[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish responds to threats of federal fines

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish responds to threats of federal fines
Reported by: Liz Reyes, Reporter 
Email: lreyes at fox8tv.net 
Contributor: Jon Turnipseed, Photographer 
Last Update: 4/09 11:26 pm
 
Strong reaction in St. Bernard Parish to Judge Ginger Berrigan's order on
Friday to the parish to either allow construction to continue at the
designated four sites for mixed income apartments in St. Bernard or face
federal fines as high as $50,000 dollars daily. "I just feel that it is
something that's being pushed on us. It's unfair to the whole parish. I
think they should let the voters vote, residents of this parish and they'll
come to find, we really don't want it here," said resident, Josie
DiChristina.

A parish statement today reads, "Under the threat of fines that would equate
to $275,000 in the next week and an additional $350,000 in the second week.
St Bernard Parish has rescinded its cease and desist order." Work stopped on
the sites Friday when the Parish President told contractors their building
permits were not valid.
He pointed out a state judge also agreed with that. From the get-go, parish
officials have been against the building of the mixed income apartments.
They argued
the complexes would deflate the current home values in the parish because
there is already a surplus of vacant housing there. 

"I have five houses around my house that people aren't renting. So I think
they ought to get rid of that first," added resident, Earl Farragout.
Advocates for the apartments, though, say they will actually help increase
housing values. They say attempts to stop it actually amounts to only one
thing. "This is absolutely housing discrimination. The judge has looked at
the facts over the course of six years, not only is discriminatory in
effect, but it is intentional discrimination, again these are just
additional steps in the same pattern," said James Perry, the Executive
Director of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing group. He and other
advocates hope this legal fight is the last in this battle because they
argue building these mixed income apartments is the right things to do.

In response to the parish's argument that there are already many vacant
homes available there. James Perry says, the new housing under construction,
is possible, because they're using federal tax credits . He says they work
best with multi-family units, not for individual homes, which are already
vacant. St.Bernard Parish lawyers and officials plan to meet Monday to
decide their next legal move.