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Author: Karen Gadbois

About Karen Gadbois
Karen Gadbois co-founded The Lens. She now covers New Orleans government issues and writes about land use. With television reporter Lee Zurik she exposed widespread misuse of city recovery funds and led to guilty pleas in federal court. Her work attracted some of journalism's highest honors, including a Peabody Award, an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award and a gold medal from Investigative Reporters and Editors. She can be reached at (504) 606-6013.

City code enforcement hearing to deal with unpermitted house, barking from dog spa

December 6, 2013 Updated November 7, 2019
The owner got a permit to build a garage, but the city says it's a second dwelling, which isn't allowed.

Neighbors succeed in bringing temporary halt to plans for a concrete batching plant off Earhart

December 2, 2013 Updated November 7, 2019
Residents of the Zion City neighborhood have seen a steady encroachment of commercial enterprises in what had been a residential area. The neighborhood is zoned for "light industrial," but Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell had the city create a special zoning district after construction started on the site without a permit.

New Orleans City Council budget hearings end not with a bang, but a whimper

November 15, 2013 Updated November 7, 2019
Friday afternoon's session focused on Safety and Permits and one of its divisions, the Taxicab Bureau.

Crackdown on Quarter T-shirt shops yields some compliance, some delays

November 8, 2013 Updated November 7, 2019
Inspectors looked at 53 sites, found 17 not in line with city ordinance.

Landmarks budget down, SPCA up as City Council haggles over 2014 spending

November 5, 2013 Updated November 7, 2019
Contending the city's incarceration rate is too high, Councilmember Gray has begun quantifying budget requests in terms of the annual cost of housing an inmate: $18,000.

New Orleans looks to auction off 2,100 city-owned properties

November 1, 2013 Updated November 7, 2019
The city could bring in $10 million by selling them.

Treme house demolished illegally by nonprofit that scored federal dollars to renovate it

October 30, 2013 Updated November 7, 2019
Providence Community Housing lacked a demolition permit as it reduced a vintage house to a stack of timbers, saying the structure was too far gone.

Uptown property comes into compliance with zoning code after years of defiance

October 22, 2013 Updated November 7, 2019
A front yard illegally paved to make a parking pad was remedied as the property owner eyed the real estate market.

Poor communication between state, city preceded demolition of house during repair

October 14, 2013 Updated November 7, 2019
A state employee told the city that Kim James hadn't gotten one grant, but didn't note that she had gotten another.

Gentilly mall still an eyesore years after city started shelling out rehab money

September 26, 2013 Updated November 7, 2019
Disbursements from the city's Economic Development Fund to Lake Terrace have totaled $225,000.

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