Blighted Beginnings

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Article and photos by Charlie London

UPDATE FROM Nov 18 Blight Stat meeting:

Mayor Landrieu organized a blight sweep in the five block radius around Bunny Friend playground and William Franz school. Agencies participating were Code Enforcement, Environmental Health, Safety and Permits, NORD, and NOPD Quality of Life Officers.

The sweep produced 131 structures cited, 18 lots cited, 6 lots cleared, and one demolition.

Katherine Prevost – 9th Ward activist, City Services Director Ann Duplessis, District D Councilmember Cynthia Morrell, and Winston Reid of Code Enforcement celebrate the new aggressive blight eradication plan in New Orleans at the photo opportunity today on Desire Street in New Orleans. Photo by Charlie London

Click here to learn how you can help fight blight.
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New Orleans’ Mayor Mitch Landrieu entered office with many formidable tasks. One of those tasks is to step up efforts to eradicate blight. With 60,000 blighted properties in New Orleans, that’s no small feat.

In a photo opportunity today, the Mayor, Councilmember Morrell, and Winston Reid, the Director of Code Enforcement announced that the city has dedicated funds to eradicating blight.

Winston Reid should be commended for his efforts to date. With only 12 inspectors for 60,000 blighted properties under the previous administration, Code Enforcement’s ability to fight blight was severely limited.

Mr Reid described the situation this way, “It was like being handed a BB gun to ward of a herd of charging elephants”.

As of November 1, 2010, Mayor Landrieu has promised the people of New Orleans that Mr. Reid will be armed with more than a “BB gun” to fight off the herd of blighted properties we have in New Orleans.

ONE TEAM. ONE VOICE. ONE FIGHT. ONE CITY.



Brandon Banks -neighbor, along with Katherine Prevost – 9th Ward activist, and Mayor Landrieu review Ms. Prevosts records on the blighted property next to Brandon Banks pictured in the background.

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“I’ve held community meetings in every council district and have visited nearly every neighborhood since taking office and one thing is clear– residents have been ready for this city to get serious about addressing blight,” Landrieu said. “It threatens our safety, the value of our homes and our quality of life. When we announced our comprehensive strategy in September, we put owners of blighted property on notice to get into compliance. We’re here today to tell you that today is the day. Get your properties into compliance.”

“This is a great opportunity for the residents of the Bunny Friend neighborhood, which comprises both Districts C and D,” said District D Councilmember Cynthia Hedge-Morrell. “There is a tremendous amount of rebuilding going on in the area and the sweep will certainly enhance this development.”

“Blight eradication is one of the most important steps we can take toward reducing our city’s crime rate and making our streets and neighborhoods safer,” said City Council Vice President Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson. “Removing blighted properties from our neighborhoods is also key to bringing people home to New Orleans, to invest in both residential and commercial property.”

In keeping with Mayor Landrieu’s commitment to place-based development, many code enforcement sweeps will be targeted within a five-block radius of open schools, playgrounds, and high-traffic commercial corridors. Mayor Landrieu’s goal is to inspect over 1600 properties per month.

Mayor Landrieu has committed approximately $16 million in his 2011 budget proposal, which is subject to City Council approval, to fight blight.

In addition to aggressive enforcement and inspections, the City has committed to utilizing Sheriffs sales for property disposition since they are the most cost-effective tools for seizing blighted properties and returning them to commerce. The City is in the process of coordinating blight-tracking information systems housed in various city departments. Deputy CAO Ann Duplessis is in the process of consolidating the two departments which oversee blight enforcement—Code Enforcement and Environmental Health—into a unified, streamlined Code Enforcement & Hearings Bureau. Mayor Landrieu also hired a Director of Blight Policy & Neighborhood Revitalization to oversee all blight strategy development. Additionally, the city will convene monthly CitiStat accountability meetings with key staff, which will be open to the public, to monitor progress in meeting citywide blight goals. The first BlightStat meeting will be held at 8AM on Thursday, November 4, at City Hall.

Based on new data from the U.S. Postal Service and Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, it is estimated that there are an estimated 58,000 blighted and/or vacant addresses in New Orleans today. This estimate—which accounts for the highest percentage of blighted property in the country– includes both residential and commercial property.

“We must continue to reduce blighted properties at a steady pace to spur economic growth and provide neighborhood stability,” concluded Landrieu. “It’s going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach to successfully tackle the level of blight we have in New Orleans. We know our strategy will help catalyze neighborhood revitalization and economic development across our beloved city, and we are asking all New Orleanians to join us in this effort.”

2nd Line Against Crime

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Tonight’s Parade of Peace was an overwhelming success.

Hundreds walked with 1st District N.O.P.D. officers and many more
came out of their homes to see what was happening.

Two bands showed up. The Warren Easton High School band led
the charge and the Young Pinstripes followed the crowd.

The two bands got together for an impromptu performance after the
walk while participants danced. Smiles were abundant.

The Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association was well represented
with 7 members joining the march. In attendance were Ali James,
Dean Burridge, Pushpa Ramaiah, Mike Luke, Jim Danner, and Brenda
and Charlie London.

The Parade of Peace turned into a 2nd Line Against Crime. If you missed this 2nd Line Against Crime, you really missed a good one!

The Parade of Peace was an opportunity to bring diverse interests together walking toward a common goal – peace in our city.

The community sent a clear message that the 7th Ward supports the N.O.P.D. 1st District’s work to make New Orleans a more peaceful place.


Photos and video by Charlie London

NOPD+Newsletter+November+5,+2010

NOLA Gondola

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A recent visitor to New Orleans posted the video above on YouTube. CLICK HERE to learn more about NOLA GONDOLA.

You can read more about NOLA Gondola and it’s owner Robert in the link below:
http://www.nolagondola.com/aboutus.html

The rides begin at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, until dusk. It costs $15.00 per person for a 20 minute tour and $59.00 for the 40 minute Romanza Tour for two. The “Gondamore Pour Deux” is a 60 minute private cruise for two, with live music. Complimentary baskets of cheese and crackers are provided, along with warm blankets ice, ice buckets,and wine glasses. You must provide your own beverages, and reservations are recommended.

Parkway President

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The President and his family ordered their lunch at the counter amid a staring crowd; President Obama had a shrimp po-boy and alligator gumbo. The President on Sunday visited Parkway Bakery en route to a speech at Xavier University. Photo and info from the Times Picayune.

One of the many reasons world leaders, movie stars and tv personalities love New Orleans is generally we treat everyone the same. When the President’s order was ready at Parkway Bakery, the employee behind the counter announced, “Barack, order ready” just as they would for any other customer.

Fairgrounds Patrol

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by Charlie London

Fairgrounds Patrol


Enhanced NOPD Patrol

Mobile phone numbers of Enhanced Patrol officers:

(504) 251-0276
(504) 251-0111

As part of the ordinance allowing the New Orleans Fair Grounds to expand their operations to allow for slot machines the Fair Grounds is required to fund enhanced NOPD patrols in areas surrounding their facility. The patrol consists of two patrol cars operating 24 hours per day 7 days a week. The officers in the cars will have mobile phones and can be contacted directly by residents in the patrol area. The patrol area is defined as the area bounded by Desaix Boulevard to Moss Street to Ursulines Avenue to North Broad Avenue to St. Bernard Avenue to Desaix Boulevard.

The Fair Ground enhanced patrol began August 19th 2007.

Mobile phone numbers of Enhanced Patrol officers:

(504) 251-0276
(504) 251-0111

Please keep in mind that this patrol is in addition to regular police patrols. We should still call 911 in case of emergencies. After calling 911 it might make sense to call one of the numbers above.

Map of the Enchanced Patrol Area:

FairGroundsPatrolMap

Simple Crime Fighting Tips

Please use these tips to eliminate the opportunity for a crime in your home or on your street.

• Light Places Discourage Crime/Dark Places Encourage Crime: Leave a light on at your front and back door all night. Set timers on lights when you are away. Remove dead limbs and bushes from in front of windows. Report all street lights out as soon as you notice them. Call 311, and remember to get a service request number. When you call, give the pole number and the address of the house closest to the pole.

• Make sure you have your house number close to the front and back doors of your house.
Dark numbers on light trim are easiest to read. During an emergency, this could save precious moments.

• Install a peep hole in your exterior doors if you do not have glass around the door. NEVER open the door to a stranger. Call 911 if you are suspicious of a caller.

• Add deadbolt locks to all of your doors, particularly those with glass near the doorknob. Remove the key from the lock. If you want to keep a key close to the door for emergencies, make sure it is not reachable from the glass panels in the door.

• Make sure to notify your neighbors when you are going to be away. Set timers on both indoor and outdoor lights. Arrange for papers, mail and flyers to be taken in, and ask neighbors to place some trash in your super can and wheel it to the alley on trash day. Arrange for the lawn to be mowed while you are away. These simple steps can greatly reduce your chances of becoming the next burglary victim.

• If you have alarm systems in your car and home, use them. If you have an alarm system in your home, and you have a skylight, make sure to have the skylight wired to the alarm system. This is a new way of entering homes without being detected.

• Leave your emergency numbers with a neighbor, and leave a copy by the kitchen phone, if you have one.

• Do not leave lawn mowers, bicycles or baby strollers in the yard unattended. • NEVER leave your purse in a shopping cart at the market, in your desk at work unattended, or on the back of your chair in public. Not only will your money and credit cards be used, but you could loose your personal identity. Personal identity theft is the fastest growing crime in our area.

• Shred all documents that contain any personal information about you or your family members (bank statements, credit card receipts, etc.) to avoid being a victim of Identity Theft.

• Never take valuables to the Gym with you. Even lockers that are locked can be the scene of a theft.

• Check your surroundings before getting out of your car on your way into the house, and out of the house on your way into your car.

• Remove all valuables from sight in your car, especially GPS, iPods, CDs, cameras, laptops, purses and money. If you must leave something in your car, store it in the trunk. When valet parking, leave only your car key.

• NEVER leave your car running without you in it. Besides inviting a car theft, it is also illegal.

• If you witness a crime, write down the details as soon as possible, and keep the paper in a safe place. It could mean the difference between a conviction and an acquittal. Call 911 and read from your sheet.

• Get to know your neighbors. If you know who belongs on your block, it is easier to spot someone who does not belong. Report suspicious behavior to the police. If you suspect it is a crime, call 911. Use the words “Possible Crime in Progress.” Get involved in your community. Apathy is the partner of crime.

SLOW DOWN!

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info gathered by Charlie London

Learn more about ways to reduce speeding in Faubourg St. John in the link below

http://peds.org/?s=speeding

Much of the threat to pedestrians comes from speeding cars. Fortunately, you’ve got plenty of ways to encourage drivers to slow down. Take action!

  1. Spread the word. Neighborhood websites, e-newsletters, Facebook Pages and twitter are all great ways to reach out.
  2. Use yard signs to remind drivers to slow down. Pick up signs at DRIVE LIKE YOUR KIDS LIVE HERE — or use plywood or laminated poster-board to create your own. Keep it simple.  Short messages and big letters work best.
  3. Set the pace. Driving at or below the speed limit forces others to do the same.
  4. Park your car in the street, and ask your neighbors to do the same. Narrow travel lanes prompt drivers to slow down.
  5. Install radar signs that show drivers how fast they’re going.
  6. Reduce speed limits. If the speed limit where you live is over 30 mph, ask transportation agencies to change it.
  7. Take back your street. Walk, ride a bicycle, sit on the front porch — and put some toys in your front yard.   Reminding motorists that streets are for people encourages them to slow down.

Bump outs like this one make crossing the street safer for pedestrians. And, in the middle of the street is a brick section with a gradual rise on either side. This helps slow traffic.
Bump outs like this one make crossing the street safer for pedestrians. And, in the middle of the street is a brick section with a gradual rise on either side. This helps slow traffic.

How a Dutch neighborhood pioneered an innovation now sweeping the globe

TRAFFIC CALMING HAS SWEPT THE WORLD over the past 20 years. It’s based on the rather simple idea that cars and trucks don’t have exclusive ownership of our streets. Streets are shared public space also belonging to people on foot and bicycles, in baby strollers and wheelchairs. Reminding motorists of this fact, traffic calming uses design features such as narrowing roads or elevating crosswalks to slow traffic and assert pedestrian’s right to cross the street.

This idea has altered the literal landscape of urban life in the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Germany and Australia as people move about their cities with more ease and pleasure—and it’s now taking off in other parts of the world.

bumpout1THE ORIGINS OF THIS INGENIOUS IDEA CAN BE TRACED TO DELFT, NETHERLANDS, where residents of one neighborhood were fed up with cars racing along their streets, endangering children, pets and peace of mind. One evening they decided to do something about it by dragging old couches, planters and other objects out into the roadway and positioning them in such a way that cars could pass but would have to slow down. Police soon arrived on the scene and had to admit that this project, although clearly illegal, was a really good idea. Soon, the city itself was installing similar measures called woonerfs (Dutch for “living yards”) on streets plagued by unruly motorists.

One can only imagine the response of city officials if these neighbors had meekly come to city hall to propose the idea of partially blocking the streets; they would have been hooted right out of the building. But by taking direct action, they saved their neighborhood and changed the face of cities around the world.
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WELCOME!

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WELCOME TO FAUBOURG ST. JOHN!

If you want to receive info about the neighborhood, you can sign up for Charlie’s Neighborhood News at

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/charlies-neighborhood-news

In addition to Charlie’s Neighborhood News, I also provide several websites for the neighborhood.  If you would like to sign up for updates about what is going on in the neighborhood, you can click on the invitation to Faubourg St. John at NEXTDOOR.com in the link

below:

https://nextdoor.com/invite/tukwgpjxjfscqhpdmgpz

You can learn more about NEXTDOOR in the link below:

https://fsjna.org/nextdoor/

I also do the following:

Charlies Neighborhood News on Facebook:

https://facebook.com/faubourgstjohn

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Neighborhood News on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/faubourgstjohn

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Faubourg St. John on NEXTDOOR:

https://faubourgstjohn.nextdoor.com

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Charlie’s Neighborhood News:

http://www.katrinafilm.com/

and

https://katrinafilm.wordpress.com/

Faubourg St. John at https://www.fsjna.org

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I’ve done fsjna.org since 2006.  https://www.fsjna.org has a lot of information about the neighborhood, its history, and what is going on.   It’s a little harder to navigate now because the neighborhood association prefers a static page showing how to join.   But, just use the search box or the drop down menus if you would like to find something.

The Yahoo Group started and maintained by Conrad Abadie since 2000 can be found at fsjna.com   The Yahoo Group is part of your dues.

The meetings are the first Tuesday of every month at the Deutsches Haus at 1700 Moss

All the stuff I provide is free to anyone.

I’ve done the website at https://fsjna.org for over 10 years.  If you are tech savvy and would like to take it over, please do.

I will now inundate you with more information that you would probably like but, here we go…

Click on the link below for more about the Faubourg

St. John Neighborhood Association

about

What would our neighborhood be if the Faubourg St.

John Neighborhood Association had never been born?

Check out my research in the link below:

It’s a Wonderful Life!

Neighborland is another place to exchange ideas.  I

am not affiliated with Neighborland…

Neighborland

If you like to imbibe, there are several great places to

do so in the neighborhood.

Check out the link below:

DRINKS

For your dining pleasure, please check out the link below:

DINING

Learn more about the GROW DAT farm in City Park:

GROW DAT

What Makes a Neighborhood Great?

Check out the link below:

https://fsjna.org/2012/04/what-makes-a-neighborhood-great/

I put together a post about some of the history of the neighborhood in the link below.

Click on my photo of the big dome on the bayou in the

link below for a video I made about the neighborhood.

history

I put together some maps of Faubourg St. John.

Flood map, neighborhood boundary map, voting

precincts and more in the link below:

maps

Did you know that streetcars used to run throughout Faubourg St. John?

Check out my research and Gary Parky’s map (which he gave to me) in the link below:

https://fsjna.org/2013/04/streetcars-in-faubourg-st-john-1927/

Want to know who Lived in Your House in 1940?

Check out the link below:

Who Lived in Your House in 1940?

Keep Faubourg St. John beautiful.  More in the link:

https://fsjna.org/2016/01/you-dont-have-to-be-80-to-do-this/

Do you need something from your government?

Check out the link below:

https://fsjna.org/2012/06/i-need-something-from-government/

Take a Tour Right Here

Tour Faubourg St. John

The Bayou Boogaloo

https://fsjna.org/2014/05/the-bayou-boogaloo-what-is-it-good-for/

Are you ready for hurricane season?

Are You Ready?

Storm Drains Should be Cleaned Regularly

FREE Protection

There is so much more information that I have provided at https://fsjna.org

Use the search box for things you might be interested in.

Join NEXTDOOR and Charlie’s Neighborhood News to receive regular updates about what is happening in, around, and about Faubourg St. John

WELCOME!

Your neighbor,

Charlie London

charliesneighborhoodnews@gmail.com

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PAY ONLINE HERE:
https://fsjna.org/links/

Thank you so much for your vote of confidence in the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association with your recent membership.

For any questions about your membership status please contact Conrad Abadie at conrad@conradabadie.com

Thank you for your dedication to the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association. Don’t miss out on what’s happening, check out Faubourg St. John on Facebook and Twitter.

Visit https://www.fsjna.org/ regularly.

You might be surprised to see how often https://fsjna.org/ is updated with news and information just for you.

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Got a streetlight out?

Send the tag number on the pole and the closest street address to info@fsjna.org
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Did you know that bandit signs are illegal? You know the ones… “we buy houses”, “rooms for rent” ad nauseum. Any citizen can legally remove any bandit sign placed in the neutral ground or on utility poles.

There are many avenues to advertise legally,
don’t let bandits advertise illegally on our avenues.
The same goes for political signs. They are allowed two days before the election until two days after. After that they are just adding to the blight problem and are trash. Political signs are not supposed to be put up over two days before the election.

Read more about bandit signs and how you can help fight blight in the link below:
https://fsjna.org/steps-to-stomp-out-blight/
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Check out FSJNA dot ORG to find out what’s happening in Faubourg St. John!
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Check out Charlie’s Neighborhood News for more…
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/charlies-neighborhood-news
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For a community calendar, please visit
http://katrinafilm.com/

Schools

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Cabrini High School is a private, all-girls, Catholic school which educates the minds and hearts of students in grades 8 – 12. Since its founding, Cabrini High School has been a home for its young ladies. More than 3,000 alumnae have walked these halls, sat in these classrooms, worshiped in this chapel. More than 3,000 alumnae have bonded with teachers and staff who cared about them and could call them each by name.

A Cabrinian education is rooted in the philosophy of Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American citizen Saint who believed education should be of the mind and the heart. Mother Cabrini believed that education should be a relationship between the student and those whose care they have been entrusted.

Cabrini’s goal is simple: to develop women who live the core values of respect, excellence, and service not only during their high school years, but throughout their lives. We take that goal very seriously. It’s not just a slogan painted on walls or on our stationary.

Please click on Cabrini logo for more information.

McDonogh City Park Academy believes data driven instruction and meaningful engaged learning are two of the most important strategies which contribute to student achievement. Working with parents and community members, we provide a high-quality educational and enrichment program, which meets the needs of all our students at their respective academic levels and promotes high principles of character and citizenship.

Our teachers are highly qualified, passionate, and inspirational. We believe all students can learn and are committed to educating the “whole” child. Therefore, we provide our students with learning experiences which help them develop academically, emotionally, physically, and socially.

Please click on the City Park Academy logo for more information.

Barbers and Salons

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Lux Salon Blends
3141 Ponce de Leon
New Orleans, LA 70119

A cozy, little day-spa located in the heart of New Orleans. Services include manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing and massage. We happily accommodate bridal parties and groups, please contact us for more information.

(504) 301-2953 phone
(504) 947-5217 fax
info@lux-salonblends.com

Our hours:
Tuesday through Saturday
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.*

*Earlier and later appointments are available…Don’t be shy! Just ask us and we will try to accommodate you however we are able.

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HEADQUARTERS
1101 North Broad Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 382-9875


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Headquarters is an upscale hair styling establishment.
They style hair for men and ladies. The place stays busy with customers waiting for one of the three chairs both times I visited.

Headquarters is open from 8 am until 8 pm

Mr. Jamal McCoy is the owner and can be reached at 304-4087 if you’d like to learn more about this new Faubourg St. John business.
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Photo by Pushpa Ramaiah

Just a few months ago, Subway opened up at 1153 North Broad. Not long after, Headquarters opened up at 1101 North Broad.

Pushpa Ramaiah and Michael Luke noticed that there is yet another new business opening up on North Broad. Check out what they found out in the article below:

How would you like to look in the mirror to see the person you saw ten years ago —maybe see fewer wrinkles, a smoother complexion—less body fat, perhaps? At Fifth Element Spa, we carry the most comprehensive selection of non-surgical treatment options in Louisiana. We offer everything from fat reduction, body sculpting and skin tightening to the latest advancements in ion detox foot spas and colonics. Fifth Element Spa is your solution for many of the unwanted distractions staring at you every time you look in the mirror.

At Fifth Element Spa, we want you to enjoy an atmosphere of elegance and tranquility, a sanctuary designed for one purpose; to focus on you! Come discover a world where health and beauty become one through the life changing transformations offered by our aesthetic medical and age management treatments.

Take the first step by calling to schedule a free consultation with one of our aesthetic medical professionals and discover the treatment options that will transform your life forever!

Contact us for an appointment online or by phone.
504-266-0413
1215 North Broad Street
New Orleans, LA70119
Business HoursDay Hours
Monday Closed
Tuesday 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Wednesday 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Thursday 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Friday 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Saturday 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sunday Closed
http://www.lipoexneworleans.com/