[StBernard] Buyouts and Green Space

[Westley Annis]

There's been some chit chat on this web posting about massive conversion of
properties from Judge Perez to the 40 Arpent east of Murphy Oil.  Just want
to invite all elected officials and residents to drive down Corinne Avenue
in Corinne Estates.  You'll hear saws, and pressure washers, and roofers at
work. You'll see residents getting their lawns ready for spring grass.
You'll see new doors and windows going in.  Corinne Estates is coming back
and many homeowners plan to be living in their homes soon. Maybe just
upstairs, maybe just on weekends, maybe in a trailer on the lawn for right
now, until early summer when the homes are finished. Other homes are just
waiting for acts of sale for the new owners who are anxious to get started.
I hear Jumonville and some other subdivisions are undergoing the same, but
I've been too busy to visit them.

While I wouldn't object if a golf course came along in the area, I won't
like a NASCAR track in my back yard. But realistically, all the talk of
buyouts, whether the Baker plan or this new plan, depend on BILLIONS of
dollars coming directly to homeowners. Call me a pessimist, but it will take
a very long time to get a plan underway, get the money flowing, and actually
put any dollars into a property owner's hands whether for repairs or a total
buyout.  The T-P reports that Nagin is saying New Orleans alone needs at
least FOUR BILLION dollars to start such a buyout.  Folks, we as a state
only have a promise from the federal govt.  of $6.2 billion, and some of
that is already being earmarked by the Gov. and the LRA for state agencies,
transportation, flood protection, education, tourism, culture, recreation,
social services and medical services.  Look at our legislature this week and
decide if you think that the $6.2 billion LA is getting (or even if it was
twice that)  is going to be doled out logically, fairly, and quickly to St.
Bernard.

Any money that winds up in the hands of St. Bernard homeowners, in my
opinion, will be a very  long time coming. Our lives need to be moving
forward now, unless you can just march time until then. And some people can
because they have made interim arrangements.  Meanwhile, I'll keep doing
what I can, where I can, when I can, however I can, and if that money ever
comes, it will be a pleasant surprise. Notice the word "I", because I don't
count on "they" ( the federal or state government.) The federal government
doesn't see value in LA and the state government is broke. And mark my
words, should there be any major storm this season that affects another
state, LA will be old news and forgotten when the feds move on to that
disaster.

ddk