Mid-City Neighborhood Organization

This week’s Code Enforcement Hearings appeared to be a win for Mid-City, even though some residents left, frustrated, because they had to wait so long to testify. MCNO is working with other neighborhood organizations to urge the city to fine tune the process.

In the meantime, below are the results of this week’s code enforcement hearings, links to past results, and a link to the list of upcoming “reset hearings.” These occur when an owner has gotten a 30 or 60 day reprieve and his case is being re-heard. If you have evidence on these properties – either against or in favor of the owner – it is especially important that you submit it to MCNO or the city in advance. As a reminder, please always cc code@mcno.org on any code enforcement communications you have with City Hall.

For a complete listing of the properties that went to court this week, search return to last week’s post, entitled “Code Enforcement Docket This Week” and tagged under News. For a listing of properties that were previously heard, along with the results, click here (District A) or (District B).

A number of reset cases are coming up in the next few weeks. We ask residents with an opinion (for or against) to contact City Hall and express your thoughts. For a full list of reset cases, skip to the bottom of this email.

301 S. Alexander: This property, owned by community action group ACORN, received a 30 day reset during which no fines will be levied. The case will be heard again in 30 days.

635 N. Scott: Guilty; 30 days to remediate before fines kick in retroactively.

637-39 Salcedo: The court sent the notice to the wrong property address, therefore the case is being renoticed and reheard.

736 S. Salcedo: Guilty; owner was given 45 days in which to remediate before fines kick in retroactively.

2932 Conti: Owner asserted he had an award letter from the Road Home under the Small Renter’s program, but could not produce it. He was given a 60-day reset during which time he must produce the letter and make minimal improvements or he could be fined.

3016 Bienville: This property had previously came before code enforcement. The judge rendered a conditional judgement, which means if the situation is not remediated in 30 days, the fines kick in retroactively.

3914 Palmyra Street: Guilty; owner has 30 days to remediate or will be charged a $500 one-time fine, $75 in court costs, and $300 per day, retroactively, until remediation is completed or property is sold.

4220 Orleans Avenue: Guilty; will be charged a $500 one-time fine, $75 in court costs, and $300 per day until remediation is completed or property is sold.

4318-20 Bienville Street: The court awarded the owner a 60-day reset during which time no fines will be levied. His case will be evaluated again in 60 days.

Address Dir Street Street 2 Case # Date Time
3820 Banks Street 09-00407 7/30/2009 9:15
1729 Bienville Street 08-000217 8/26/2009 9:15 AM
4318 Bienville Avenue 09-00097 7/29/2009 9:15 AM
4400 Bienville Avenue HCEVU-09-00098 & 99 7/22/2009 9:15 AM
4515 Canal Street 09-00687 7/22/2009 9:15 AM
4218 S. Carrollton Avenue Hcevu-009-00124 7/28/2009 9:15
3016 Cleveland Ave. 08-0002118 7/22/2009 1:15 PM
3116 Cleveland Avenue 08-0002116 7/28/2009 1:15 PM
3514-16 Cleveland Avenue 08-0002009 8/12/2009 9:15 AM
218 S. Gayoso Street 08-0002048 7/22/2009 9:15 AM
238 S. Jefferson Davis 08-0002121 7/29/2009 9:15 AM
2904 Orleans Ave. 09-00951 7/29/2009 1:15 PM
3300-02 Palmyra Street 08-0002026 7/29/2009 9:15 AM
4622-24 Palmyra Street 09-00724 7/28/2009 1:15 PM
4622-24 Palmyra Street 09-00723 7/30/2009 1:15 PM
3236 PalmyraSt. Street 08-0002120 7/22/2009 1:15 PM
619 Scott Street 09-00962 7/29/2009 1:15 PM
304 S. Telemachus Street 09-00465 7/29/2009 1:15 PM
308 Telemachus Street 08-0001997 8/12/2009 9:15 AM
3433 Tulane Avenue 09-00215 8/19/2009 9:15 AM
4051 Tulane Avenue 09-00220 7/30/2009 9:15 AM
3003-05 Tulane Avenue 09-00214 7/30/2009 9:15 AM
3801-03 Ulloa Street 09-00469 7/22/2009 1:15 PM
3815-17 Ulloa Street 09-00470 8/19/2009 1:15 PM

Of the 40 MCNO properties that passed through Code Enforcement Court today and yesterday, the majority were fined for violations. A few owners that had begun renovation appeared, and MCNO supported them. Others were given an extension due to hardship or unusual circumstances. The remainder – by far the majority – were found guilty.

A special thanks goes out to the neighbors who wrote in or waited to testify. Your input really makes a difference in these cases.

Look for a special update Friday night with the complete update of all code enforcement hearings over the past few months.

Jen Farwell
VP, MCNO

Starting today, MCNO has nearly 40 properties coming through Code Enforcement Court. These are abandoned properties that have been cited for violations ranging from not being cleaned and gutted to harboring unsanitary conditions.

MCNO has found that the city is more likely to take action against negligent owners if neighbors and appear to testify. Similarly, if residents have personal knowledge of a situation that gives the court a reason for leniency, it helps if they can back up the owner being cited. We know everyone is busy, but if we want these houses to be remediated, it will take all of us. To paraphrase the common adage, It takes a village to raise a stronger, cleaner city.

If you cannot attend a meeting, send your position to housing@mcno.org and we will print it out and deliver it to the meeting. You should also follow up with the city directly, as those who are fined usually have 30 days to remediate, after which time the fines kick in retroactively if they do not comply. Therefore, contacting the city any time before or in the 30 days after the citation can be effective. You can send a letter (preferred), call, or submit an online complaint. All the contact information for these options is available at http://www.cityofno.com/Portals/CodeEnforcement/. Address letters to Winston Reid, Director of Code Enforcement, and email or mail a copy to MCNO.

A list of the properties for this week, with the date and time they will be heard, is below. Note that the time is the start of the court hearing period, which usually runs about 3 hours. When a particular property will be heard depends on when (and if) the owner appears.

Stay tuned for the results of these and other hearings in our first regular Friday update at the end of this week.

Jen Farwell
MCNO

PROP ADDRESS CASE # DATE TIME
3215 Canal St. 09-001531 7/13/2009 9:15 AM
4133 D’ Hemecourt St. 09-001544 7/13/2009 9:15 AM
3321 Bienville St. 09-001524 7/13/2009 9:15 AM
4312 Bienville St. 09-001523 7/13/2009 9:15 AM
4145 Cleveland Ave. 09-001537 7/13/2009 9:15 AM
4534 Banks St. 09-001515 7/13/2009 9:15 AM
4604 S. Carrollton Ave. 09-001533 7/13/2009 9:15 AM
736 S. Salcedo St.(Rear) 09-001616 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
3016 Bienville St. 09-001662 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
600 N. Murat St. 09-001595 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
3221 Canal St. 09-001666 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
635 N. Scott St. 09-001618 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
411 S. Bernadotte St. 09-001660 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
419 S. Murat St. 09-001594 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
618 S. Alexander St. 09-001644 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
4318-20 Bienville St. 09-001661 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
200 S. Solomon St. 09-001619 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
220 S. Solomon St. 09-001620 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
301 S. Alexander St. 09-001642 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
316 S. Alexander St. 09-001643 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
441 S. Solomon St. 09-001621 7/13/2009 1:15 PM
229 S. Dupre St. 09-001689 7/14/2009 9:15 AM
2928 Conti St. 09-001677 7/14/2009 9:15 AM
2932 Conti St. 09-001678 7/14/2009 9:15 AM
314 N. Gayoso St. 09-001710 7/14/2009 9:15 AM
511 S. Gayoso St. 09-001712 7/14/2009 9:15 AM
736-38 S.. Lopez St. 09-001746 7/14/2009 9:15 AM
129 S. Gayoso St. 09-001714 7/14/2009 9:15 AM
318 S. Gayoso St. 09-001711 7/14/2009 9:15 AM
331-33 S. Cortez St. 09-001679 7/14/2009 9:15 AM
509 S. Genois St. 09-001723 7/14/2009 9:15 AM
4220 Orleans Ave. 09-001771 7/14/2009 9:15 AM
637 S. Salcedo St 09-001792 7/14/2009 1:15 PM
736-38 S. Salcedo St. 09-001793 7/14/2009 1:15 PM
223 S. White St. 09-001827 7/14/2009 1:15 PM
227 S. White St. 09-001825 7/14/2009 1:15 PM
3914 Palmyra St.(main plus Accessory) 09-001773 7/14/2009 1:15 PM
419 S. Pierce St. 09-001779 7/14/2009 1:15 PM
200 S. Solomon St. 09-001804 7/14/2009 1:15 PM
4051 Tulane Ave. 09-001818 7/14/2009 1:15 PM
4220 Orleans Ave. 09-001891 7/15/2009 9:15 AM

SAVE THE DATE: Monday, July 6, 6-8pm
Grace Episcopal Church, 3700 Canal Street

A quick reminder that we will host a BBQ picnic tonight in place of our normally scheduled neighborhood meeting. This annual event is a thank you to Mid-City Neighborhood Organization members and other Mid-City residents for their support during the year. We will be serving a complimentary plate of hamburgers, hot-dogs, and other assorted goodies to MCNO members, and we welcome anyone else to join us for good food and fun as long as it lasts. We will also be serving soft drinks and water – any other beverages you want to consume, please plan to bring them yourself.

The event is free to everyone, but we welcome donations from non-members and anyone else who wishes to support Mid-City.

At the picnic, you can greet old friends and meet new ones, and ask the board and other Mid-City representatives and non-profits questions and advice. We have invited several groups, including the Mid-City Community Garden, Rebuilding Together (Preservation Resource Center), the Food and Farm Network, and the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (which is managing our blighted housing acquisition program) to attend or provide information you can take away.

We’ll also have updates on exciting happenings and progress in Mid City.

NOTE: Stay tuned – Beginning next Friday, we will be posting a weekly newsblast to the MCNO site. The first blast will have an update on nearly 100 blighted Mid-City properties that have gone through the code enforcement process.