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Saturday, April 2, 2011

FEMA... Blight & Historic houses

Take a look at a couple of articles in the Times Picayune.

Original Article March 31, 2011
FEMA restarts effort to clear blight
900 buildings set for demolition
Thursday, March 31, 2011 By Michelle KrupaStaff writer


Followup article April 2, 2011
Foul-up found on city's demolition list
Saturday, April 02, 2011 By Michelle Krupa and Bruce Eggler Staff writers


More FEMA money for demolitions is good, but often seems misapplied. I drive past houses everyday with no roofs or wide open to the elements or tipped on their sides but strangely these houses don't seem to be slated for demolition while other houses like the one on Jackson Ave make the list.

The article says the list might need some scrubbing. I'd like to think that there are more than enough problematic houses that the city ought to be able to stay away from houses that already have FEMA grants.

Buildings in older areas also must be reviewed by committees that decide whether to allow a demolition, based on a property's historic character or its contribution to the neighborhood fabric. And thank goodness for that. NorthWest Carrollton lost a house on Apricot Street because this process wasn't in place.

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