Nine-month deadline passes, but councilman’s property shows little evidence of generous government support.

More reporters than City Council members attended today’s non-meeting of the city’s legislative branch, which again was stymied by the absence of Jon Johnson and Cynthia Hedge-Morrell.

Newcomers to this site may not be aware that before there was The Lens there was a blog called Squandered Heritage. With help from a wee band of fellow zealots, I devoted Squandered Heritage to the task of chronicling the parlous state of the built environment in New Orleans post-Katrina, with particular attention to the city’s priceless residential architecture.

By Karen Gadbois, The Lens staff writer |
Appearing Thursday in federal court before Judge Nannette Jolivette-Brown, former New Orleans Affordable Homeownership contractor Earl Myers changed his plea from not guilty to guilty of conspiring to commit theft of federal…

By Karen Gadbois, The Lens staff writer |
Defying political speculation, Stacy Head told The Lens Wednesday she plans to take office as one of the City Council’s two at-large members before May 7, meaning she would not be eligible…

Whether a Treme house gets demolished or purposely dismantled — in spite of the city’s stop-work order — it’s clear that thousands in rebuilding money isn’t saving an architectural gem.

By Karen Gadbois, The Lens staff writer |
One of the great philosophical conundrums of our time played out before the Neighborhood Conservation Committee this week: when is a house a billboard (and vice versa.)
At issue was the city’s…

By Karen Gadbois, The Lens staff writer |
With its tangled title, backed-up taxes, and an ambience that hovers somewhere between junkyard and barnyard, it’s no showplace. But for Lane Hughes, the waterless wreck of a house has been all…

By Karen Gadbois, The Lens staff writer |
Quietly and with no discussion, the City Council broadened the definition Thursday of what constitutes disturbing the peace during its meetings, asserting control over where people can stand to record public meetings.…

By Karen Gadbois, The Lens staff reporter |
Patrons, neighbors and employees of Bacchanal, the ultra-hip Bywater nightspot, turned out in force for this week’s meeting of the Board of Zoning Adjustment.
Bacchanal, at the corner of Poland Avenue and…