Councilwoman Stacy Head

NEW ORLEANS, LA (August 21, 2007) - Tomorrow, the City of New Orleans will begin a four-day drive during which New Orleanians whose properties have been cited as imminent health threats will be able to provide the required documentation to inspectors to qualify for removal from the Imminent Health Threat demolition lists. Citizens may participate whether they are currently living in New Orleans or elsewhere.

This four-day drive is part of the Imminent Health Threat Demolition Resident Assistance Program. The program was launched on August 15 and is designed to educate property owners on the process and criteria for removing a property from the Imminent Health Threat demolition list.

Property owners may bring proof and documentation of remediation to two locations in New Orleans Wednesday through Saturday and one location in Houston on Saturday. Documentation also may be sent by certified mail.

Property Removal Criteria

Property owners must provide proof and documentation (photos, in mail or in person, that shows the following:

• The property has been gutted and contents have been removed
• Grass is cut in the front, back, and side yards
• All doors closed and secured

Locations

From Wednesday, August 22 through Saturday, August 25, property owners may submit their documentation at the following locations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.:

New Orleans, LA

Office of Code Enforcement
1340 Poydras Street, Suite 1100

St. Bernard Recreation Center
1500 Lafreniere Street

Houston, TX

Journey Home Center
3611 Ennis Street, Suite 113/114
Houston, TX 77004

By certified mail to:

Office of Code Enforcement,
1340 Poydras Street, Suite 1100
New Orleans, LA 70112.

For more information, contact the city’s information hotline by dialing 311 or (504) 658-2299.

Kurt Weigle, president and CEO of the New Orleans Downtown Development District, was honored by the Bureau of Governmental Research at its recent Excellence in Government Awards program.

Weigle received the Latter & Blum Realtors Merit Award, which recognizes outstanding performance by public sector employees. He was cited for improving the DDD’s enhanced public safety services, code enforcement, and litter abatement and for stimulating economic activity, particularly through redevelopment of the medical district, and for his personal assistance in obtaining financing for the KFK Development’s Krauss Building residential project on Canal Street.

“Mr. Weigle has called for creative changes in pursuit of world-class standards,” the BGR awards program stated. “In short, Mr. Weigle and his staff have positioned downtown as a bulwark against naysayers, a place of promise at the core of a depleted city.”

Weigle has been executive director of the DDD for five years and recently received the title of president and CEO.

The Downtown Development District here has awarded a contract for sidewalk cleaning to Block by Block, LLC. The one-year, $1.2 million contract took effect August 1 and has features options for up to three one-year renewals.

In making the award at the June 20 board meeting, DDD President and CEO Kurt Weigle said that the evaluation team was impressed with the details of Block by Block’s proposal and its eagerness to create a “wow” effect with its service delivery.

“Block by Block clearly recognizes the DDD’s demands for increasing levels of excellence, specifically calling out the need for continuous quality improvement in line with the DDD’s performance measures initiative,” Weigle said.

Services include manual cleaning patrols, mechanical litter collection, power-washing of sidewalks, weed abatement, graffiti removal, and special services such as painting of street fixtures, thorough cleaning of tree wells, special plantings and mulching. Additionally, Block by Block staff received training by the DDD’s Public Safety Rangers on how to observe and report suspicious activity as well as how to interact with downtown stakeholders.

Block by Block, LLC is a division of Brantley Services Group. The division was created in 2002 to enhance services to downtown improvement districts across North America. The company currently provides cleaning, safety and hospitality services to 24 downtown districts in 11 states.

“Block by Block’s proposal includes some new services, including damp-wiping street furnishings, cleaning transit shelter glass and removing graffiti and stickers,” Weigle said. “And its personnel will actually act as ‘cleaning ambassadors’, who will promote a high quality image for Downtown and the DDD through all their activities.”

If you believe that there is a mistake with your assessment (such as a failure to include your homestead exemption) or that your property is assessed at above fair market value, you should contact your assessor before August 15, 2007.  Per my conversations with several assessors, you should support your position with recent appraisals, proof of insurance limits, recent comparable house sales in your area, and the like.  I provide information below.

1^st District Darren G. Mire
1300 Perdido St.
New Orleans, La. 70112
Rm. 4EO1
Ph# 504-658-1310
dgmire@orleansassessors.com
Assessor Mire will take appeals or correction challenges at his office, via e-mail or by phone call to his office. 

4^th District Betty Jefferson
1300 Perdido St.
New Orleans, La. 70112
Rm. 4EO1
Ph# 504-658-1340

6^th District Nancy J. Marshall
1300 Perdido St.
New Orleans, La. 70112
Rm. 4EO1
Ph# 658-1360
nmarshall@dkslaw.com
Assessor Marshall will take appeals or correction challenges at her office, via e-mail or by phone call to her office.  Also, she will hold additional office hours on Saturday Aug. 4^th and Saturday Aug. 11^th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.   

7^th District Henry F. Heaton
1300 Perdido St.
New Orleans, La. 70112
Rm. 4EO1
Ph# 658-1370