[StBernard] Parish Threatens To Tear Down Renovated Home

[Westley Annis]

Parish Threatens To Tear Down Renovated Home

POSTED: 4:47 pm CST February 6, 2009
UPDATED: 5:34 pm CST February 6, 2009


CHALMETTE, La. -- A St. Bernard Parish homeowner says the parish is
threatening to tear down the home he is trying to rebuild after Hurricane
Katrina.

Michael Laurent said his home is not listed on the parish's demolition list,
but parish leaders have started the tear-down process.

The deadline to finish work on hurricane-damaged homes is looming in St.
Bernard because by March 31, FEMA will no longer pick up the demolition tab.
So folks who began working on their homes a year ago are being urged to
finish up or face the bulldozer.

Laurent and his mother-in-law have spent $50,000 buying and repairing a home
on St. Marie Street in Chalmette.

It has a brand new roof, new replacement windows and a new fence. The inside
has been gutted, work is ongoing, and the building permit is prominently
posted.

So Laurent, who owns a home repair company, was stunned to find a demolition
notice on his door.

"I find a big red 'X' like on that window, right there on my window. That
means they (are) going to tear it down because no work is being done on the
property. And there is work being done on the property," Laurent said.

So Laurent asked for a demolition list.

"We obtained a list, but our house is not on the list," Laurent said.

But two other houses on his street are on the list, and the one listed right
below them has the same address but is on another street.

Laurent said he thinks it's possible that someone confused his address.

"But I don't want to lose my house on them being confused," he said.

Soon, things got worse. A parish crew showed up and removed his water meter
and cut his waterline.

"They came Tuesday and they dug up the plumbing, and the next step from what
I understand is the house will be (demolished)," Laurent said.

Laurent said that at the parish council meeting Tuesday he was told someone
would call him and the problem would be resolved. But so far, he hasn't
gotten a call.

"If they don't communicate with me, and they don't communicate with the
demolition crew, who's going to stop the demolition crew if they have a work
order saying they need to tear the house down?" Laurent said.

Parish President Craig Taffaro said Laurent's house has been removed from
the demolition list. But he points out that this is the second warning
owners have had to complete renovations.

"If the owners do not comply with a continuous progression of construction,
the house will be referred back to our Resident Services and Compliance
Department," Taffaro said.