fsjna

Desmare Playground Gets Love

May 20, 2018 by Charlie London

Many neighbors and volunteers from far and wide came out with their children to plant trees in Desmare Playground at 3456 Esplanade Avenue on Saturday, May 19, 2018 from 10 a.m. until noon.

From Susannah Burley:

“Thank you so much for your time and energy this morning in planting 11 beautiful trees that will drink a whole lot of stormwater, provide shade for the playground, and clean our air, soil and water. Thanks also to Wiley & Tommy Lewis for funding the trees, Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association for their leadership and partnership, Dana Brown and Associates for their design, John Benton of Bayou Tree Service for advising, Benton Tree Service for donating the mulch, and YOU for planting the trees!”

Photos from S.O.U.L. and more info in the link:

https://soulnola.org/desmare-park-planting/

photos above by Charlie London

November 20, 2019 article about Desmare Playground progress in the Mid-City Messenger

Faubourg St. John Discusses Short Term Rentals

August 2, 2016 by Charlie London

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

***

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.

August 8, 2016

Director Robert D. Rivers
City Planning Commission
1033 Perdido Street, 7^th 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

by Emile J. Brinkmann

I 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.

Based 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.

The 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.
Hotel 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.

In 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. Brinkmann

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

Preliminary Staff Report – Public Comments 1

Preliminary Staff Report – Public Comments 2

Preliminary Staff Report – Public Comments 3

Preliminary Staff Report – Public Comments 4

Preliminary Staff Report – Public Comments 5

Preliminary Staff Report – Public Comments 6

Preliminary Staff Report – Public Comments 7

Preliminary Staff Report – Public Comments 8

Preliminary Staff Report – Public Comments 9

Preliminary Staff Report – Public Comments 10

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.

***

“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

***

Faubourg St. John FEEDS THE FIRST During Mardi Gras

February 5, 2016 by Charlie London

Hans Ganthier, the new Commander of NOPD’s First District, is all smiles during the FEED THE FIRST event. photo by Brenda London — Hans Ganthier is the new Commander of NOPD’s First District. photo by Brenda London

Faubourg St. John and Deutsches Haus once again joined forces to “FEED THE FIRST” during Mardi Gras weekend. Our First District Officers work 12 hour shifts during this time and are very appreciative of the fresh breakfast and lunches we provide.

Can’t donate your time?

Faubourg St. John

is a 501c3 non-profit
Donations are tax deductible

Donations are always welcome in any amount.
Please mail checks made out to the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association to:

Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association
P.O. Box 19101
New Orleans, LA 70179

Thank you!

The officers of NOPD’s 1st District are very grateful for the support from neighborhood organizationsand the Deutsches Haus.

Faubourg St. John and Deutsches Haus teamed up once again to provide meals for 1st District NOPD officers during Mardi Gras.Heartfelt thanks to all those who donate each year

FEED THE FIRST is not possible without your support!

Linda Landesberg, Brenda London, Charlotte Pipes, Ronnie and Ayse Brink, Mona McMahon, Diane Angelico, Charlie London along with Joe & Doranel Stephany and Deutsches Haus have worked hard each year to make the annual Feed the First program work! Your support is much appreciated.

article below by Alicia Serrano of the Mid-City Messenger

The Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association is hosted its annual “Feed the First” event Mardi Gras weekend.

At left, Brenda London, Leslie Capo and Ayse Brink prepare fresh fruit salad for the officers. photo by Diane Angelico

Faubourg St. John provides a hot breakfast and lunch to the First District NOPD officers working during the Mardi Gras weekend, with shifts that can last up to 12 hours.

“You can’t believe how satisfying it is to see these poor officers come in from their shifts and we feed them and everybody’s in a much better mood,” Linda Landesberg, head of Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association events, said at last month’s meeting. According to Landesberg, the association will provide breakfast and lunch for about 80 officers for four days at the First District station. Bagged lunches are also provided for officers along the parade route as well.

“There is a group of us that go and we actually bring a hot breakfast and serve our First District NOPD on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday and we also do two hot lunches for them on Saturday afternoon and on Monday afternoon,” Landesberg said.

This year, Faubourg St. John will partner with Deutches Haus, Parkway Bakery, Terrenova’s, The Ruby Slipper and the Fair Grounds Racecourse and Slots for breakfast and lunch food items.

Landesberg said the event normally costs the association about $1500 to get, prepare and serve the food. At the meeting, she described the hard work that goes into making the officers’ healthy breakfasts and snacks, with association members starting preparation at 4 a.m.

“We have a great time doing it, but we’re pretty exhausted afterwards,” she said. “It’s a really nice community event and the officers are happy.”

To read about one of the previous Feed the First events click here and to donate or find out how to volunteer for the event email info@fsjna.org.

photos below by Diane Angelico:

Joe Stephany and Charlotte Pipes working hard in the kitchen at Deutsches Haus.

Ronnie Brink serving up coffee to the volunteers in the kitchen at Deutsches Haus.

Le Marche des Fetes Tres Bon

November 21, 2015 by Charlie London

On Saturday, December 5th from 10am-4pm, visitors enjoyed shopping with over 30 artist vendors for one-of-a-kind handmade art and accessories and Mignon Faget jewelry, they met Papa Noël, enjoyed live music, purchased great books autographed by their favorite New Orleans authors, and munched on tasty local and exotic treats. The creole colonial-style Pitot House was decorated in the traditional style for Christmas and was open for tours.

Click on any of the photos by Charlie London for a larger view.

Location of event:
1440 Moss St
New Orleans, LA 70119

Saturday, December 5th
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m

video by Charlie London

Opportunity to Have Fun

March 29, 2015 by Charlie London

The Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association will once again be staffing the “Bayou Daiquiris” booth at the Bayou Boogaloo this year. Please consider volunteering for the short 3 hour shifts on Friday night May 15th, on Saturday, May 16th and on Sunday, May 17th.

All the net proceeds will go to helping to rebuild Desmare Playground.

Please lend a hand, its easy and fun. You are with at least 5 other neighbors and we have a great time.

If you are interested in volunteering, email Brenda at outreach@fsjna.org

Shifts are 11-2, 2 -5:30, 5:30 to 8:30

If you are unable to volunteer, please stop by the “Bayou Daiquiris” booth at the Bayou Boogaloo, say hello and buy a daiquiri!

Want to know more about the plans for Desmare Playground?

Check it out at: https://fsjna.org/desmare-playground-project/

Fair Grounds Family Day December 20th

December 1, 2014 by Charlie London

COCA-COLA HOLIDAY FAMILY DAY SET FOR DECEMBER 20

On December 20th, the Fair Grounds will host a Coca-Cola Holiday Family Day from noon until 4 p.m. in the Starlight tent on the track apron.

A merry and bright day of celebration with entertainment options for the entire family coincides with a pair of $50,000 stakes races.

Admission to the Coca-Cola Holiday Family Day Experience is $5 and children 12 and under are admitted free. General admission to the racetrack is free on December 20.

Once inside the Coca-Cola Holiday Family Day Experience, families can partake in face painting, crafts, and coloring. Cookies can be purchased and custom decorated for $1, and photo print-outs with Santa are available for $5. Food and beverage specials will be available and will include Coca-Cola beverages and Coca-Cola branded signature holiday ornaments.

On the racetrack, two stakes races for two-year olds will be offered – the $50,000 Letellier Memorial Stakes for two-year old fillies, and the $50,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes for two-year old colts and geldings. Last year’s Sugar Bowl winner, Albano, went on to place in a pair of graded stakes on the Road to the Louisiana Derby, finishing second in both the Grade III Lecomte Stakes and the Grade II Risen Star Stakes.

Coca-Coca Holiday Family Day will have a special first post of 12 p.m.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the nation’s third-oldest racetrack, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 11 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 143^rd Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 102^nd running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from November 2014 through March 2015. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.

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SUNBEAN SHINES IN LOUISIANA CHAMPIONS DAY CLASSIC, BECOMES SIXTH LOUISIANA-BRED MILLIONAIRE

NEW ORLEANS (Saturday, December 13, 2014) – Brittlyn Stable’s Sunbean turned on the heat down the Fair Grounds stretch to win his second consecutive $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic and become racing’s newest and Louisiana’s sixth millionaire. On a sunny Saturday afternoon at the historic New Orleans oval, the Pelican State-bred son of Brahms won his 13^th race in 20 career starts and defeated four others, despite breaking a couple lengths behind the field. After settling into stride in last, the bay gelding methodically made his way into contention and approached the leaders at the top of the stretch. In the end, he overpowered stablemate Watch My Smoke, who was later disqualified for hindering One King’s Man and placed third behind that rival. The win was his third stakes in six weeks’ time.

Ridden by Corey Lanerie, who was substituting for the injured Richard Eramia, for trainer Ron Faucheux, Sunbean traveled the 1 1/8-miles distance in 1:51.81 over a fast track after Watch My Smoke set fractions of :24.55, :49.16, 1:14.21 and 1:38.64. Sent off at as the 3-10 favorite, the 12-time stakes winner returned $2.60, $2.10 and $2.10 and earned $90,000 to boost his career bankroll to $1,000,150.

“He got off about two or three steps behind the field,” Lanerie said. “After that I just got him to relax and get back into the race and then he proved he was the best.”

“Usually we would like him to be in more of a stalking spot right off the pace,” added Faucheux. “But it is what it is – he’s a good horse and good horses overcome. We’re just so excited to win this race and move on to the next one.”

Brittlyn Stable principal Evelyn Benoit, who also owned Louisiana millionaire Star Guitar, echoed Faucheux’s enthusiasm. “Sunbean just proved that the impossible dream is possible,” she said. “I was dreaming about this for a week. You really can’t dream anything like this – first Star Guitar and now Sunbean. When I saw the break, I really started praying. Thank God Corey made it and things worked out. We keep thinking he’s a mile or a mile and a sixteenth kind of horse, but he has proved us wrong. Give him a horse to run at and he likes to run them down at a longer distance.”

One King’s Man returned $2.60 and $2.20 and Watch My Smoke paid $3.20 in his first race since July 2013.

Louisiana Flyboy and Request a Puck completed the order of finish.

TURF – Charles C. Smith’s String King was a popular winner of the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf in front of an appreciative Fair Grounds crowd who backed the son of Crowned King to odds of 1-2. Under the guidance of leading rider James Graham, the 6-year-old bay gelding sat mid-pack before launching a strong stretch run that would carry him to a 1½-length victory over Tiger Run and Stormdriver. The victory was his 14^th in 33 career starts and comes one year after finishing second in the Classic to Sunbean by a heartbreaking nose.

String King completed the 1 1/16-miles turf distance in a new track record time of 1:41.84 – breaking a standard set by Dixie Poker Ace in 1994 – after Tiger Run set fractions of :23.31, :47.19 and 1:11.09. String King paid $3, $2.60 and $2.40 and the $60,000 boosted his career bankroll to $743,552.

“I was a little bit (worried) down the backside, but he was rating well,” Graham said. “He’s a good horse and does it on his own – that’s the way he is.”

Trainer, owner and breeder Smith was taken aback by his horse’s performance. “There’s nothing left to say – just look at what he does for yourself,” he said. “He has shown it on the racetrack, like always.”

Longshot runner-up Tiger Run returned $18 and $11, while equally disregarded Stormdriver paid $8.20.

The field was completed by McGeehee’s Mercy, Benwill, Skipberry Wine, Sweet Baby Gaines, Valse and Well’s Gold.

LADIES – The $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies produced a stellar wire-to-wire victory for Eugenia Thompson and Hickory Stables’ Our Quista who outlasted closing favorite I Dazzle down the stretch to a 2½-length victory under Corey Lanerie. The lightly raced daughter of Half Ours won for the fourth time in seven starts for trainer Al Cates and won her second consecutive stakes following August’s $150,000 Elge Rasberry Stakes at Louisiana Downs. The sophomore filly covered the 1 1/16 miles on the main track in 1:46.40 and returned $10.60, $6 and $4.80. Blading Wild Cat was 1½ lengths astern I Dazzle in third.

“She beat the gate and broke really well,” Lanerie said. “I felt a little pressure down the backside, but she did enough to stay in front and when I called on her she did her thing.”

Two-for-two now going a distance of ground on dirt, the dark bay charge has impressed her conditioner. “When we stretched her out she improved tremendously,” Cates remarked. “She gets out on the lead and relaxes and she’s been training so well. We thought we would stretch her out here again and it worked out pretty good.”

SPRINT – The $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Sprint featured one of the most thrilling finishes of the day when William Deckwa, Jr.’s Too Dim overcame an impossible start – spotting the field over six lengths – and ran down favored defending champion Heitai in the final yards to win by a neck under Miguel Mena for trainer Eddie Johnston. The victory was Too Dim’s second consecutive over Heitai after a Nov. 23 half-length decision in a muddy optional claimer. The 5-year-old gelded son of Mutakddim completed the six furlongs in 1:10.08 while winning his 10^th race in 23 lifetime starts and paying $11.20, $4 and $2.60. All Owls finished third 1½ lengths behind Heitai.

“This is a nice horse, but he got left in the gate,” Mena said. “They told me to make an eighth of a mile run on the rail and that’s what we did and it worked out.”

Johnston was elated with his horse’s performance, especially considering the dreadful start. “I really didn’t expect this after the break,” he said. “I was hoping he could just finish with him and get something out of the race. Once he got on the rail and started picking it up, he just kept on coming. It worked out.”

LADIES SPRINT – The $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint proved a formful event as the two favorites – Afternoon Tango (2.70-1) and Blessed Immaculata (2.60-1) – finished one-two. Big Aut Farms’ Afternoon Tango proved the better of the duo as the daughter of Afternoon Deelites powered home a two-length victor over her rival, improving off her runner-up finish in last year’s event. Ridden by Diego Saenz for Patrick Devereux, the 4-year-old dark bay filly was ridden with credence as she swooped past the leading bunch and coasted to victory over her aforementioned rival and eventual third-place finisher Wire Me Bessie, despite being on the wrong lead.

“I was surprised to be that far back, but I was happy with her,” Saenz said. “She really responded, even though she didn’t switch leads.”

The win was Afternoon Tango’s seventh in 14 races and her second stakes win of the year after taking the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Louisiana Downs in August. She completed the six panels in 1:11.81 on a fast track while returning $7.40, $4 and $2.80.

JUVENILE – The $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile saw a promising and undefeated gelding stay that way in Phyllis Hodges’ Mr. L. S. Shoe, who circled the leaders en route to a three-length victory over Jazzy Rebel and Grande Basin. Trained by James ‘Sweet’ Hodges and ridden by James Graham, the son of Forefathers was ridden confidently throughout, despite breaking from the outside 14-post. The gray charge ran the six-furlong distance in 1:11.68 and improved his record to three-for-three while paying $4.80, $3 and $2.60.

“I was able to tuck in a little bit around the turn and he came home and finished it up,” Graham said. “I think he’s an improving 2-year-old and he feels like there’s plenty left. He’s so happy with himself and he rates and lets you do whatever you want with him.”

“It’s easy to train a good horse,” Hodges added. “We’ve wondered about him because he acts up like he did today in the paddock, but my wife bred him and raised him and we’ve always thought he was special.”

LASSIE – The $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lassie was an exciting display of class and closing speed as Gary Scherer and Bill Ulwelling’s Wind Chill Factor asserted herself by 4¾ lengths over a competitive field of ten other fillies to win her second consecutive stakes after taking the $150,000 Louisiana Jewel on Nov. 22 at Delta. Ridden by Willie Martinez, the daughter of Successful Appeal won for the third time in four starts while completing the six furlongs in 1:11.67. She paid $8.40, $4.80 and $3. Longshot Lady Emily Sage was second and odds-on favorite Vivian Da Bling finished third.

“It set up perfectly,” Martinez reflected. “On paper it looked like (the pace) would set up quickly, so right away I got a good position. She broke perfectly and we got good momentum going to the three-eighths pole. From there she was her own pilot. She has started figuring out what it’s all about. She’s really good.”

Scherer, who also trains the charge, confirmed that the filly will be pointed toward the filly division of the $100,000 Louisiana Futurity on New Years’ Eve.

STARTER – In the $50,000 Louisiana Champions Day Starter Stakes, Maggie Camejo and Antonia Noonan’s The Louisiana Kid continued his improvement since joining the Jose Camejo barn, cruising wire-to-wire under Miguel Mena and completing the mile and 70-yard event in 1:44.06 over five others by two comfortable lengths. Sent off at 8-5, the son of Afleet Alex improved his record to seven wins in 31 starts and returned $5.40, $3.20 and $2.40.

QUARTER HORSE – In the day’s opener, the Grade II $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Quarter Horse Classic, Douglas O. Traylor’s Dashin Gage was sent to post as the public’s 4-5 wagering choice and did not disappoint, registering a head victory over Jls Mr Bigtime. Trained by Kenny Roberts and ridden by Jose Vega, Dashin Gage covered the 440-yard distance in 21.841 seconds and returned $3.80. The $46,391 winner’s share boosted his career earnings to $332,423 as he won for the seventh time in 21 lifetime starts. Blue Louisiana Jolla was third.

By running second and earning $17,525 for his efforts, Jls Mr Bigtime became only the second Louisiana-bred quarter horse to surpass the $1 million mark in career earnings, boosting his bankroll to $1,017,472. Jls Mr Bigtime was honored with a special presentation in the winner’s circle after the race for his achievement.

Ana Alvidrez’s Scooter Prize captured the seventh race of her career in winning the $100,000 Grade II Louisiana Champions Day Quarter Horse Derby. Ridden by Raul Ramirez, Jr. for trainer Martin Trejo, Scooter Prize returned $13.60 and completed the 400-yard trip in 19.925 seconds. Scooter Prize earned $45,454 for the victory and is now a career earner of $219,845. Hesablackmagic was second and The Game Cartel finished third.

Roderick L. Carter and Mykelia Carter’s Louisiana Jambalaya kept his perfect local record intact with his third win from as many Fair Grounds starts when annexing the $100,000 Grade II Louisiana Champions Day Quarter Horse Juvenile. With his fourth win in six lifetime starts, Louisiana Jambalaya boosted his career bankroll to $178,262 with the winning prize of $45,000. Trained by Justin Dehart and ridden by regular rider Lucas Constantin, he returned $6.80 as the post-time favorite and traveled the 350-yard distance in 17.408 second. Game was second and Zoomin For Bugs was third.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Faubourg St. John Cultural District is Official

July 1, 2013 by Charlie London

Click HERE to learn more about CULTURAL DISTRICTS.

Many thanks to Pierre Gautier Walker, III for doing the work
to make the Faubourg St. John Cultural District a reality!

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Click on the logos below to visit the websites of Faubourg St. John businesses where you can purchase one-of-a-kind works of art that are exempt from state and local sales tax.

2013 Board Elected

December 11, 2012 by Charlie London

The 2013 Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association
Executive Board:

The 2013 Faubourg St. John
Neighborhood Association Board

FSJNA BOARD GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday, December 11, 2012

I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Explanation of Meeting Rules
• The General Membership and the Executive and Advisory Board members shall behave in a courteous and respectful manner at all FSJNA meetings and other activities. The FSJNA may impose sanctions up to and including expulsion from the meeting or activity for violations of this section.
• A participant wishing to participate in an FSJNA meeting shall raise their hand and respectfully address the presiding officer, who will recognize participants as time on the agenda allows. Participants should state their name, address, and whether they are a member of FSJNA.
• Louisiana law (La. R.S. 42:23) allows this meeting to be recorded without consent of any participants. FSJNA will announce if a meeting is being recorded for FSJNA purposes

IV. Guests
• Sara Sanders & Betsy Lopez, CASA New Orleans

V. Election of Executive Board Members – 2013
VI. Treasurer’s Report
VII. Committee Reports/Updates/Actions (if any)
• Membership Outreach Committee – update
• Landscape Committee- update
• Re-Bridge – update
• Public Safety – update
• Zoning Committee – update

VIII. Old Business
• Policy on land and zoning issues outside the neighborhood boundaries

IX. New Business
• From Floor

X. Adjournment

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FSJNA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday, December 11, 2012

IV. Guests
• None

V. Approval of November 2012 Executive Meeting Minutes
VI. Election of Advisory Board Members – 2013

VII. Old Business
• No old business

VIII. New Business
• From Floor

IX. Adjournment

Be a Tree Trooper

August 20, 2012 by Charlie London

by Charlie London

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

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

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

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

How can you help? Be a Tree Trooper!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Labor Day Regatta

August 20, 2012 by Charlie London

Join the fun and paddle your kayak, canoe, SUP or pirogue in the 1st Annual Labor Day Regatta on Bayou St. John.

Win prizes and bragging rights in the various categories:
Single or Tandem Kayak
Single or Tandem Canoe
SUP (Paddle board)
Pirogue
$25 to enter

Start at Bayou Kayaks launch site at 1101 Florida Avenue in New Orleans, paddle to the Greek Church, back to the Magnolia Bridge (pedestrian bridge by Cabrini) and back to the start. First one in their category wins. Total course approx 6.5 miles.

All proceeds go towards funding the next Bayou Clean Up Sept. 15th. Help keep Bayou St John clean for everyone to enjoy.

Go to bayoukayaks.com and register today!

The Urban Bicyclist

August 18, 2012 by Charlie London

article from www.good.is
We start on tricycles, graduate to training wheels, then the fateful day when we’re off on two wheels. But remember, cycling is a constantly evolving learning process. Keep fine-tuning technique and safety measures and that first moment of exhilaration can be a constant.

Be Aware of Bike Laws

Take time to learn local bike laws before hitting the road. Kurt Snyder discovered this firsthand when cycling in his Burke, Virginia neighborhood. “I was pulled over by a police officer with a radar gun,” he says. “At 15 miles per hour, I was apparently riding over the speed limit.”

Cycling laws aren’t one size fits all. “Knowing the codes, regulations and laws, as well as your rights and responsibilities is key,” says Allison Mannos, urban strategy director at the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition. “Your state’s Department of Transportation’s website should be able to point you in the right direction.” Robyn Cooper learned California’s laws through her workplace. “My company’s commuter program filled us in on local laws,” she says. “Because of that I learned where it’s legal to ride in Burbank.”

Not sure about a law? Santa Monica-based cycling and fitness coach, Riley McAlpine suggests thinking like a driver, particularly when it comes to stop signs and stoplights. “A major reason cyclists get hit is due to running stoplights,” she says. “And if you’re not injured, you’re still eligible for a traffic violation on your driver’s license and a hefty fee.”

Be Alert to Surroundings

As a safety measure, New York resident Thom Payne plans out his route before heading out on a ride. “It’s easier to navigate the streets and a lot safer if you discover those that have bike paths,” he says.

In a time when the world is full of distractions like texting, cyclists should keep their senses highly attuned. “Never take your concentration off your surroundings,” says McAlpine. “Don’t just look in one direction. Constantly look around you, scanning the road in all directions.”

Cooper found out cars weren’t the only things to keep an eye on during one of her daily work commutes. “Walkers rarely pay attention to what’s coming up behind them,” she says. “A woman walking a dog made an unanticipated move and my front tire grazed her leg.”

Cyclists are urged never to assume a car is going to do what’s anticipated. Like many riders, Los Angeles-based Margaret McGlynn has a developed a system for avoiding potential hazards during her daily 20-mile, round-trip commutes. “Drivers aren’t looking for cyclists, they’re looking for other cars and pulling moves like changing lanes or turn without signaling,” she says. “I wave, make eye contact, look, and ask permission. I also use arm signals. Sure, people have cursed at me, but I’ve found the nicer cyclists are, the safer we are.”

Turn Up the Volume… and the Lights

Making others aware of your presence with sound like a bell. Vocals are effective, too, especially when cycling in a group. “Always announce what you’re going to do,” says Mannos. “When passing other cyclists, call out if you’re coming up on the left or right. Even announce a stop.”

Another way cyclists can ensure pedestrians and drivers notice them is by gearing up with lights (see more about gear here). Missing Link customers get the following advice from Cummings, “Have at least one white light on the front of your bike and one red on back,” she says. “Flashing ones are more visible, but most lights will do both. There are lights that go on the front and back of helmets, too.” Though she usually commutes by bike, Cummings got a dose of reality when recently driving a car. “I started noticing who was visible and who was invisible,” she says. “I came straight into work and bought a bright yellow, reflective jacket.”

Avoid Car Doors

Keeping an eye out for people exiting their driveways is a given for cyclists. Another rule of thumb – “Cycle three feet away from parked cars,” says Mannos. Why? It’s very easy to get “doored.” “If a car door opens when you’re driving past, that’s a painful situation,” says McAlpine. “Be on the lookout for brake lights. The driver has their foot on the brake and has either just parked or is about to pull out.”

Road Hazards

Cars don’t like them and neither do bicycles: potholes, wet roads and railroad tracks. “If crossing railroad tracks or a lip in road, never hit it straight on, go at an angle,” says McAlpine. And if there’s something in the road? “Look where you want to go rather than at something you don’t want to hit,” she advises. “Slowly and calmly move away without making a jerky motion.”

Another tip from McAlpine is remembering when roads are wet, avoid paint lines. Especially the white ones. “Those get very slick in rain,” she says. “And if you should happen to hit one and start skidding, never brake on water.”

Right Turn Lane

Extra care should be taken in right turn lanes, whether cyclists are continuing straight or turning. “When approaching a place where a right turn only is authorized, cyclists should not be in the right-turn only lane, or on the right edge of a dual-destination right or straight lane,” says McAlpine. “If intending to go straight, avoid riding in a lane that must turn or diverge to the right rather stay to the far right of the straight lane allowing the right turn only traffic to pass on your right.”

The Golden Rule

To experience a fantastic ride, it all comes down to this, says McAlpine. “Cyclists, drivers and pedestrians have to work together to make it a happy relationship.”

Learn more about bicycle safety and view the original article at:
http://www.good.is/post/city-biking-101-road-tips-for-a-safe-ride

Magical Mystery Tour

August 15, 2012 by Charlie London

Blue Sky, Big Clouds

by Kevin O’Mara

Do you have a photo of, in or around Faubourg St. John?
Send it to info@fsjna.org and it will be added to the Magical Mystery Tour.