[StBernard] Rental policy called discriminatory

[Westley Annis]

I hate to agree with Lynn Dean, and disagree with members of the counsel who

I consider personal friends, but with all do respect..... who are you to say

what I can do with my property.  As long as I keep it up, it is none of your

business.  The intentions may be good and I understand why the counsel did 
what they did, but this is Un-American!  I do NOT believe this will stand up

in the court system.

The leaders need to look at this from a different perspective.  If there is 
an influx of investors buying lots of properties at a reduced cost to turn 
around, fix them up and rent them, the problem isn't those investors.  The 
leaders of our parish need to figure out why the former owners of those 
residents are selling and leaving or why some former residents are fixing 
their own property and choosing to rent it instead of moving back into it. 
Let me give you a hint....  Lack of progress..... Fear of no protection 
against future storms.....  Trash..... CERTAIN parish officials who line 
their own pockets first before taking care of their constituents......  I 
think you get the point.

I really hate to come accross so harsh,  but I generally deal in reality.  I

love my parish.  I always will.  But the reality of it is that it is not 
even close to being back to where it was, muchless "new and improved".  I 
cannot see bringing my family back to environment like that without some 
assurances.  So if I choose to fix my home and rent it, that is my choice, 
not the counsel's.  I am intelligent enough to pick a renter who will not 
only take care of my property, but also someone who will be an asset to the 
neighborhood and the parish.

Lastly, the counsel may have just voted itself out of a job.  Here's why I 
say this.  From what I read in the St. Bernard News, the counsel decided to 
take this action because they found there were so many investors trying to 
buy these properties for sale and make them rental units.  Well, I go back 
to what I said before... Someone has to be selling the properties and it 
seems to be a lot of them.  So what will happen if these former residents 
now have a limited pool of prospective buyers or if the buyers won't be able

to do what they wish with these properties?  Maybe they will demolish them? 
One thing for sure is that you still have an unoccupied resident/empty lot 
that may or not be kept up.  You have just lost population.  With no 
population you don't need a parish counsel or one at its current size.  You 
also still have your jack-o-lantern affect.

So, while well intentioned, in my humble opinion, this course of action will

not work, nor will it stand the legal test.  And by the way.... "No, I don't

want to rent my home.  I couldn't if I wanted to, it's just a slab now."

-Tony