Hoffman Neighborhood Association Meeting
April 8, 2008
5:30 pm-7:00pm
Pleasant Zion Missionary Baptist Church
3317 Toledano
Attendance:
Church Representatives: 1
Local Residents: 12
NGO: 2
Rally: 4
Speakers: 4
Total: 23
Agenda
: City Councilwoman Stacy Head is here to answer your questions, as well as a
Quality of life Officer to discuss property crimes in 6
th
district
Stacy Head Update on Community Action:
Glad that this is becoming such an active community association. Good news is that
NORA has identified Hoffman as a pilot program to take pre-Katrina blighted properties
and bring back into commerce to the area. NORA will come to community to get input
on what Hoffman residents want. (i.e. double, single homes, rates, quality construction,
etc.)
Taylor park is slated to get money from disaster relief fund. Hoffman elementary not a
fast-track, (completed by school year 2009) but will speed up process in the interim.
There is still some question as to whether to tear down or rebuild and renovate the school.
Schools make strong community.
Claiborne Ave: wants to bring grocery stores, kids clothing stores, etc. she is working
hard to recruit and bring retail to area. There is a fund of $10,000 total to hire a retail
consultant to recruit businesses to come to community.
$2 million has also be slated toward Claiborne avenue for a beautification of neutral
ground project. Community input is needed to determine what would be the most
appropriate use of neutral ground. (A bike path vs. streetscapes) The Regional Planning
Commission hired someone to draft improved street-scape plan. An improved street –
scape will encourage more developers to the area.
Discussion open for Questions and Concerns:
Big problem with trash dumping. What can be done to solve this problem?
Take license plates number or contact the sanitation department, and they have been quite
aggressive in prosecuting offenders. There has been 15 prosecutions and 1 person in jail.
Find out where the offenders are coming from if possible. Fines have been increased,
maybe $500.
Problem with water drainage in the neighborhood:
Email or call with exact address where problems occurs. Street repairs will be paid for
by FEMA, (that’s the reason for delay) but Public Works Department needs to know
where the problems occur. Could be as simple as cleaning out the drains.
History of problem: In the past, everyone on block would have to agree to get subsurface
drainage i.e. camp st. This explains gaps in drainage, where 30-40 years ago people
didn’t’ agree to install subsurface drainage. We need to fix the old system. The City
Doesn’t do bonding for individuals. Mill and overlay is inexpensive but need to dig up,
put in infrastructure so its very disruptive.
Live below the gas line. Resident has to do repairs by itself
This is an issue for Entergy. Resident needs to contact them directly and provide them
with an exact location. Call Barbara Lacey Keller in Stacy Head’s office and she will
follow up on the problems.
People are rebuilding but not using dumpsters
Bundle materials in owner supply material (boxes, trash bags). Then they can call the
sanitation department and get unlimited pick up for free. If they don’t do this, call the
authority and report them.
Is the lot next door program in effect?
You need to transfer records to your name. NORA will go through procedural
requirements, (pay taxes, debts, etc) or if the owner chooses not to, they will do an
expropriation. NORA gets properties then neighbors get the notification. Have to let
NORA know that you are interested and must pay market value or 50% of the property.
Can’t happen until NORA gets those properties back on the market. (See RALLY
handout for specifics)
NORA wants to come to the next meeting to make presentation. Should we invite them?
YES
What can the neighborhood association do?
Have a community voice to the extent possible. Need to agree on things, and my job is to
create a vision for community that you want.
Our main concern is the lack of grocery store.
I’m currently talking to local grocers to put a smaller store with basic foods in it to test
the market. On a National level, larger retailers are on hold and no expansion. Orleans
parish currently has 12,000 people per grocery store. Jefferson parish at 130% higher
sales than pre-K (we going to Jefferson parish to buy foods) while our neighborhoods are
without a store. Need to work on this issue.
Quality of Life Officer:
Stacy Head addressed a lot of these issues. Call 311 with street light issues.
Copper theft is a growing problem in this neighborhood. Biggest problem is churches.
They put pipes in and thieves tear them down immediately. If you see a truck with
copper or any unusual things, call the NUMBER.
NeighborWatch is a program that police department is trying to implement. If you see
something wrong by your neighborhoods property give them a call. Work together to
solve time. The Main deal is “Look out for each other”. Keep tools by you, construction
theft is also a growing problem.
Open discussion to Questions and General Disscussion:
Concern about the park lights. It’s too dark in the park, there is lots of activity and you
don’t know what is going on, gun shots etc. What can we do as a community to deal with
lighting?
Set timers to 9 pm.
They go off at 7:30 and kids are still over there playing. There is also increased drug
activity in the neighborhood.
Contact Larry Barabina in our office: 504.329.6011 (work)
Comeback committee meeting update:
Tuesday afternoon is the Comeback Committee meeting. Recent discussion included
targeting that area around the park and “take it back”
Is it possible to put together a STD mobile unit to pass out information to talk about the
spread of disease?
Yes, NOAIDS has a mobile clinic. Contact them and they will be happy to help.
If people don’t want the police showing up at their house you can 504-282-2222 for
police. Call Sergeant Kalka directly about copper theft at 504-658-6312.
Abandoned house across the street. I called the police, and they said they wouldn’t come
unless he was outside. General concern about lack of responsiveness from 911.
If you are not satisfied, call and ask for the supervisor. They are having a problem with
911.
Community Events and General Association Business:
Sat. May 17
th
there will be a job fair. On May 10 there will be job preparedness day
(interview skills, GED preparation, etc.)
2020 Jackson was last job fair, about 100 people got hired by home depot, sheriffs
department. (400 people came)
Two days before are asking for volunteers to hand out informational fliers…
May 19
th
there will be a cleanup with GUST schools to clean up the area.
Need to set a date for a community picnic; can do that in the early part of June. Didn’t
want to have it in Taylor park; people were worried about crime.
Landlord training class. When is it going to be held? Next June. Kim Washington will
get you information on how to select tenet.
Rebuilding our community gave us a check for $500 to use however we want to do. And
we are also getting a check from Tulane. Talk with Treasurer and will decide what to do
with the money.
\
Rally update:
Going to track specific trash/dumping areas and report list.
Will pay people to track recovery of neighborhood. Where things are popping up, and
what the dynamics of the neighborhood are. Contact Mike at Rally if you are interested.
General concerns we hear when passing out fliers: transportation, GROCERY Store,
trash issues.
We can put together a list of home for elderly based on data taken from neighborhood
survey last fall.
EXEL-Bingo
: Do we want to a BINGO hall in neighborhood?
Not strong enough to reach a consensus on this issue yet. Old errands supermarket has
been leased, and will put in a bingo hall. (no alcohol, charitable gaming) The other half
may be leased to a butcher or grocery.
Next meeting:
Next meeting NORA will attend. Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Meeting closed with a prayer 7 p.m.