[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish and state Louisiana Land Trust change refund policy

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish and state Louisiana Land Trust change refund policy

Published: Thursday, August 23, 2012, 2:49 PM     Updated: Thursday, August
23, 2012, 2:50 PM

  By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune 

The deadline to express interest in buying the 447 Louisiana Land Trust lots
in St. Bernard Parish is 5 p.m. Tuesday. And after many complaints, the
parish and the state Louisiana Land Trust have changed the policy that made
a $350 deposit non-refundable.
About one-fifth of St. Bernard Parish's lots are expected to sell, or 447 of
about 2,400 remaining properties. Individuals can purchase up to four lots.

Now, if people do not end up acquiring a lot, they will get some refund from
that deposit.

For the first time since Hurricane Katrina struck nearly seven years ago,
the Louisiana Land Trust is selling St. Bernard Parish lots and allowing
people to build houses on them. Previous sales of Road Home lots came with a
host of restrictions on what could be built on the land, including a
prohibition on new home construction.

About 447 of the parish's about 2,400 LLT lots are for sale. If more than
one person is interested in a lot, an open auction will be held Oct. 13 in
the St. Bernard Parish Council chambers.

The state acquired about 4,500 lots in St. Bernard under the Road Home
program from homeowners who decided not to rebuild, and the Louisiana Land
Trust in turn sold about half of the lots to neighboring property owners in
what was dubbed the Lot Next Door program. But under the Lot Next Door
program, properties could be used only as a yard or for home expansion, such
as a pool, garage or an attached guest house, not for new home construction.

But people who buy the Louisiana Land Trust lots this go-round will have no
developmental restrictions for their property.

People interested in lots still have to submit a $350 check along with their
statement-of-interest letter. Individuals can purchase up to four lots and
must submit the $350 deposit for each one.

The breakdown is a $175 appraisal cost, a $150 administrative fee and $25
for mailing needed documents, according to Candace Watkins, the parish's
director of community development.

If there are multiple interested parties and people don't get the property
because they are outbid, they will get the $150 administrative fee and the
$175 appraisal cost back. So, if outbid, a person will only have to pay the
$25 mailing costs.

If a person places a deposit and is the lone interested party but doesn't
buy the lot because that person doesn't like the price, then that person
will get only the $150 administrative fee back.

If someone acquires a lot, the $350 deposit does not go toward the purchase
price.

To buy a lot, interested parities must submit their statement-of-interest
letter and a $350 check payable to Louisiana Land Trust for each lot no
later than 5 p.m. Tuesday to Louisiana Land Trust, 1515 Poydras St., Suite
1320, New Orleans, LA 70112. Interested individuals must close on the
property within 30 days of signing the purchase agreement.

A list of all lots for sale is available by clicking on the top banner at
www.lalandtrust.us, or by clicking on the St. Bernard Lot Sales Program link
on the parish's website, at www.sbpg.net.

The list can also be picked up at the parish government's Office of
Community Development, 8201 W. Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette, and at the
parish public library off Judge Perez, at 2600 Palmisano Blvd., Chalmette.

If more than one person wants to buy the same lot, all interested parities
will be invited to an auction at 10 a.m. October 13 in the Parish Council
Chambers.

Individuals with sales questions can contact LLT officials at 504.799.4330,
Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.