thursday

Thursdays at Twilight

June 2, 2016 by Charlie London

THURSDAYS AT TWILIGHT

Thursdays at Twilight Garden Concert Series begins at 6 p.m. at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters in the Botanical Gardens at City Park located on Victory Drive in New Orleans.

http://neworleanscitypark.com/calendar

Thursdays at Twilight Concert Series

Schedule of Concerts at the New Orleans Botanical Garden in New Orleans City Park

What: Join music lovers in City Park to hear some of New Orleans’ favorite performers during the “Thursdays at Twilight” concert series. Bring your friends to enjoy this very popular series with an array of musicians and mint juleps indoors at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters. This series is sponsored by the Louis and Virginia Clemente Foundation with support from WWNO 89.9 FM.

Admission is $10 per person. Mint juleps, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, and food are available for purchase. No outside food, drink, or pets are allowed.

Advance tickets are available online at NewOrleansCityPark.com. Advance tickets may also be purchased over the phone at 504-483-9488 or at the Botanical Garden Gift Shop. Thursdays at Twilight Series Season Passes are also available for purchase.

When: Thursday Evenings

5 pm – Gates Open, 6 pm – Performance Begins

Where: Pavilion of the Two Sisters, New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park

Contact: New Orleans Botanical Garden: phone: 504-483-9488 or email: [email protected]

June through August 2016 schedule:

June 2 – John Boutté

Voted Best Male Vocalist of the year at both the Best of the Beat and the Big Easy Awards. His song “Treme” is the theme song of the popular HBO series. Those who were lucky to attend his sold out concert last year were part of a magical night. Don’t miss this year’s show. For more information about the band, visit johnboutte.com.

June 9 – Bon Operatit

Consists of New Orleans opera singers Lauren Mouney Gisclair, Jesse Nolan, and Mary Penick Akin. From La Boheme to Phantom of the Opera, they perform a perfect pairing of opera and musical theatre hits that are sure to invigorate the senses. For more information about the band, visit bonoperatit.com.

June 16 – New Orleans Mystics

Buy your tickets early so you will not miss this show featuring the music of Motown. Songs from the Temptations, O’Jays, Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding will all be part of this soulful tribute to some of the greatest music from the 1970’s.

June 23 – Symphony Chorus of New Orleans

The Symphony Chorus will perform Shubert and Vivaldi in the first half of the concert, and then music about New Orleans and Louisiana in the second half. Should be a great mix of music. For more information about the band, visit symphonychorus.org.

June 30 – Rocky’s Hot Fox Trot Orchestra

Celebrate the traditions of our New Orleans swing era with an energetic, upbeat patriotic concert. The program will include hits from the era of the WWII “greatest generation”, popular modern tunes, and patriotic tributes. This swing ensemble features a full horn section with vocals. For more information about the band, visit rockyshfto.blogspot.com.

July 7 – Chucky C and Clearly Blue

Chucky C’s (Charles Elam, III) charisma has earned him the title, “The King of Feel Good.” This versatile entertainer blends all of his musical influences from jazz to pop, Dixieland to blues and can change gears to satisfy diverse audiences making him a real crowd pleaser.

July 14 – Boogiemen Swing Band

Will be performing the music of Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble’, Harry Connick Jr. and more…..” Don’t miss this special night of music!! For more information about the band, visit boogiemen-nola.com.

July 21 – Ronnie Kole

Jazz pianist Ronnie Kole’s smooth sound and elegant demeanor have earned him respect from musicians across the globe. Kole sharpened his skills in Al Hirt’s club and Kole’s Corner on Bourbon Street. He was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2012 and has recorded 32 CD/LP’s. This New Orleans-based pianist keeps busy performing concerts across the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information about the band, visit ronniekole.com.

July 28 – Ladies of Soul

You know Naydja CoJoe, Rechelle Cook, and Sharon Martin as, “The Ladies of Soul,” having performed at the Garden with The Mystics. They will not only sing a bit of Motown, but also Jazz, R & B, and familiar New Orleans tunes.

August 4 – Bruce Daigrepont

Music came to Bruce at an early age, and in the most traditional manner–handed down from father to son. When he was growing up, no family gathering was complete without a little playing and singing. His father picked the guitar, “Carter Family-style,” while his Uncle Alton lent a remarkable voice to the traditional Cajun songs and old-time country ballads. Bruce Daigrepont almost single-handedly has popularized Cajun music and Cajun dancing in cosmopolitan New Orleans. For more information about the band, visit brucedaigrepont.com

August 11 – Julio and Cesar

Originally from Guatemala, Julio and Cesar Herrera have been in New Orleans for over 30 years. They describe their music as constantly evolving, attributing this, in part, to their exposure from an early age to many cultures. For more information about the band, visit julioandcesar.com.

August 18 – Pfister Sisters

Holley Bendtsen, Yvette Voelker, Debbie Davis and Amasa Miller comprise one of the few groups that represent the New Orleans swing era, with their recreation of the Boswell Sisters arrangements, and the only act featuring vocal jazz harmony. They bring joy to your soul, harmony to your ears, and the best and biggest boogie-woogie to your feet. For more information about the band, visit pfistersisters.com.

August 25 – Mark Brooks and Friends

Mark Brooks is one of New Orleans’ most talented, versatile, and sought after bassist. Mark has played and toured with an array of artists including Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, Henry Butler, Charles and Aaron Neville’s Ensembles, Lou Rawls, Fats Domino, Ellis Hall Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Harry Connick, Sr. Mark is known for his diversity with the different styles of music ranging from Rhythm & Blues, Contemporary Jazz, Traditional Jazz, Blues, and Gospel. For more information about the band, visit markabrooks.net.

Twilight Concerts in City Park

December 27, 2014 by Charlie London

“Thursdays at Twilight” Concert Series

January through April 2015 Schedule of Concerts at

the New Orleans Botanical Garden in New Orleans City Park

What: Join music lovers at City Park to hear some of New Orleans’ favorite performers during the “Thursdays at Twilight” concert series. Bring your friends to enjoy this very popular series with an array of musicians and mint juleps indoors at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters. This series is sponsored by the Louis and Virginia Clemente Foundation with support from WWNO 89.9 FM.

Admission is $10 per person. Mint juleps, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, and food are available for purchase. No outside food, drink, or pets are allowed.

When: Thursday Evenings

5:00 PM – Gates Open, 6:00 PM – Performance Begins

Where: Pavilion of the Two Sisters, New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park

Contact: New Orleans Botanical Garden: phone: 504-483-9488 or email: [email protected]

February 5 – Lena Prima

To some performers, having a legendary father might be daunting. Not for Lena Prima. Born in show business and raised on the road with her famous dad, the singer/songwriter/artist has earned her own reputation around the country for her energetic charismatic performances. She will perform songs of her father as well as some of her original tunes. For more info please visit lenaprimamusic.com.

February 19 – Rick Trolson’s New Orleans Po’boys

The New Orleans Po’Boys are reminiscent of the renowned “George Girard and his New Orleans Five” that lit up Bourbon Street as a regular fixture in the 1950s at the Famous Door. The Po-Boys’ repertoire include both familiar traditional New Orleans music, along with some original tunes. For more info please visit ricktrolsen.com.

February 26 – Seva Venet and the Storyville String Band featuring Tanya Boutté

A purveyor and preserver of the string band tradition, guitarist and banjoist Seva Venet has performed with dozens of New Orleans jazz and string musicians since moving to the city from Los Angeles. This year will feature New Orleans vocalist Tanya Boutte. It is sure to be a great evening. For more info please visit sevavenet.com/bio/htm OR tanyaboutte.com.

March 5 – James Andrews

If anyone can pull off aligning himself with the famous Louis Armstrong it’s trumpet extraordinaire – James Andrews. However bold this move may be, the New Orleans native earned the “Satchmo of the Ghetto” alias back in his Tremé neighborhood and the name still sizzles in the city. For more info please visit jamesandrewsmusic.com.

March 12 – Phil Melancon

Phil performs the musical spirit and style of his hometown, New Orleans. Always entertaining and full of surprises, make sure you are there so you won’t miss a thing.

March 19 – New Leviathan Oriental Fox-Trot Orchestra

The New Leviathan Oriental Fox-Trot Orchestra is an American revival orchestra that performs vintage American music popular from the 1890s through the early 1930s. The orchestra pays particular attention to the music of New Orleans, in addition to the well-known compositions of jazz and ragtime composers like Jelly Roll Morton, Fletcher Henderson, and Eubie Blake.

March 26 – James Rivers Movement

James Rivers is a New Orleans musical treasure. He plays a mixture of rock, progressive jazz, rhythm and blues and gospel; the sort of music that implies something for everybody when it’s played. Rivers, one of only three Jazz musicians ever known to play the bagpipes, would probably call himself a saxophonist, but his forte is really an amazing musical dexterity that has helped him master a dozen other instruments.

April 2 – The Topcats

Inducted into the Louisiana music hall of fame in 2005, The Topcats have been performing together for over 25 years. The Topcats have been recipients of numerous awards from Gambit, Offbeat, and New Orleans magazine for being one of the best bands in the city. Don’t miss this night of fun jam-packed music you want to hear. For more info please visit thetopcats.com.

April 9 – The New Orleans Mystics

April 16 – Paul Soniat

The Garden’s own, singer/songwriter Paul Soniat, will perform his original songs, which always entertain and engage the audience. He is sure to have some new songs, so grab your mint julep and get ready for an enjoyable evening.

For more info please visit paulsoniat.com.

April 23 – Special Outdoor Concert – Threadhead Thursday

Pre-Jazz Fest concert on the outdoor Robert B. Haspel stage featuring bands supported by the Threadhead Foundation. For more info please visit: www.threadheadrecords.com.

April 30 – Garden Party Concert

This outdoor concert series takes place on the Robert B. Haspel Stage located in the New Orleans Botanical Garden. The series is presented by the Backbeat Foundation with support from the Robert and Shirley Haspel Fund. Bring your lawn chairs and/or blankets. No outside food or beverages are permitted.

About City Park:

City Park: is distinguished by its large menu of sports and recreational activities, attractions for children, and its natural beauty. City Park has a special place in the hearts of generations of New Orleanians and is a must visit for visitors to the city. As a popular place to picnic, play a favorite sport, wander through its gardens or take a boat ride- the park receives millions of visitors each year. It is located in the heart of the city and is the largest recreation area for the entire metropolitan area. Attractions include: City Putt, New Orleans Botanical Garden, Storyland fairytale playground, the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, and numerous athletic venues. The 1,300 acres of parkland provide enjoyment for young children playing on our playgrounds and walkers, joggers, and bicyclists winding through the park’s streets and trails.

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January 8 – New Orleans Banjos + 2

A fun loving group of four banjos, upright bass, and piano will perform music from the 1920’s when banjos were all the rage. It’s going to be a great evening. Don’t miss it! For more info please visit neworleansbanjosplus2.com.

January 15 – Lars Edegran – Tom Sancton – Topsy Chapman

Pianist Lars Edegran, leader of the New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra, teams up with world renowned clarinetist Tom Sancton and vocalist Topsy Chapman for a fun evening of toe- tapping New Orleans music. For more info please visit tomsancton.com.

January 22 – Bobby Cure and The Poppa Stoppas

Join us for a rocking good evening as we travel back in time with Bobby Cure to the Doo-Wop days of the 1950’s when the Moon was Blue, and the question of the day was, Why Do Fools Fall In Love? For more info please visit bobbycure.com.

January 29 – The Yat Pack

The Yat Pack is a New Orleans based band modeled on the 60’s Vegas Swing Era.

They will perform classic big band numbers by Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima, Dean Martin, and Bobby Darin as well as contemporary artists like Michael Bublé, Billy Joel, and Harry Connick, Jr. They will also mix in a heavy dose of good old New Orleans R&B. For more info please visit theyatpack.com.

31 Flavors of Blight

February 9, 2012 by Charlie London

BlightStat 31

February 9, 2012

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

Mr. Oliver Wise moderated the meeting.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mr. Square indicated that some undercounting may be occurring.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A discussion ensued about how the new graphics are presented.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is clear that enforcement of laws related to blighted properties will be more aggressive in 2012. The Mayor’s directive to have 10,000 blighted properties eradicated in three years remains on track.

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

Armageddon has Arrived for Blight in New Orleans

January 12, 2012 by Charlie London

by Charlie London
Blightstat #30
January 12, 2012

The thirtieth BlightStat meeting (that the public was invited to) was held today. This was the first meeting since the change from bi-weekly meetings to monthly meetings on the second Thursday of each month. Visit the link below for a calendar showing all of the BlightStat meetings for 2012.
https://fsjna.org/steps-to-stomp-out-blight/

Click here to view a PDF of the City’s
January 12, 2012 BlightStat presentation.

Oliver Wise, the Director of Performance and Accountability for New Orleans generally moderates the meetings but is out on paternity leave due to the birth of his daughter on January 5th. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Wise!

Mr. Jeff Hebert began the meeting with announcements, the most notable being that Code for America is to arrive in February.

Ms. Denise Ross continued the meeting indicating that once again New Orleans has been blessed with help from the “best and brightest”. You may remember that New Orleans was the recipient of a “Smarter Cities Grant” from IBM last year. Ms. Ross said Code for America will analyze the City’s information systems and learn how New Orleans’ neighborhoods track blight. Code for America will bring this information back to San Francisco to build applications to further the blight effort in New Orleans. Ms. Ross said the City’s goal is to deliver value to its citizens. An aggressive implementation target for the Code for America applications has been set for December, 2012.

Ms. Ross gushed with the information that twenty cities applied for the Code for America help and New Orleans was one of five to get it. And, because New Orleans has such an aggressive BlightStat program, there will be four “fellows” from Code for America arriving to help us.
The other winning cities will only receive three “fellows”.

The meeting continued with each department’s director commenting on the powerpoint slide that affected their department:

INSPECTIONS
532 inspections for period ending Dec 31. 20% above inspections goal. Inspections backlog remains and age of inspections has increased slightly but the backlog is down overall. The goal is to have all inspections done within 30 days of assignment.

HEARINGS
Ms. Illarmo reviewe the hearings slide which indicated that the backlog has been reduced by 340 cases. The backlog continues to be aggressively addressed. The goal remains unmet but Mr. Kopplin indicated it is clear that the City is in a turn-around period. The number of cases held continues to rise while the backlog continues to be reduced. Ms. Tammy Johnson indicated that fewer fines will be waived and that blight liens will be enforced. Judgements will be recorded.

Ms. Illarmo indicated that 666 blight hearings per month is the goal.
It’s armageddon for blight in New Orleans!

DEMOLITIONS
Ms. Basco said 11 FEMA demolitions and 8 strategic demolitions were done over the last month. SHPO, NCDC, and HDLC approvals slow the process. Councilmembers have requested that properties be sold at Sheriff Sales rather than demolished. Unfortunately, most of the properties that are so bad that they need to be demolished don’t ordinarily sell at a Sheriff Sale. Mr. Hebert indicated about 1500 buildings were demolished last year. (2200 units)

Mr. Kray reminded the audience that demolitions are listed at data.nola.gov. The “Demolition & Salvage by Program” slide indicated there is much work being done in New Orleans East. This is great especially if blight is cleared along the I-10 corridor as it is the first area people see in New Orleans as they travel from the east on I-10.

Mr. Will McGowan indicated that 11 demolitions were done over the last month with 14 demolitions done so far in January. There are 32 “selective salvage” properties in the works. FEMA funded demolitions will eventually end. Mr. Kopplin warned that the City needs to have a backup plan when the funding ends.

Mr. Lessinger indicated the 9th Ward lot clearing program continues.

Ms. Basco indicated only 1 FEMA trailer remains.

Ms. Sylvain-Lear indicated the Sanitation Department continues to fight illegal dumping. Over 3,000 illegally dumped tires have been removed. Sanitation Rangers continue to check manifests at tire shops to make sure that tires are being disposed of properly. Mr. Kopplin indicated that the work Sanitation Rangers do with the Quality of Life Officers is the backbone of the blight fight. Ms. Sylvain-Lear asked that neighborhoods continue to report bandit signs as they are beginning to pop up again but instead of major thoroughfares are deep within neighborhoods. Call 311 or write to [email protected]

Mr. Kopplin announced Quality of Life Stat will begin January 26th.

SHERIFF SALES
Mr. Granderson indicated lien foreclosures continue. Filing fees have increased in 2012.
Sheriff Sales coming up are Jan 19 | Jan 26 | Feb 2 | Feb 9. Sheriff Sales are done each Thursday at noon in the lobby of the Civil District Court building which are generally bank foreclosures. The Tuesday sales are blight removal sales. Mr. Granderson mentioned data.nola.gov and indicated that information on Sheriff sales is up to date as of yesterday.

LLT/NORA inventory remains constant with 24 closings for the month of December.

Mr. Square indicated the new and improved 311 call system will be launched March 26th. Code Enforcement is the number one call to 311.

BlightStat 31 will be held on February 9, 2012. The meetings are on the 8th floor of City Hall in the Homeland Security Conference Room.

BlightStat Moving to Monthly Meetings

December 15, 2011 by Charlie London

by Charlie London

BlightStat 29 | December 15, 2011

Beginning in 2012, the BlightStat meetings will be held once each month instead of bi-weekly. This was the 29th BlightStat meeting to which the public was invited.

Click here to view a PDF of the City of New Orleans’
December 15, 2011 BlightStat Meeting

Thursday, January 12, 2012 will be the next meeting date. Then the second Thursday of each month thereafter.

Inspections
514 over the last two weeks. Ms. Basco indicated the backlog has increased slightly but the inspectors are working diligently in their assigned districts.

Inspection sweeps were done throughout the city with several being done during the recent “Fight the Blight” day held in each council district.

Mr. Wise reviewed the map of inspections with Ms. Basco.

Mr. Kopplin asked about the progress of the “occupied property” strategy. Ms. Basco said she is working on it. Occupied houses are not currently cited for blight.

Hearings
The backlog has been reduced significantly. Mr. Square indicated the majority of 311 calls are for code enforcement. Mr. Kopplin indicated that a target needs to be set for getting rid of the backlog. Mr. Kopplin suggested the February, 2012 meeting would be a good date to shoot for but would like closure on the backlog.

The greatest number of hearings were held this bi-weekly period with 413 hearings completed.

Demolitions
Mr. Carrere indicated 7 strategic demolitions with 3 being done during the recent “Fight the Blight” day, one of which was a 24 unit apartment building.

Cold weather drives vagrants into unoccupied buildings which often results in fires.

FEMA demolished 15 structures and 20 units.

44 properties removed from FEMA demolitions due to compliance.

Mr. Wise indicated that the strategic demolitions program has finite resources so the city needs to maximize the benefit for the resources available.

Interim Nuisance Abatement Program
Mr. Ferrouillet indicated 15 properties were cut during the “Fight the Blight” day. Contract for lot cutting is being re-bid and should be done by March, 2012.

9th Ward Lot Clearing
Mr. Lessinger indicated that 775 lots have been cut so far. Mr. Wise indicated that issues that affect people is the main focus of fighting blight. Blight affects public safety and quality of life.

Five FEMA trailers still remain.

Illegal Dumping
Ms. Lear indicated the Sanitation Department is still focusing in the 9th Ward and New Orleans East. Almonaster and Michoud are hot spots for tire dumping.

Sheriff Sales
Mr. Gray indicated that the highest amount ever was collected from the recent Sheriff Sale bringing the total to 1.2 million for the year.
Ms. Breaux indicated her team met with the owners of 609 Jackson Avenue about what action they are going to take to rid the city of this blighted property. (former medical facility) Ms. Breaux’s team is still working with the owner to get the owner to demolish the property or sell it.

Mr. Gray indicated 125 properties will be sold at a Sherrif Sale on January 10th. He also indicated sales are done every Thursday.

Mr. Wise indicated about 35% of the properties that go to Sheriff Sale are actually sold.

Mr. Kopplin indicated that economic development and blight strategy go hand in hand.

Mr. Lessinger discussed strategies for improving the number of properties sold at Sheriff Sales.

Auction updates for code lien foreclosures are posted on http://data.nola.gov/

Ms. Wilkerson said that 85 NORA closings were done over the past two weeks. Ms. Wilkerson will be leaving early in 2012 when the NORA program gets discontinued.

Mr. Kopplin indicated his goal is to have as many hearings as possible to get properties in compliance and to reduce the number of properties that end up in the backlog due to title research, contacting heirs, etc.

Mr. Kopplin indicated that the City Council authorized two additional Sanitation Rangers to help fight the dumping problem.

***
NEW ORLEANS | Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:39pm EST
Next up for New Orleans’ recovery: fighting blight
By Mark Guarino
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) – A city policy involving demolitions, inspections, community meetings and Saturday morning elbow grease is reviving New Orleans neighborhoods at a faster rate than most expected after Hurricane Katrina put 80 percent of the city underwater six years ago.

“This is a total groundbreaker for the city,” said Allison Plyer, chief demographer of the nonprofit Greater New Orleans Community Data Center.

“There’s never been this intensive an effort previously to combat blight.”

Even before the levees broke, New Orleans struggled with many of the classic elements that produce vacant homes and empty lots: systematic population loss, a troubled economy and crime.

Then Katrina accelerated blight. Some 110,000 New Orleans residents did not return to their homes in the five years since the storm, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

In October 2010, Mayor Mitch Landrieu, then just six months in office, launched a blight initiative he said was designed to turn around 10,000 properties by 2014.

By the end of this year, city officials say, nearly 4,000 properties will fit that bill, lowering the city’s total number of blighted properties to less than 42,000, according to data from the United States Postal Service, which tracks such figures as vacant homes where mail is not collected.

“What happened is we got better at what we’re supposed to be doing and that, by getting more aggressive, property owners know we’re coming and know we mean consequences so they start to self-correct,” Landrieu told Reuters.

FEDERAL BILLIONS

In the early post-Katrina years, billions of federal recovery dollars helped the city buy abandoned properties and either demolish them or sell them to neighbors, as well as encourage residents to return and rehabilitate their homes.

Then came Jeff Hebert, the city’s inaugural director of blight policy and neighborhood revitalization.

He has sped up property inspections, held regular community meetings and implemented little changes like redirecting workers in a jobs program to mowing overgrown lots in devastated neighborhoods like the Lower Ninth Ward, which hadn’t seen a lawnmower blade in years.

Herbert also helped the city steer away from tax sales of foreclosed properties, which can drag on for three years, to sheriff’s sales, which award new property owners a clear title immediately upon purchase.

“That may be our single biggest policy shift,” Hebert told Reuters. “Our goal is not necessarily to demolish houses but the end goal is to get houses back into commerce.”

Landrieu said the new measures are designed to address his administration’s three priorities: crime, jobs and schools.

“Blight is the thread that depends on whether or not we have success in those areas,” he said. “It’s a major threat to public safety and quality of life.”

Despite the city’s efforts, about 25 percent of New Orleans housing remained vacant in 2010, according to the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center.

Title issues, contractor fraud and rebuilding costs are saddling recovery, and some residents say the city isn’t acting fast enough to prevent neighborhoods from falling behind.

EIGHT FEET OF WATER

Take Rose Johnson. Her neat, two-story home in the city’s Broadmoor neighborhood took nearly 8 feet of water and she spent $130,000 to return it back to its original splendor.

Her neighbor did not. In the years that passed since the storm, the vacant Italianate home next to Johnson’s receded, as if reclaimed by the earth.

Pink exterior plaster is crumbled at the ground and this month, the stairs caved in. Johnson, 65, took it upon herself to mow the grass and hired an exterminator to set baits around her house so the rats next door wouldn’t infest her own.

She said she called the city several times but has seen no progress. “It’s a mess. I want them to tear it down,” she said of city officials. “It’s not fit to live in.”

Demolition creates its own challenges. Some community organizers complain the city leaves the foundation behind on houses it demolishes, preventing lots from reverting to green space and creating another version of blight. The city has demolished over 2,100 blighted properties so far this year.

“Demolitions are a mixed bag,” Plyer said. “If you do a lot of demolition then you have a dumping problem. People come and dump tires and debris and trash.”

Population recovery is one reason New Orleans appears to be advancing on blight. Even though the New Orleans population is 21 percent less than before the storm, the population more than doubled between 2006 and 2010, to 343,800.

Katrina helped mobilize the city’s public-private web of civic and neighborhood organizations and city departments, says Margery Austin Turner, vice president for research of the Urban Institute, a nonprofit policy analysis group based in Washington, D.C.

“I don’t think you would have seen that kind of capacity in New Orleans prior to Katrina,” she told Reuters.

Evidence of that is a section of Broadmoor where a development corporation set up by the neighborhood association in 2006 is rehabbing homes it purchased with $5 million from the Clinton Global Initiative. On one Friday in late November, 200 volunteers built a new playground for the nearby school.

“Our residents have skin in this game,” said David Winkler-Schmit, communications director for the association. “We know what we need.”