[StBernard] Panel sorts out homeowner appeals

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Mon Jun 23 20:19:06 EDT 2008


Panel sorts out homeowner appeals
Deadline looms for house demolitions
Monday, June 23, 2008
By Mary Elise DeCoursey
St. Bernard bureau
Twice a week, Alicé Dornan and Armand Bennett leave work and head to Trailer
K-6 at the St. Bernard Parish government complex to begin their night job.


There, Dornan and Bennett, both of Chalmette, join other parish residents on
volunteer panels charged with hearing appeals from homeowners with
properties on St. Bernard's demolition list. The typical three-hour shift
mixes equal parts official business and rebuilding advice for homeowners
such as Emile Williams, who came before the panel Tuesday to seek more time
to finish his house.

"We'd like to see the properties rebuilt and see people in them," Bennett
told Williams, explaining that the panelists aren't trying to run homeowners
out of the parish.

"They're not going to send me any more letters after this," Williams assured
him. "I guarantee three months from now, this house will be finished."

The panel and hearings are part of an appeals process the parish created to
help ensure that a renovated house isn't taken down by mistake. Since
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita tore through St. Bernard Parish in 2005,
officials have condemned thousands of homes for demolition.

Essentially, any home that has not passed a final electrical inspection was
lumped onto the list, parish officials said. Thus, homes on the list range
from those nearing complete restoration to those barely standing.

The broad scale of condemnations, they said, was to make sure that no house
was missed, a concession necessitated by the Aug. 29 deadline to get homes
demolished with FEMA financing.

Community Development Director Jerry Graves Jr. said about 6,300 homes have
been demolished since the hurricanes. Another 700 will likely come down
before the Aug. 29 deadline, he said.

Condemned houses are marked with stickers bearing a red "X." The lists are
posted online at www.sbpg.net and in the parish's legal journal. The parish
also attempts to notify each homeowner by mail.

Appeals are heard six days a week; about 2,000 are still pending.

Every night brings a new crop of homes, and often a fresh case of problems.
"Every house has a story," Dornan said, smiling.

On Tuesday night, it was Dina Savarese and Lester Hueschen's turn to tell
their story.

With their young children fidgeting anxiously, the couple met with the panel
to discuss how to get their Chalmette home off the condemned list. Despite
extensive repair work on their home, the couple hasn't secured the necessary
utility permits. They also learned their electrician wasn't licensed in the
parish -- another roadblock to getting the permits.

The panel's work isn't always as simple as telling homeowners they need a
certain permit or their contractor must have the proper parish licenses.
Appeals can be complicated by issues ranging from home sales to murky
property successions. Panelists can find themselves sorting through a raft
of confusing paperwork and sloppy documentation.

Some homeowners don't show up. And those who do are often fearful their
house is within days of being torn down. The panel tries to assure them that
is not the case, while taking a serious look at their rebuilding progress.

"People don't read all the way down and realize this is a long process,"
Dornan said. "They see 'demolition' and 'appeal hearing' and panic and just
take the first step."

The panel can give three possible recommendations: demolition not required,
proceed with demolition, or grant a three-month extension for homeowners to
get their permits in line.

Savarese and Hueschen left their hearing relieved. Some of the issues raised
during the hearing will result in more work for the couple, but their house
isn't going to be demolished.

"I didn't know that I didn't have any permits. I'm glad I did come,"
Savarese said. "It made me feel a whole bunch better."

. . . . . . .

Mary Elise DeCoursey can be reached at mdecoursey at timespicayune.com or (504)
826-3362.






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