None of these houses pictured below had a demolition permit; they only had “repair” permits. All the houses had damage estimates of fewer than 40 percent; most had damage estimates below thirty percent.

If “repairing” a house means removing 95 percent of it, I must be seriously missing something. Well, besides me, someone at City Hall is definitely missing something. A concerned neighbor called Safety and Permits after one house was in the process of “repair” and no one ever showed up to inspect the “repair”. Well, after that, about 5 more houses were “repaired” and a city inspector never came out.

I sent out an email to several people and I called Nelson Savoie, the Chairman of the Housing Conservation District Review Committee, in Safety and Permits at City Hall. These houses are in his jurisdiction. Nelson told me to call Johnny Odom, the Department Head at Safety and Permits, whom I missed on the phone several times over a certain period of days.

On Monday, I finally got in touch with Johnny Odom on the phone and he sounded quite annoyed that I was calling to report the demolitions; he told me they are “working” on it.

I looked up the owner and permit information and on the Orleans Parish Tax Assessors website and velocityhall.com and two people: Ray Verges and Adam Irving seem connected one way or another to all the houses. I, again, stress that I am not 100 percent sure who is truly responsible for this whole mess. Whoever is responsible for these illegal demolitions, under the enforcement of the code, should be fined.

2119-21 Palmyra Street ( This has new beams on it, the old house is 95 percent gone)

2115 Palmyra Street (This house has more new beams and wood panels added to it, the old house is 95 percent gone. )

2113 Palmyra Street (This house is mostly gone.)

2109-11 Palmyra Street (This is just a shell of a front wall.)

2105 Palmyra Street (This House looks is now only a front wall shell, its now 95 percent gone.)

220-22 S Jhonson Street (This House originally had one story, another story has been added to it.It is the most completed of all the houses; all new beams, the old structure is 95 percent gone.)