[StBernard] Council Extends Deadline to March 31

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard resident have until March to make demolition decision
12/20/2005, 7:24 p.m. CT
The Associated Press    

CHALMETTE, La. (AP) - St. Bernard Parish property owners have until March 31
to decide whether to renovate or demolish structures, but could get an
extension for extenuating circumstances.

The St. Bernard Parish Council agreed Tuesday on the March deadline after
several member balked at a proposed Jan. 31 deadline. Residents may not have
settled with their insurance companies by then and might not be able to make
a difficult decision that early, council member Mark Madary said.

"It's their home, not a piece of property," Madary said.

The deadline passed with a 6-1 vote, with Council member Lynn Dean
dissenting.

"What right do we have to demolish a house?" he asked.

Dean added that some residents may not make a decision until they see what
kind of levees are rebuilt.

More than 300 homes and businesses were initially considered structurally
unsafe and were approved for demolition by the Parish Council. No starting
date has been set for the work. More than 500 owners have requested free
demolition of damaged structures, according to parish officials.