This nice-looking bungalow was approved for demolition in the 9/25 meeting of HCDRC. Will be replaced by a vacant lot. See pics below (Sept. 9 posting). Between the Aug 25 and Sept 25 meetings, I count 38 homes approved for demolition by HCDRC, including 20 shotguns, 16 single-family detached homes, 1 duplex and 1 boarding […]

Could private business do a better job of managing city services? Some cities are finding out. See this article in “USA Today”:http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/197996.html. In the case of Sandy Springs, GA (population 100,000): “A Colorado-based engineering firm, CH2M Hill, oversees all but the police and fire departments. The company focuses on raising revenues by rigorously enforcing building […]

Congress has approved spending $500 billion on the wars/reconstruction of Iraq+Afghaniston since 9/11. About $14 billion has been approved for restoration of the Louisiana coastline–far too little and it took a lot of argument to get it. (See today’s Times-Picayune, Section A, pages 2 and 5. And, yes, when you add up everything related to […]

The City of Phoenix is misnamed. It can’t rise from its ashes until it is reduced to ashes. In developmental terms it’s a rapidly-growing baby (or maybe a cancer). The Real Phoenix is New Orleans–reduced to ashes (and mud) and about to be reborn into something better. The cynic in you (and aren’t we all […]

I’ve just analyzed the latest release of demolition applications presented by the Preservation Resource Center. They pertain only to Orleans Parish. The results: *Demolition applications by structure type*: Shotgun double: 12 Shotgun single: 3 Single-family: 5 Total demolition requests = 20 *Replacement plans*: Shotgun: 0 Single-family: 6 Double: 1 Multifamily: 1 Total replacement homes planned […]