3319-21 Iberville Street [map]
This building was been proposed for demolition by FEMA. Since it’s in a historic district (Mid-City, my neighborhood) FEMA “requested the aid of the public in identifying alternatives to demolition.”
So I wrote to FEMA back in November and helped them identify some “alternatives.”
And, wonder of wonders, FEMA removed it from their demolition list.
Now, I learn from the Squandered Heritage website that the owners are applying to the Historic Conservation District Review Committee to demolish the house:
MID CITY: 3319-21 Iberville – Herbert Carver, owner. City of New Orleans, FEMA funded demolition (voluntary demolition). Demolition of a bracket-style double shotgun. No redevelopment plan submitted.
I’m not an expert, but it appears to me that this house could be renovated and made habitable for less cost than demolishing and building something new. I suspect the property owner merely plans to demolish. After all, the HCDRC agenda says, “No redevelopment plan submitted.”
But then the agenda also says the demolition is to be “FEMA funded.” That’s confusing to me, because FEMA wrote me in February to say this property was being removed from the demolition list.
The owner hasn’t even taken the basic step of removing the flooded contents after almost two years:
The house could have been gutted by now. There are numerous groups that do it for free.
According to the city’s website, this property has been reported for the following violations of the “Good Neighbor” program:
– Grass/weed overgrowth – Trash/debris accumulation
– Unsanitary conditions (animals) – Storage of junk, materials and/or inoperable vehicles
– High weeds – Trash/debris
– Open doors and windows (unboarded) – Rats and/or mice
– Needs to be cleaned and gutted – House not gutted
– Rats or mice observed – Rodent droppings observed
– Rodent burrows observed – Trash/flowerpots holding water
When are property owners going to be held to account?
We need to create a database of the landlords and get a campaign going to shame them. I see to many of the same names as owners wanting FEMA to do what they should do.
We have the same prob next to our house, and that jerk bought the house at a tax sale.
We are pouring tons of money to fix our place and be able to survive storms and floods, but we still have a time bomb right next door.
It is far past time to pull the plug on certain types within the city.
Morwen
http://www.nobrokenwindows.com/
When I come back to NOLA
Submitted too soon … dang it. Before I moved to Seattle I was seriously thinking about buying gutted out Mid-City property including your neighbor’s house to the left. I did express interest once but didn’t follow through because I had other plans as well. It is rather dispiriting that these owners don’t give a crap. Rest assured that when I move back to NOLA Mid-City will be on the top of the list.
Karen, yes I know… just trying to find the time to get it done.
Tony, we are in Sugar Hill, and there are some nice places there that no one is fixing.
We are having some of this problem in Lakeview too, but there it seems to be folks buying up property on the cheap and waiting for the city to tear it down for them. We are also having problems with contractors turing neigboring lots/homes/properties into dumping grounds for discarded or damaged construction material. I have had one contractor tell us that FEMA told them to do this.