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For
your immediate Attention
The Letter Below is Regarding a letter that
many of our residents received in the mail from NORA.
Please read:
Dear Pontchartrain Park Residents
I'm writing this letter in response to a letter several of
you
received (my family included) from NORA. It came to you as certified
mail and detailed the process of selling your property to the
government. It appeared to suggest that the government was attempting
to take your property as a part of a "Quick Take"
program. I was
concerned as I'm sure you were. After discussion with NORA today
I
was assured that is not the case.
As the Pontchartrain Park CDC prepares to redevelop the Road
Home
Properties, NORA thought it would be an opportunity to find
out what
residents would still be interested in selling their property
to add
to the reconstruction. Their thinking was that those homes around
the
golf course would be ideal since the course will be redeveloped
simultaneously. The decision would be the OWNER'S to make and
would
be completely VOLUNTARY. Because CDBG funds would be used, NORA
is
required by law to educate the public to the process and had
to send
that information and pamphlet (hence the letter).
I have invited Unisa Barrie to our Neighborhood Association
Meeting
Saturday, August 16 at 11AM at SUNO room 18B, North Campus.
The SUNO
police has informed me that that will be our meeting room from
now
on. Please come to ask any question's you might have and invite
those
neighbors who received the letters and want to know more. I
will not
be at the meeting because I will be out of the country, but
I have
spoken to NORA about this matter, and my staff is following
up. NORA
acted without our knowledge, so please don't think that we had
anything to do with this communication. Pontchartrain Park CDC
has
presented our detailed plan to redevelop. We are ready. Now
the
government has to transfer the properties and we can start
immediately. We are now negotiating for that transfer to happen.
Wendell Pierce
***
Pontchartrain Park
Neighborhood Association
Monthly Meeting
Held: July 26, 2008
At SUNO Lakefront Campus
Building 19B
Meeting conducted by Wendell Pierce:
Minutes
Pontchartrain Park CDC
Pontchartrain Park CDC will be doing Pontchartrain Park, we
won the RFP.
2. NORA
a. August negotiate with NORA
b. August will be our design phase
c. Mid to late September finish with NORA and complete 2 to
3 model homes.
d. Development will be 100% local hire.
3. Riggio Foundation
a. Riggio Foundation has committed $25 million to rebuilding
New Orleans (they want to do 100 homes in New Orleans)
b. "Project Home Again" will make a presentation August
9th, 2008 at 1PM at SUNO in building #43.
i. Project Home Again will be discussing "The House Swap"
Program. Where you can swap you damaged home for a newly renovated
home at no cost to you.
ii. Currently "Project Home Again" has 10 homes available
on St. Bernard Avenue.
Pontchartrain Park Assisted Living Program
PPAL
For Seniors 55 years and older.
1. $550 per year once fully implemented.
2. Transportation Services will begin September 1, 2008. THIS
IS A COMPLIMENTARY SERVICE. Transportation available to and
from: The Grocery Store, Doctor's Appointments, etc. ENTIRE
PONTILY AREA INCLUDED. This is a marketing test run.
3. Capitol One Grants for Seniors (55 and older)
a. $5000 per family for home improvement:
i. Call Marvette Howard, 1(800)562-9007 ex. 55317 or 1(713)435-5317
Fundraising
Wendell to speak at the Democratic National Convention on August
24th, 2008 speaking at a viewing of the documentary which he
narrated entitled "The Storm Inside"
1. "The Storm Inside" will be
screened in New Orleans at the Prytania Theater on
August 22, 2008 and Houston, TX on September 2, 2008. PPNA
will receive a $10,000 grant from "The Storm Inside"
and 10% of any sponsorship.
2. Wendell will speak at the "Police and Justice Lunch"
and they will donate to PPNA $1,500.
Upcoming Events
1. "Night Out Against Crime" will be
held on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at Pontchartrain Park on the
corner of Press and Prentiss. PPNA donated $1000 to the event.
Jackie Blossom who is one of the organizers has requested donations
for prizes. Jackie Blossom can be reached at 504-338-8008.
2. "Gentilly Fest" will take place on October 11,
2008 from 11am - 7pm at Pontchartrain Park. 21 neighborhoods
from the Gentilly Area will be participating in this festival.
a. The next meeting will be Augustr 2nd at 5900 Paris Avenue
at 10am in Edgewater Baptist Church.
b. 3000 to 5000 expected to attend.
c. The website is www.gentillyfest.org
d. We have requested that the theme of the event be "The
50th Anniversary of Pontchartrain Park."
e. They are still selling booths for the event- $500 for food
booths and $75 for artist booths.
Political Forum
We are organizing a political forum in order to speak to the
politicians running in the upcoming elections. We are planning
the forum to take place tentatively on August 28, 2008 at 6:30pm.
Updating our Records
We want to update our records in our neighborhood. We need to
get the status of homes you're your immediate blocks.
1. You can check information in the Assessors
Website at www.opboa.org.
Click on Property Records, then Address, follow the instructions
to find information about homes in your neighborhood.
2. Maps were also given out at the last meeting so that we know
the homes in our neighborhood for which we need information.
The Lot Next Door Program
For information on The City's Lot Next Door Program check the
website at www.noraworks.org
or call 504-658-4422
***
Below is a list of our officers:
Wendell Pierce - President
Ed Morris - Vice President
Deven Collins - Treasurer
Michael Carey - Financial Secretary
Dominique Bachemin-Adansi-Bona - Director of Information
Gretchen Bradford - Director of Membership
Deborah McAllister - Time Keeper
Our Board Members:
Helena Jones
Hurby Oubre
Jeffrey G. Douglas
Paul Lentz
* * *
At our meeting on April 19, 2008, we announced
our 3 Agenda Points.
1. The
Pontchartrain Park Assisted Living
(PPAL) Program for Seniors.
2.The National Register of Historic Places. Our Mayor
C. Ray Nagin prepared a wonderful letter
recommending Pontchartrain Park Neighborhood
to the National Register of Historic Places. (click
here to read copy of the letter.)
3. Our re-development effort. Pontchartrain
Park Re-Development featured on ABC26.
* * *
Please
check EVENTS tab for upcoming events and meetings in
our community!
Click
HERE to read the latest on Transload America
*****Please
click HERE to see minutes from past meetings*****
LINKS
Beacon
Hill Village
Eastern
New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission
Humanitas
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