[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish

[Westley Annis]

Craig:
 
Thanks for sharing information relative to the "rent lawsuit".  I won't try
and play attorney, but we all know what the agenda of the plaintiff's is.
It also seems that the current focus centers around the restriction of
renting to family members.  Can't we simply amend the new requirement to
eliminate that verbiage?  Without the restriction anyone could continue to
"rent" to any family member, no different than any other parish or any other
time.  The emphasis would then be on zoning laws, a staple of any parish.
Although I often wonder if half the judges on the bench in New Orleans have
any common sense, hopefully the judge hearing the case will realize that
there is nothing illegal about zoning laws.  If we can't enforce zoning
laws, then how can we enforce laws regarding grass cutting, blighted
property, etc.? 
 
I am disappointed with Mark Madary's position, and I know many others are,
also.  Was he afraid of losing his voting base?  Based on his position, he
has already succeeded.  Although I doubt it, I would love to have someone in
his subdivision rent their property out.  He may think it can't happen with
so few houses in his subdivision, but he may have a rude awakening.  
 
This is not about racism; it is exactly what has been stated:  all property
owners want to maintain the quality of their neighborhoods and as we all
learned from Village Square, more rental units (especially in a concentrated
area) will only result in run-down properties as the owners look to maximize
their investment by minimizing their costs. 
 
Westley, thank you for allowing me to vent.
 
JFR