 


Short term rentals drive up rents.

The New Orleans City Council will vote on short term rentals on Thursday, October 6th.

fsjnalogo4fsjnadotorg
August 8, 2016

Director Robert D. Rivers
City Planning Commission
1033 Perdido Street, 7th Floor
New Orleans, LA 70112

RE: FSJNA Positions on Short-term Rentals

Director Rivers,

The Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association (FSJNA) would like to put on record our opinions regarding Short-Term Rentals in New Orleans. These opinions are based on the existing CPC study, research into how other cities in the country are handling the same challenges,  recommendations from other New Orleans neighborhood associations and,  our members.

FSJNA found there is a greater adverse impact to our neighborhoods from short-term rentals than we originally anticipated and that the number of housing stock used for short-term rentals has increased from what was observed in the 2015 festival season.

For the four types of Short-Term Rentals itemized in the existing CPC study:

PRINCIPAL RESIDENTIAL / “WHOLE HOUSE” – FSJNA is in complete opposition to this type and strongly believes the CPC was right to remove this option from the earlier report. This type of use has the most adverse effect on neighborhoods and residents. It removes valuable housing stock that could be used as affordable rentals or sales to primary residents, and artificially inflates home sale prices and property tax values.

TEMPORARY – We are against any whole home rentals, even if owned by an owner-occupant. We believe there is no practical way to enforce the proposed 30 day/4 times per year restriction.

ACCESSORY – Allow only a permanent resident owner to rent out spare bedrooms or additional units in a multi-family that he or she occupies, but he or she must occupy at least one of the units.

COMMERCIAL – FSJNA believes that the CPC must identify the types of commercial zones they will allow this use, not just all “Commercial or Mixed Use” properties. Additionally, FSJNA believes that ALL short –term rentals in Commercial or Mixed use zones should ONLY BE ALLOWED AS CONDITIONAL USE.

For Overall Short-Term Rental Options:

FSJNA supports requiring a permit number be associated with every online listing.

Fines for enforcement or taxation violations should be the cost of doing business or a minimum of $1000 per instance whichever is greater. Penalties for breaking the law must be very high to ensure compliance with any new zoning use and enforcement. They should also attach to the property, such as a tax lien, to ensure compliance.

FSJNA reserves the right to offer additional opinions to city agencies and City Council pending the results of CPC Staff draft ordinances and reports expected this summer.

Thank you for your consideration, we would be happy to work with you to offer our ideas about ways to ensure compliance and to ease enforcement. For further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,
Steve Mardon
President, Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association
president@fsjna.org
(504) 486-8125

CC:
shead@nola.gov
jasonwilliams@nola.gov
sgguidry@nola.gov
lcantrell@nola.gov
districtc@nola.gov
councildistrictd@nola.gov
jagray@nola.gov
***

SHORT TERM RENTALS

brinkman_j_lgby Emile J. Brinkmann

intlunionI am submitting these comments in connection with the City Planning Commission’s reconsideration of the issue of Short-Term Rentals (STRs) in Orleans Parish, and the City Council’s directive that a proposed zoning ordinance be drafted. As a point of background, I am the retired Chief Economist of the Mortgage Bankers Association in Washington and spent years running a research group dedicated to housing and housing finance issues. I have appeared on all of the major network and cable news shows, and have been quoted in newspapers through the US and other countries. Even though I retired and moved back to New Orleans two years ago, I am still the US representative on the executive committee of the International Union of Housing Finance, a 100-year old organization dedicated to housing issues around the world.

1strdestructionBased on my background, I cannot think of an action that would be more destructive to the fabric of our neighborhoods and the well-being of our homeowners than the legalization of STRs for the benefit of a few, thereby rewarding those who take advantage of a lack of enforcement to violate existing laws with impunity. In Part One of my comments, I will make three basic points about the negative economic effects on homeowners. In Part Two I will address comments that have been made to the effect that AirBNB, VRBO, and similar operations are like Uber and are merely part of the growth of the so-called sharing economy.

Part One
1) STRs fundamentally upset residential valuations by introducing unsustainable commercial valuations into residential neighborhoods.
We have already seen home prices in historically significant neighborhoods increase at rates far in excess of the local incomes needed to support those prices. A significant portion of those home price increases are due to ability of some of the properties to earn upwards of 20 percent to 25 percent return on investment through illegal renting. This is great news if you already own a home in one of these areas and will be selling soon. Because the Assessor’s Office has no way to separate out house sales for STR usage, this is great news if you are the city collecting residential property taxes based on values inflated by STR commercial use. It is bad news if you are trying to buy or rent in Mid-City, Treme, the Bywater, or other impacted neighborhoods in order to live in the city.

It is terrible news if you are a long-term resident with no intention of moving, but are now faced with an annual property bill driven up by the valuation effects of illegal renting.

The valuation and property tax problem will likely be exacerbated by the idea that the city can mitigate the negative impact of STRs by limiting the number allowed per block face. The owner of the first one on the block makes a killing, and the value of that property goes up. However, the other owners on the block not only have to deal with the disruptions caused by the STRs and the higher property taxes, they are precluded from selling at the higher STR-driven prices because no other STRs will be allowed on their block (assuming for the sake of argument that the city would actively enforce density limitations). Therefore, the idea that the negative impacts of STRs can somehow be ameliorated by reducing the permitted densities can actually make more people worse off from a valuation perspective.

Given the instability of this structure and the lack of equitable treatment in terms of valuation and who is allowed an STR and who is not, I do not believe density limits would survive legal or political challenges, and are therefore not a viable option to prohibition.

1neighborhoods4neighborsThe result is that if you are a New Orleans resident with no intention of selling and moving, you would not only face the prospect of having weekly fraternity parties next door, you get to pay higher property taxes for the privilege. The result is that if you are looking to buy, you risk over-paying and being underwater on your mortgage if something were to happen suddenly to impact negatively the STR business, as will be covered in the next point.

2) Short-term Rentals directly inject the business risk of tourism into residential neighborhoods.
keepneighborsHotel owners and operators are accustomed to the business risks associated with the travel and hospitality industry. These risks are reflected in their operational plans, capital investments, and equity and debt financing costs. They understand that in a recession, travel is disproportionately impacted as businesses cut back on discretionary travel as a first response. They learned in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks that terrorism can interrupt air travel, and that even when flights are restored, companies will impose travel restrictions on key personnel.

In New Orleans and other hurricane-impacted areas, they have learned that even the threat of a storm, with or without a mandatory evacuation, can cause their rooms to empty and disrupt operations for some time. (As a side note, would operators of STRs be required to maintain enforceable hurricane evacuation policies for their guests, or would responsibility for these visitors fall on the city?)

In contrast, the health of the hospitality industry has a more muted impact on the traditional residential housing market in New Orleans. Tourism is only one of the legs of the New Orleans economy, and there are other legs to support the New Orleans jobs market and home prices. STRs, however, directly inject the risk of the tourism market into every neighborhood of the city where they exist. Demand for houses and high prices exist when owners can earn high returns, but what happens in a downturn? What happens when tourism suddenly slows for one of any number of predictable and unpredictable reasons? What happens is what we have seen in other housing markets dominated by investors and speculators. At the first sign of a reversal, they sell with a vengeance, driving down prices and leaving the long-term residents suffering the consequences of rapidly falling prices and “For Sale” signs everywhere. If the properties are leveraged, they can sit for months and years as they work their way through the mortgage foreclosure (and probably bankruptcy) process, further depressing values.

Real estate speculation is a fact of life. Some people win and some people lose. When a strip mall goes bankrupt on Airline Highway, the negative consequences (other than to the property’s owners and lenders) are limited to having one more eyesore around town. When that speculation, however, is driven by STRs and is occurring in some of the city’s most important and historic residential neighborhoods, the negative consequences of a drop in tourism will go right to the hearts of these neighborhoods, and will be much more severe and widespread than any normal downturn.

3) Weekly bachelor parties are more than a nuisance. They represent a real loss of value for the neighbors.
Many of the comments presented to the CPC and the City Council on this issue have dealt with the horror stories of late night parties and the problems that occur when out-of-towners believe that they can freely extend the revels of Bourbon Street to the residential neighborhood where they have rented a house for the weekend. The problems go far beyond loss of sleep, frustration with the inability of an under-staffed NOPD to deal with noise issues, and the absence of a private right of action to move against the owners of the offending properties. They represent a real loss of value to anyone attempting to sell an impacted home to anyone other than an STR operator. (I do not know whether the failure to disclose a nearby nuisance STR in a real estate declaration has been tested in a Louisiana court, but I am fairly certain it would be actionable in other jurisdictions.)

The logical outcome is that once an STR opens on a block, the only informed sales that would not be negatively impacted by the existence of the STR would be those to another STR operator. As already noted, however, such a sale would be prohibited if density limitations were put in place as part of an attempt to make STRs politically palatable.

This points again to the utter fallacy of putting any faith in density limitations. The idea that the CPC and the City Council would not be inundated with requests for exceptions, and that many of those requests would be granted, simply ignores political reality. That assumes, of course that the many illegal operators of STRs would even apply for exemptions to the density limits. The reality is that the city has failed for years to deal with illegal STRs. Based on this history, it is reasonable to expect that any density limits would be ignored or gutted in a few years.

keepneighborhoodsIn conclusion, the adoption of a legal STR framework for residential neighborhoods, particularly for non-owner occupied structures, would have tremendous and largely irreversible negative impacts on the fundamental character of the city for years to come. Ignoring the quality of life issues, the economics alone will lead to a further hollowing out of the city’s full-time residents. Homeowners will see that the rational action is to sell. They would avoid both the higher property taxes and the risk of a speculative bubble bursting with downturn in the tourism industry.

Part Two
AirBNB is not like Uber
It has often been argued that AirBNB and similar operations are nothing more than Uber for houses, that they are simply one part of an irreversible movement toward a shared economy where technology brings together the buyers and sellers of various services. At their best, such arguments are facile and do not stand up to even a modest amount of economic scrutiny. At their worst, they are a bald-faced attempt to direct attention away from what is illegal activity by saying that it is no different from what everyone else is doing in other areas of the economy. In reality, the only similarity between Uber and AirBNB is that both rely heavily on computers and smart phones.

Uber is an example of what the Austrian-American economist Joseph Schumpeter described as “creative destruction”. The idea is that in a capitalist system, economic growth occurs when innovators put their money behind new ideas for goods and services. While the creative process is the key for creating new markets and new opportunities, it comes at the cost of destroying old products and services, and the capital invested in delivering those old goods and services.

A prime example is Blockbuster versus Netflix. Blockbuster invested huge sums in brick and mortar stores and an inventory of video tapes, and later DVDs, to fill the shelves in those stores. It had a large complement of employees to man the cash registers and stock those shelves. Along came Netflix with the idea that people could go to their computers, select what titles they wanted to see, and have the DVDs delivered a few days later by the postal carrier. Immediately successful, the service Netflix created began the destruction of the hundreds of millions of dollars Blockbuster had invested in its system. Later, when Netflix switched to streaming content, it effectively destroyed the capital Netflix itself had invested in DVDs and its mail order business.

In Uber’s case, it challenged the existing way of summoning a taxi, as well as introducing a model that matched supply and pricing to peak periods of demand. Uber was challenging the economic model of the taxi business, but, more importantly, it challenged the local regulatory framework for taxis that existed in each of the cities where it sought to operate. Its success has come in exposing and differentiating between those regulations that were necessary for the public’s protection and those regulations that merely existed to protect the status quo. After all, until Uber, the method of summoning a cab outside a hotel had not really changed since the 1800s. This is Schumpeter’s creative destruction process at work.

The key difference between Uber and AirBNB (and similar companies) is that there is nothing fundamentally illegal about the service Uber provides. Paying someone to take you in his or her car from Point A to Point B is not inherently illegal, provided appropriate licensing requirements are met. The only ones harmed by the Uber innovation are those invested in the old ways of doing business.

In contrast, AirBNB and similar services are providing technology platforms that offer services that are fundamentally illegal. The regulations of which AirBNB facilitates the violation are not there to protect capital invested in the hotel industry. Rather AirBNB is facilitating, for a profit, the violation of zoning laws that were enacted to protect individual homeowners from this type of commercial activity. If the only harm was to the established hotels and legal bed and breakfast establishments, it could be argued that AirBNB is just another example of Schumpeter’s creative destruction. However, the true harm and destruction is to the residents of the neighborhoods disrupted by the illegal short-term rentals. The residents of these neighborhoods do not have capital at risk in the hospitality industry like Marriott or Hilton. Rather the capital they have at risk is in homes that they trusted would be protected by zoning laws and the enforcement powers of the city government. It appears that trust was misplaced.

Therefore, AirBNB has nothing to do with Uber or Schumpeter’s growth through creative destruction, but is simply a case of making a fast buck at the expense of someone else by facilitating an illegal activity. The closest parallel to AirBNB is not Uber, but hiring prostitutes with Craig’s list.

Sincerely,
Emile J. BrinkmannNO-short-term-rentals

 

 

 

 

TODAY, Tuesday, June 14, at 1:30 p.m., the City Planning Commission will propose a CZO amendment to allow all categories of short-term rentals, and make short-term rentals permitted and conditional uses in all neighborhoods. The CPC Staff Preliminary Report makes these and other recommendations, and has little information on enforcement mechanisms to control and penalize illegal operators.
For information on today’s meeting and a link to the Preliminary Staff Report, please use the link, below – short-term rentals appear as agenda item 9.
http://cityofno.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php
Call the CPC at (504) 658-7033 before you go to make sure the vote will take place today and that there will be time for public input.
If you are able, please attend the 1:30 p.m. today, Tuesday, June 14 CPC meeting in City Council Chambers to voice your opinion. Thank you.

Preliminary Staff Report

Jay Brinkmann is the retired Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Research and Education at the Mortgage Bankers Association where he worked on a wide range of issues impacting single-family, commercial and multifamily real estate finance. His team handled economic forecasting, responding to regulatory and legislative issues impacting the mortgage industry, and benchmarking the operational efficiency and profitability of the mortgage divisions of commercial banks and independent mortgage companies.

Jay is a native of New Orleans, but began his career on Capitol Hill as the press secretary to U.S. Rep. David C. Treen. He then served as Treen’s deputy chief of staff when Treen was elected governor. He worked in commercial banking at what was then Louisiana National Bank/Premier National Bank in Baton Rouge, and was on the business school faculty at the University of Houston where he specialized in financial institution regulation and energy markets. Immediately prior to joining Mortgage Bankers Association, he worked in the portfolio strategy group at Fannie Mae.

He has published articles on bank regulation and housing finance in various academic journals and on the op-ed pages of The Wall Street Journal and the American Banker. He was frequently quoted in print and electronic news outlets on real estate finance topics, has appeared on the news shows of all of the major broadcast and cable networks, and has testified before the US House and Senate banking committees. Jay holds a Ph.D. in finance from Purdue University, an MBA from Tulane University and a BA in International Affairs from The George Washington University. He currently serves at the US representative on the executive committee of the International Union of Housing Finance, a 100-year old organization dedicated to housing issues around the world.

He returned home as a full time resident to New Orleans in 2014 after a 40-year absence, intending to spend his time being a grandfather, and renovating an old home. He has instead found his time increasingly occupied by being a volunteer for various public policy and community service projects.

***

Lisa Amoss writes, “This is a problem that is rapidly spiraling out of control. While, in our post-Katrina recovery and rebuilding mode, we haven’t been paying attention, our neighborhood (and many others) have been invaded by short-term rentals and they are drastically changing our character and culture. I am NOT talking about neighbors renting out rooms in the homes they occupy, nor about anyone occasionally renting out the entire home they occupy for Jazz Fest while they are out of town. I am talking about developers coming in and buying up multiple houses, then renting them out as a business venture. These are hotels in residential neighborhoods. They are creating parking and noise problems on our residential blocks, and they are helping to drive up housing prices so that young families cannot afford to buy homes here any more. Our neighborhood is becoming increasingly occupied by transients who have no vested interest in keeping this a vibrant, diverse and safe place to live. If your block has not yet experienced this, there are many in FSJ that have. And it’s changing faster than you can imagine. ”

Cynthia Scott writes, “The ‘hotel’ on my block has now graduated to an events rental venue. Last week, for 3 or 4 days running, the space was rented to someone from Tales of the Cocktail for a daily party from early afternoon to 7 pm each day, with a DJ blasting extremely loud hip hop and other music and a constant stream of people being ferried from the CBD to the location via Uber. A week or two earlier the space was rented for the day to a HUUUUUGE (to paraphrase a certain candidate) birthday party which drew people from all over the city, with cars racing up and down our one-way street and parking in people’s driveways. They departed by sundown, so neither of these rentals could be considered a “home rental” by any definition.

An open letter to the Tales of the Cocktail Community regarding the effects of Short Term Rentals in New Orleans

Dear friends,

This open letter is not about Air…BnB as such, but about the challenge of supporting your industry and community amidst new paradigms of travel and tourism. When Tales of the Cocktail was founded, we deliberately placed the event in July, one of the most difficult months for our local economy, in an effort to help increase revenue for New Orleans’ many hospitality businesses and employees. The hotels, bars, restaurants and thousands of hospitality workers they employ have been grateful for Tales of the Cocktail, and we want to continue to do right by them. In this spirit, we write to you today to help raise awareness about the effect short term rentals, such as AirBnB, are having on residents, business owners, and event producers, like ourselves.

Bar manager at Erin Rose, and former CAP, Rhiannon Enlil was given a notice of eviction last week, after four years in her apartment because her landlord wants to list the property on AirBnB. This is by no means an isolated incident. There are now over 4,316 AirBnBs operating in New Orleans.

“There are a finite number of homes in this city, and the demand is high for workers and residents who keep the economic engine running. If you allow short-term rentals to eat away at that supply, the appeal to live and work in this city diminishes. All of the visitors who use short-term rentals, who want to eat in our restaurants, listen to our live music, drink in our bars… who will serve them if we in the service and entertainment industry cannot afford to live here?”

Rhiannon Enlil
Erin Rose
Newly evicted tenant

This issue is also having a significant impact on the hotels and licenses B&B’s in New Orleans. Hotels are one of the longest standing harbingers of hospitality. They employ hundreds to thousands of people, provide insight and infrastructure to guests, and work with event organizers to facilitate events that would otherwise not be possible, such as Tales of the Cocktail. Every tasting room and seminar we facilitate is done so in a hotel, and it’s hard to imagine where else we could possibly produce so many events within one week. Because of our longstanding relationships with these hotels, we’re able to negotiate special rates for Tales attendees year after year. Hotels are experienced in the practice of hospitality, and legally qualified to accommodate our guests, whereas short term rentals, which are illegal in New Orleans, fundamentally upset residential valuations by introducing unsustainable commercial valuations into residential neighborhoods.

In this spirit, we encourage you to stay with one of our partnering hotels (or even another local hotel if you prefer), but please avoid staying at an AirBnB or other short term rental property that is not legally sanctioned to operate in New Orleans. Each short term rental takes revenue away from our own hospitality industry; if the hotels are operating below projected capacity, staff hours get cut, and employees get laid off. Tales of the Cocktail is one of many organizations in New Orleans working to have these illegal rentals addressed by our city government, but in the meantime, we encourage you to consider the matter for yourself. Everyone wants the best deal they can find, but sometimes the best deal results in an exceptionally rotten deal for everyone else. We employ you: help us keep locals in their homes and guests visiting our city in the many beautiful and hospitable hotels and B&Bs New Orleans has to offer. Thank you for your time and consideration. If you support this effort, please share this post.

Respectfully,

Tales of the Cocktail

Thank you to our partnering hotels: Hotel Monteleone, Royal Sonesta Hotel New Orleans, Ace Hotel New Orleans, AC Hotel New Orleans Bourbon, Bienville House, Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Dauphine Orleans Hotel, Hotel Le Marais, Hotel Mazarin, MOXY NOLA, Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, W New Orleans – French Quarter.

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“Venice, whose world-famous canals are constantly in a precarious condition because of the environment, is now seeing some 22 million visitors per year, which dwarfs the estimated 55,000 people who actually live there. And while many Venetians rely on tourists filling hotels, going for gondola rides, and eating in restaurants to stimulate the local economy, it’s clear that some people would rather the travelers go home.”

The effects of “over visiting” in Venice is reaching a boiling point, so much so that residents are posting signs telling tourists to go away. An independent study projects by 2030 there will be zero locals living in Venice.

http://www.cntraveler.com/story/venice-locals-to-tourists-go-away?mbid=nl_082016_Daily&CNDID=31819853&spMailingID=9388026&spUserID=MTMzNDg1MTk2ODkzS0&spJobID=981661951&spReportId=OTgxNjYxOTUxS0

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When strangers start acting like neighbors… communities are reinvigorated.

by

Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association

General and Board Meetings

Fair Grounds Black & Gold Room

December 10, 2013

 Councilwoman Susan Guidry was our first guest to speak.  She spoke of the Lafitte Greenway bids that were opened today and that the City Council moved an additional $1M to the project for lighting and other items.  Construction should begin next year.  She explained the enforcement procedure. The bike symbols for Esplanade Avenue should be installed by the end of the year.  She is working hard to address the recruitment issues pertaining to the NOPD.  She helped see to it that there would be a total of five recruitment classes this year (2014).   She also worked with Councilwoman Clarkson to have a proposal to drop the domicile requirement for NOPD, NOFD & EMS recruits for one year.  The primary emphasis in the city budget is safety issues.  In response to a question about the Railway proposal she said that it would take 15 years to get it built along with a number of other time intensive issues.  She said that the old Home Depot has been purchased by Rouse’s and will be retail.  There is a continued traffic review with relation to the new Mid-City Market.  Currently the city has only one traffic engineer and in response to that problem, she has budgeted for one additional full time engineer.

 Officer Gill said that there were few complaints this month from the area.  He asked for us to donate money or items to the 1st District Toy Fund.  Toys for Tots is another program the 1st District is working with closely.  They are trying to fund toys for 14 children.  A motion by Dean Burridge to donate $300 to the NOPD 1st District for this purpose passed by unanimous consent.

 Gaye Hamilton from the state Cultural Districts Program addressed the FSJNA cultural district and its two important tax benefits.  Tax exemptions on original art and historic buildings were addressed.  Historic buildings include commercial and residential.  Our district went into effect on July 1st 2013. 

 Heather Pohnan, the representative from Energy Smart, spoke of their low income insulation program.  It offers automatic discounts and rebates.  There are programs for rebates for items such as hot water heaters and appliances.     

 Morgan Clevenger, FTNA President, spoke of the Fairzone Liquor Store issue.  Their attorney has filed in court to overturn the BZA decision.  Sara Stogner, a FSJNA member and attorney, has stepped forward to work pro bono to represent FTNA during this appeal.   

 Election of Board Members.  A motion by Conrad Abadie was made to accept all nominated Executive Board Members by acclamation.  Barabara Ferguson seconded.  The motion all that were nominated passed with 24 votes in favor with one opposed and one abstained.

 Treasurer’s Report was presented by Michael Cohn due to Mona McMahon’s absence.  The report is on file.

 Michael Cohn read a brief statement by Greg Jeanfreau in accepting his incoming term as president.  The statement is on file. 

 Committee Reports.  Brenda London mentioned the membership renewal.  The Landscape Committee is working on placing the large trees we have been seeing on the bayou. Safety Committee Chair Jim Danner asked everyone to keep extra lights on as the Christmas season does have an uptick in property crimes.   Charlie London provided an update on the 1311-13 Vignaud BZA waiver situation.  Michael Cohn spoke on the Re-Bridge Project in that $60K has been provided for in the city budget.  We need to have the bridges repaired this summer and he asked everyone to email their city council members.  Rocky Seydel agreed to help write the CEA for the bridges to be fixed. 

 Linda Landesberg discussed the Refresh Project.  They are trying to raise $18K to build a community garden immediately adjacent to the new Whole Foods, and has asked FSJNA to budget $500 for the project. Linda made a motion to provide $500 for that project.  Dean Burridge seconded.  The motion passed unanimously.

 A motion by Michael to adjourn passed unanimously at 8:09pm

Immediately after the Membership Meeting, Michael Cohn opened his final Board Meeting as president of this neighborhood association.   The item for the evening was the election of fifteen advisors from a slate of twenty candidates.  After a brief discussion and recommendation for Advisory Board member(s) nomination review, the following election took place.

The elected advisors are: Conrad Abadie, Suzanne Accorsi, Matt Amoss, Vincent Booth, Richard Cahn, R. Erich Caufield, Katie Gray, Layla Messkoub, Thea Morgan, Mike Pearce, Jennifer Pearl, Cynthia Scott, Nancy Shepard, Keith Twitchell and Bobby Wozniak.

A motion by Charlie London to pay for the mobile app for the FSJNA website passed unanimously.  A motion to approve the $300 appropriation passed unanimously. 

The minutes are reflected that Michael Cohn has done a wonderful job as president for the past two years. 

A motion to adjourn passed by unanimous consent.

 

When strangers start acting like neighbors… communities are reinvigorated.

Ralph Nader
Meeting card1
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Neighbors are invited to attend the General Membership Meeting on Tuesday, December 10th at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Fair Grounds Black Gold room. The Black Gold room is in the back on the left hand side.

 

Bring Your Non-Perishable Donations for Second Harvest

 

 

Egg Nog and Cookies will be served.

 

FSJNA+Executive+Board+Ballot+-+2014

 

 

 

I.                Guests

·       Officer Kenneth Gill – First District Quality of Life Update

·       Dan Shea – New Orleans Advocate

·       Erik deVries – Cobalt Medical

·       Heather Pohnan – NOLAWise/Energy Smart

 

II.              Election of Executive Board Members – 2014

III.             Treasurer’s Report

IV.            Committee Reports/Updates/Actions

·       Events/Fundraising Committee  – update

·       Membership Outreach Committee – update

·       Landscape Committee – update

·       Public Safety – update

·       Zoning Committee – update

V.              Old Business

·       From Floor 

VI.            New Business

·       Linda Landesberg – BCC Refresh Urban Garden

·       From Floor

VII.           Adjournment

 

 

Postcard from Home

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“At the beach, at the beach,
at Pontchartrain Beach,
You’ll have fun, you’ll have fun,
every day of the week.

You’ll love the thrilling rides,
laugh till you split your sides,
at.., Pontchartrain Beach”.

This postcard courtesy the Linda Burns Collection.

City Removes Tree

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tree-removed-2013july16

A neighbor in the 3200 block of Grand Route Saint John called the City of New Orleans about a dead tree in front of their home.

The tree was dead and full of bees. The City came out and determined that the tree needed to be removed. The Parks and Parkways Department will help with trees on City property. This tree was between the sidewalk and the street. The area between the sidewalk and the street belongs to the City of New Orleans.

The Department of Parks and Parkways encourages tree planting by citizens, but requires citizens to get a free Tree Planting Permit to plant a tree between the sidewalk and curb. Citizens also need to submit plans for the trees and/or shrubs they intend to plant on public property.

For full information and a permit application, see the Tree Planting Permit page from the City of New Orleans Permit & Licenses department. Depending on the location planting location, citizens may also need a Sidewalk Cut Permit.

If you need to contact the City of New Orleans please visit the link below:
https://fsjna.org/contact/federal-government-links/

stump1-3200grsj-2013july16stump-3200grsj-2013july16

Many thanks to the City workers
who did a great job!


entergy-3200grsj-2013july16

Entergy came out after the tree was removed
to make sure all the utilities were safe.


tree-removed-2013july16

City workers left the area clean.

BOAT PARADE JULY 4th

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boat-parade-advocate-2013july4 From the ADVOCATE: “If your mood steers you towards a New Orleans style party, get your patriotic costume on, grab a boat, kayak or canoe and pop on down to Bayou St. John, where the Krewe of Kolossos will be holding its Second annual July Fourth parade. Or just come to cheer the revelers on. The parade begins at Orleans Avenue and the bayou at 5 p.m. The theme for this year’s parade is, appropriately, Freedom! Visit the Krewe of Kolossos website at kolossos.com for details.” photo courtesy THE ADVOCATE.
boat-parade-2013c

Krewe of Kolossos Bayou Boat Parade
Begins/ends on Bayou St. John at Orleans Avenue.

Thursday, July 4th 2013 | Bayou Boat Parade 5pm-8pm
Along Bayou St John meet at Orleans Avenue.

The Krewe of Kolossos Boat Parade asks that everyone please respect the creatures, ecology, and neighbors by making responsible choices. Do not drive onto the grass next to the bayou. Take your trash home with you. Do not let the wind steal away your napkins and other flighty trash.

NO BEADS at all please. NO glass bottles at all. Please respect this beautiful spot that we are so lucky to utilize. Our right to have this parade is in your hands and choices. Please ensure we are able to have this magnificent experience free of interference.

Kicking out a huge thank you to the brilliantly conceived and mindfully executed Ancient Order of the Krewe of Kolossos. Please join the King & Queen, Skinz & Bonez founder Mardi Claw this July 4 on Bayou St. John for the coronation and celebration.

Exciting news about the thematic motif for this year’s boat parade: “Freedom!” Freedom is the most precious gift we have, and there is no place in the Universe with more freedom per cubic centimeter than in a New Orleans parade!

For more information about the parade, please visit and register on their
facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/403640003076148/?fref=ts.
Also, please take some time to go their website http://www.kolossos.org/ for
the scoop on this historically informed and contemporarily innovative Krewe.

Creatio, Illustrio, Libertas, Communitas!


The very first Krewe of Kolossos boat parade
was held July 4, 2012 on Bayou St. John


photos and video by Charlie London

Volleyball is Fun

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volleyball1

Hello volleyball friends,

We’ll be playing volleyball as usual along Bayou St John this Saturday assuming the weather holds. I think there will be about a 50% chance of rain Saturday, but most of you know the routine… if we get nets set up before it’s raining then we’ll most likely play through any isolated showers. Our schedule is as follows:

9:30am-11:30am Junior League (help us get more kids!)
11:30am-2:00pm Adult “speed” tournament ($5.00/player)
2:00pm-until… Free pick-up games

Don’t forget that we’re also now playing on Tuesday evenings starting at 5pm and going until sundown. Frank is running a doubles tournament Tuesdays ($5.00/player) starting at 6pm, and we may be adding a net of quads tourney action too if there’s demand.

FYI our volleyball group has submitted a proposal to the Sewerage and Water Board to develop sand volleyball courts on vacant land across the street from where we usually set up. A handful of nearby neighbors have raised some concerns about our proposal which has caused the S&WB to consider withdrawing their lease offer. MCVG in the next three weeks will be doing everything it can to convince the S&WB that there is great community benefit to our proposal. We may need you to be present at a meeting or two to show the S&WB that there is in fact great demand for a sand volleyball venue. I will keep you posted when we hear which meetings to attend, but I can say that all S&WB meetings take place at 9am at their headquarters at 625 St Joseph Street (2nd floor conference room). Just to give you a heads up, the Finance Committee will meet June 4, the Executive Committee will meet June 7 and the full board will meet June 19 (see http://www.swbno.org/news_boardmeetings.asp).

On a sad note I must deliver some tragic news. Long-time volleyball player John Martinez passed away yesterday morning at the age of forty-six after a sudden bout with lung cancer. He has inspired a group of nineteen of us to visit his home town of La Ceiba on the Caribbean coast of Honduras, and we will miss him dearly on our trip next week. I will pass along information about funeral services as soon as I hear anything.

See y’all Saturday,

Peter Hickman
Volleyball Soldier
***

Details on Proposed Volleyball Courts


1) The proposed site for sand volleyball courts is more than 200 feet from the edge of Bayou St John on vacant land that runs along side Armstrong’s Supply Company. We would initially build just two courts near Toulouse Street on the side of the property that tends to flood and become muddy. By adding drainage underneath the sand we would be adding value to the property by making it useful for recreation. I’d like to point out that we are not building any permanent structures on the property but instead are converting frequently unusable green space into usable tan space.

2) We recently had a lighting expert give us a quote for lighting two courts. Lights will be focused on the courts from poles on either side of the pair of courts. Lights will be used only when necessary meaning they will only be turned on at sundown and they will immediately be turned off after the conclusion of league play. Leagues will be run Monday through Friday from 6:30pm to 10:30pm for three or four seasons a year but probably not over the dead of winter. Weekend activities hopefully will be concluded during daylight hours so no lights would be necessary Saturday or Sunday. If lights were required on weekends, again they would be used only when absolutely necessary.

3) We have permission to use the parking lots of Armstrong’s Supply Company and Bayou Bicycles after hours. The Mid-City Theatre and post office parking lots may also be available. There is street parking available on both Toulouse Street and Orleans Avenue, and we will designate a portion of the S&WB property for overflow parking. We will have numerous bicycle racks and will offer discounts to players who arrive by nonmotorized vehicle as an incentive to lower the automobile parking burden.

4) We probably will not have a PA system initially as that would require a permanent structure to house the equipment. Eventually, however, we would like to mount speakers on each light pole and, as with the lights themselves, focus sound onto the court. We are well aware of being good neighbors and would keep the volume low. Furthermore, volleyball players need to communicate with each on the court all the time, so for that reason the volume of music would be kept particularly low. The “surround sound” approach to mounting speakers will actually help keep volumes low instead of a single speaker having to blast across the entire space. As for whistles, we do expect to have referees for most of the league play, but I point out that scale matters. For those who thought Coconut Beach was a cacophony, with only two courts there will be much less racket. For the nights and weekends when matches are self-reffed there will be no whistles at all.

5) We have an excellent relationship with Jared Zeller as MCVG was once a part of The MotherShip Foundation. We would only be using a small fraction of the S&WB property, and the Orleans Ave side would be left open for parking or other uses during the Bayou Boogaloo. MotherShip Foundation is actually contemplating making a parking arrangement with Delgado Community College or St Margaret’s Nursing Home in the future and offering free shuttle service to the festival. In other words, the MotherShip Foundation is also cognizant of the parking burden that automobiles exert on the bayou.

6) The Mid-City Volleyball Group was the first to approach City Park in 2007 regarding the development of a sand volleyball facility within the park. Coconut Beach approached City Park in 2011, and a couple of entrepreneurs that call themselves NOLA Beach Volleyball approached City Park in 2012. As far as I know, all three of our groups have been turned down by the City Park leaders who have a MasterPlan that simply doesn’t include volleyball.

There’s one last point I’d like to make. For many years MCVG advocated for a space along the Lafitte Greenway, and there seemed to be a great deal of public support for this. Unfortunately, the space most likely to be dedicated to sand volleyball courts is currently occupied by city facilities such as the sign and signal shop, and the city has no intention of re-locating those businesses any time soon.

Design Workshop suggested that MCVG approach the S&WB about developing land 1-2 blocks from the Greenway that is essentially an extension of the Greenway, and that sounded good to us as it could fulfill our immediate need (we are already an active group, and our numbers are growing each week). We have a dozen letters of support from community organizations, local businesses and national volleyball associations, and we have 443 petition signatures including over 100 from residents in the immediate vicinity of the S&WB land.

Unfortunately, a few vocal critics have caused the S&WB to hesitate with the proceedings, but I truly feel we will be providing a community service [our mission is to create a safe public space in Mid-City where residents can enjoy outdoor activity, reduce stress and build community through the shared experience of playing volleyball]. No matter what happens in the next few weeks with MCVG‘s proposal to the S&WB, there is no doubt that active recreation will be coming to the Lafitte Greenway and people within the corridor will have to adjust to increased activity and parking within their neighborhood.

MCVG has always tried to build coalitions, and we welcome comments from our neighbors.

Yours truly,
Peter Hickman
President of The Mid-City Volleyball Group, www.midcityvolleyball.org
President of Mid-City Youth Volleyball, www.midcityyouthvolleyball.org
***
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***
SANYO DIGITAL CAMERAHello MCVG volleyball players,
Here’s a message from the younger brother of John Martinez, Glenn, who himself is a volleyball player and coach.
hello and thank you for being such a nice human being…i can just know john said the same about you..his funeral services will be at the Gardens of Memories in airline drive from 10am-1pm this saturday the 1st of june prayers in chapel and then his burial…everyone is welcome..thank you and thanks to everyone in midcity volleybal..i know John will be watching your volleyball game in la ceiba from heaven…Godbless

MCVG will still hold it’s normal activities tomorrow, but I personally may head to John’s funeral to represent our group. I’ve attached a photo of John (orange shirt) and his Honduran buddy, Jesus (red shirt), taken during the summer of 2010 during a MCVG pick-up game. It’s how I will remember him. -Peter

Inspirational Leader Gets Praise

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Commander Robert Norton

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. ~John Quincy Adams

May 25, 2013
Dear Bobby:

For the past six years, you have brought the First District out of its Katrina depression into one of the safest communities in New Orleans. There has never been a problem too small or too large that you could not personally respond. Even though you worked all day, you went to all of our crime walks and whatever other little thing we did.

Every police officer in the First District is professional in appearance and demeanor. It’s no accident that the First District has lower crime statistics than many areas in New Orleans: this condition is the result of a cohesive, professional unit of law enforcement officers. You have been a beacon of hope, kindness, and effective law enforcement for the First District.

Although we can be a fussy, picky group of people, you have always dispatched exactly the right Quality of Life Officer for Faubourg St. John. I know of no one who would hesitate to ask or tell Robert Norton anything. You have always responded to our email complaints and questions, phone calls and conversations graciously and attempted to understand our points of view.

Not long ago, you mobilized this entire community to find an armed robber. As vigilant as we were–and we were extremely observant and communicative with each other– we didn’t find him. But we ceased to be targets of opportunity, were able to relate information in a timely fashion that led to the arrest of others, and never heard from the armed robber again.

When Commander Norton asked for tips, everyone looked everywhere and came up with some tips! Actually, you probably got way too many tips. Still, this incident stands out for me as emblematic of our respect and trust in Robert Norton.

Bobby, you have been a unifying presence in a district that likes to be divided into little neighborhoods! You have taught us that we’re all in this together and have illustrated how far a little teamwork can go. Whenever I talk to neighbors in Esplanade Ridge, Treme, and Fairgrounds Triangle, everyone knows you and speaks fondly of working with you and your department to solve real problems.

Although you are leaving, you have made permanent changes in the police-community relationship in the First District. You will bring the same professional and caring spirit to your new post as you continue to be a change agent wherever you go. I will miss you terribly and want you to know if there’s every anything I can do for you, I would be so happy to do so.

Kindest Regards,

Mona McMahon

Keeping New Orleans Beautiful

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photo by Charlie London
rebecca-plants

Ever wonder who takes care of the plants around the P.G.T. Beauregard statue? Meet Rebecca. She works for the State of Louisiana in and around City Park. Rebecca helps keep New Orleans beautiful.

Bayou St. John Wetland Creation Project

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UPDATE: June 23, 2013.
http://theadvocate.com/news/6316273-123/habitat-restoration-project-underway-in

Habitat restoration project underway in Bayou St. John

By AMY WOLD | Advocate staff writer

Water quality improvements and habitat restoration as well as service as an educational tool seem like a heavy load of responsibility for a half-acre marsh restoration project, but that’s what the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation is building on Bayou St. John.

It’s not a huge project, but it’s a great location, said John Lopez, executive director of the foundation.

Work to improve the quality of the bayou running along the edge of City Park in New Orleans has been going on for more than 10 years, he said. Residents of the area, the foundation and others have been working to reconnect this historic bayou with the lake, and recently, some important progress has been achieved.

In December, an old flood-control structure was removed to help facilitate water flow from Lake Pontchartrain to the bayou for the first time in decades, thanks to money and work provided by the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and others.

A newer flood-control structure has been operating on the bayou for about 20 years and the old one wasn’t needed, or even working properly.

Now, in a separate but connected project, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation is starting to use material dredged from the bayou to build a half-acre of marsh on the lake side of the control structure.

We think it will recruit species into the bayou, Lopez said. It also benefits Lake Pontchartrain.

The concrete seawall that runs along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain means there’s no longer a marsh fringe that provides habitat for young aquatic species, such as fish and crabs, he said. Creating some new marsh in this area sets up something unique on the south shore, he said.

We think it will enhance the fisheries and ecology of the lake, Lopez said. It’s not a huge marsh, but it’s a rare habitat now.

There is dredging work underway as part of a water quality project at the bayou. The work is designed to help open up a channel that has silted in. Some of that dredged material will be used to fill large bags, a little larger than typical sandbags.

The bags will be stacked and secured to form the outline of where the material dredged from the bayou will be deposited to create the new marsh area. The next step calls for other dredge material to be pumped into the area between this retaining wall and the bulkhead onshore by Anders Construction, the same company doing the channel dredging, Lopez said.

It’s an opportunity for Environmental Management Solutions LLC, also known as EMS Green, to showcase its Deltalok technology while helping to create the marsh platform.

For the past three years, we’ve been working diligently to get on some of these coastal projects,” said one of the group’s three partners, Jay Loprano. Although EMS Green has done a few self-funded projects, this will be the first time the company will be building a project for another party, he said.

The ultimate funding goal is for the foundation to raise $100,000 to cover the cost of the project’s construction and maintenance while also developing educational programs, which could help demonstrate marsh restoration and ecology.

On Friday, the foundation received a $68,000 donation from Kinder Morgan, a company working with the foundation as it builds a pipeline across Lake Pontchartrain.

There are some other financial commitments that have been made, Lopez said, but the Kinder Morgan gift is by far the largest received to date and will help cover construction and maintenance for a few years.

The Restore the Earth Foundation will be working with the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation this fall in planting the newborn marsh area with grasses to help hold everything in place.

In the meantime, the foundation is looking for volunteers to help out with the project in the coming weeks so as to keep construction costs down.

For instance, anyone who is able to do heavy manual labor, such as moving 40-pound sandbags, is asked to contact the foundation at saintjohnwetland@….

The work should be completed, weather permitting, in four to six weeks.

http://theadvocate.com/news/6316273-123/habitat-restoration-project-underway-in
***

Click the link below to donate to the
Bayou St. John Wetland Creation Project

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bayou-st-john-wetland-creation-project/contributions/new
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waterfall-dam-viewofbayoufromstructure

The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF) is excited to announce the Bayou Saint John Wetland Creation Project, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to build ½ acre of native marsh in the city of New Orleans. LPBF is a non-profit group that has been working for southeast Louisiana’s people and environment since 1989 under the banner, “Save Our Lake, Save Our Coast.” http://saveourlake.org

We came up with the plan to build wetlands as an add-on to a dredging project that was already scheduled for this spring. This opportunity came up quickly, and we have scrambled to draft plans, secure permits, and find partners before construction starts in mid-May 2013.

We are reaching out to everyone who loves New Orleans and cares about the vanishing Louisiana coast. Together we can rebuild a patch native habitat and bring some nature back to the Big Easy.

To learn more about the project, visit: http://saveourlake.org/PDF-documents/our-coast/BSJ/BSJ-Wetland-Project-May2013.pdf

What we need:

We feel so strongly about this project that we committed to it without having all funding in place. We are raising money to cover construction costs, and then to fund ongoing maintenance and monitoring. If we raise more than we need for immediate costs, we will do more scientific research and add signage, wildlife viewing access and other improvements. Our ultimate goal is to make the Bayou St. John marsh a destination for education, recreation, bird watching and fishing.

This project will give lots of benefit for relatively low cost. Since it piggybacks on an existing dredge project, the earth moving is free. Construction uses all local materials and new technology that is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than traditional methods. Several partners are providing material and technical support, including the Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Restore the Earth Foundation.

Why are we so excited about this project?

Building wetlands where there is now a concrete wall will benefit the local wildlife, the city’s residents and visitors, and the imperiled Louisiana coast.

•Improves aquatic habitat for fish, crab and waterfowl.
•Traps sediment and improves water quality.
•Protects adjacent bulkhead and levee.
•Enhances the historic urban waterway and the Lafitte Corridor.
•Provides a living classroom and wildlife viewing in an urban area.
•Demonstrates new nature-based technologies that can help restore the Louisiana coast.
Every dollar donated will go directly into constructing, maintaining and enhancing these wetlands, and then studying them scientifically and developing them as a resource. This is an opportunity to help build something tangible that you can visit to experience nature in the city. The habitat you help build will support more birds for you to see and fish for you to catch.

Please consider helping build the Bayou Saint John wetlands. Tell everyone who loves New Orleans about this opportunity to restore its environment and support its culture.

https://fsjna.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/BayouStJohnWetlandCreationProject.pdf

Partners:

http://www.restoretheearth.org/
http://emsgreen.com/
http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/
http://saveourlake.org
***

http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2013/05/new_wetlands_near_mouth_of_bay.html

New wetlands near mouth of Bayou St. John will lead to more fish in area
Todd Masson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation is planning to install two sections of wetlands near the mouth of Bayou St. John that will provide nursery grounds for fish in the historic bayou.

The project is part of an on-going effort to improve water quality in Bayou St. John and reconnect it with Lake Pontchartrain.

The Orleans Levee Board has already removed a dysfunctional gate near Robert E. Lee, and will next week begin dredging the bayou north of that site. As part of the foundation’s plan, the dredged material will be placed into Deltalok bags that will stabilize the shoreline and provide the base for the new wetlands.

“It’s going to be very cool,” the foundation’s John Lopez said. “Anglers will be able to cruise the dredged channel in a kayak, and cast to the wetlands along the bank.”

The constructed wetlands will be on either side of the bayou between the current water-control structure and the Lakeshore Drive bridge.

The water-control structure has sluice gates that will allow water to flow through once the channel is dredged, but the large gates currently remain closed. Lopez said that will change soon.

“The gates will be opened as long as a storm isn’t threatening, and we believe we’ll see recruitment of fish, crabs and shrimp into the bayou,” he said.

The new wetlands will give the juvenile fish, baitfish and crustaceans a place to grow, Lopez said.

“It will be a lot more productive than if you had just flat mud banks,” he said.

Andy Baker, a coastal program scientist for the foundation, agreed.

“This is going to lead to a noticeable improvement of fishing in the bayou,” he said.

The foundation is hoping to raise money to complete the project. Lopez said the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has already purchased the Deltalok bags, but it will cost $28,000 to pay the contractor doing the dredging to fill them.

“We have a good bit of that, but we’re looking to raise the rest,” Lopez said. There is also a cost to maintain the wetlands.

Dredging the bayou and filling the bags should be completed within the next few weeks, Lopez said, but the major part of the wetlands planting won’t occur until October. He said the soil needs time to compact, and the plants will do better if they’re placed in the ground during the cool months of the year.

The foundation has created a website to receive donations from residents who support the project. The address is www.indiegogo.com/projects/bayou-st-john-wetland-creation-project.

http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2013/05/new_wetlands_near_mouth_of_bay.html
***

Click the link below to donate to the
Bayou St. John Wetland Creation Project

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bayou-st-john-wetland-creation-project/contributions/new