[StBernard] Briefing on Inspections, Repairing, and Rebuilding

[Westley Annis]

Briefing on Inspections, Repairing, and Rebuilding 

The following is a bulletin of the inspections, repairing, and rebuilding
process that is currently being put in place.

 

Individual property owner makes decision of the fate of their property.
This can be done by the property owner before an inspection or after the
inspection report is completed and ratified by the parish government.  A
group of certified building inspectors will evaluate the properties in St.
Bernard Parish and submit a report for each property.  The parish council
and administration will then make decisions to recommend to the property
owner.  The demolition recommendation will take into account three major
areas of interest:  structural integrity, environmental issues, and economic
feasibility.  The environmental issue is one that will fall to the
individual property owner as well.  It is strongly suggested that
individuals seek information from the Centers for Disease Control, the
Department of Environmental Quality, the Louisiana Department of Health and
Hospitals, and the Environmental Protection Agency to help in making
decisions about the response to the damage.  Guidelines regarding
environmental issues can be accessed at each of the above agencies'
websites. 

 

If a property owner decides to wait for a building inspection, the parish
government will recommend that demolition or repair standards be met.  If
the inspector report recommends demolition and the owner concurs then the
property will be demolished at no cost to the owner.  The slab will be
evaluated for damage and if noted as significantly damaged, the slab will be
recommended as debris as well and removed with the house.  All demolition
will require permission from the property owner, prior to demolition, unless
an owner is negligent in responding to exhaustive attempts to reach the
owner. 

 

Should a property owner decide to repair their home instead of demolition,
the individual should photo document all activities done relative to the
rebuilding process- take pictures of every step of work that is to be
completed.  If the property is impacted by the oil spill, the owner should
coordinate any activities with Murphy Oil USA through the claim center at
877-511-1006. 

 

The debris removal contractor will pick up all debris removed from the
house. 

 

If the owner decides to clear out the internal contents of the home as part
of the repair process, it is requested that the owner separate household
hazardous materials such as paints, cleaners, bleach, etc.  and place those
items in a separate pile.  The debris removing contractor will also take the
household hazardous materials as well. 

 

Owners who have a property that is recommended for demolition and is not
acted on, will proceed through the demolition process.  This will keep
un-repaired properties from inhibiting the rebuilding of neighborhoods. 

 

A major issue of the rebuilding considerations is the property owner's
pre-storm elevation.  The requirement of the national flood plain management
program is that any home that was more than 50% damaged must be built to be
in compliance with the base elevation, if it was not compliant already.  The
base elevation is currently the same now as it was before the storm- 1.2
feet above sea level.  We anticipate the base elevation changing, but there
has been no statement from the national flood plain management program as of
today. 

 

If you had flood insurance and you are required to elevate your home, you
are then eligible for additional compliance funding for up to $30,000 to
raise your house elevation.  We have requested FEMA to consider creating an
opportunity for all residents to be eligible for additional funds for
compliance issues, but are awaiting an answer to this.  Residents without
flood insurance and who are below the base elevation and who have homes that
were more than 50% damaged, will have to come into compliance with the
National Flood Insurance Program in order to maintain or be eligible for
flood insurance.  If the parish government raises the base elevation prior
to the national flood management program determining the new base elevation,
we run the risk of setting the elevation too high or too low relative to the
national flood plain management decision. 

 

The upside to being above the base elevation is that flood insurance
premiums tend to be lower for house above the flood plain requirement. 

 


>From a planning situation, it is important that the parish government

maintain some level of consistency so that neighborhoods do not have
multiple levels of elevation, which could potentially create problems
between adjacent properties that are not elevated consistently. 

 

Repairs will be required to follow current building standards.