Blight and Code Enforcement Updates

Crime comes into our neighborhood when the criminal elements believe we are not watching. Rundown properties, abandoned buildings/lots, broken windows/gates/fences and graffiti are all signs that people don't care and are not watching!

It would be great if we had someone in the city that routinely monitored this but that would take countless hours and in turn lots of money to do it. There is a simpler solution. When you go for a walk, run, bike or even while driving in your car and you see something, report it.

Our role is not to be policemen or that of city staff. They decide whether something rises to the level to take further action. Our role is to simply bring to the attention to the right department things that are or may cause safety, harm or other types of reportable inconvenience which in some cases may be anonymous.

Our role is also to get involved by supporting events that support those that help us such as the National Night Out Against Crime or Roll Call Events. Thank you to all those that attended the past National Night Out Event on 10/8 and to Joey & Sharon Simmonds, Margaret Walker, Karen Jefferies and Rachel Lucas for their part in making it a success. Also, thank you to the 5th and 8th District Police Departments.

Showing our resolve is the best way to deter crime. Whether that is reporting crime via 911 or Crime Stoppers (504-822-1111) or homeless encampments and blight (311), showing support at events like Night Out Against Crime or Roll Call events, and painting over graffiti, these all in part help solve the problem. Let's show them that we are watching.

CrimeStoppers: HOW IT WORKS

Call 822-1111. An operator will answer the phone and take down the information but will never ask for your name, number, address, or any other identifying information. You can also place a tip on our website and can download the CrimestoppersGNO app.

Once the information is given, a code number is assigned with a password to be able to get status updates. The anonymous information is passed onto the appropriate law enforcement agency and reports back to us on whether it led to the solving or prevention of a crime. If it was, you may receive a cash reward but will have to check back as we do not have any contact information for you.

Thanks to the collective efforts of several neighbors, the cleanup has finally occurred on the corner lot located at the intersection of Franklin and Dauphine.  We do not know what the future brings, but for now, all we can do is thank everyone that played a role and Councilmember King for their efforts to hold the property owner accountable through Code Enforcement.  With Code Enforcement now its own standalone department, we are even more optimistic about future interventions.

Special thanks and acknowledgement to Mat Schwarzman.

We love our Marigny neighborhood full of beautiful, historic homes and businesses. But we all know that caring for older properties is challenging, especially in a city built on water, surrounded by water, and inhabited by bugs that eat our wood and refresh from the groundswell. And when a building's general maintenance is deferred or neglected, it can fall into disrepair. A simple dripping leak can become a monster project in a matter of time. And in New Orleans, major neglect of a property with our rain, humidity, and heat, means trouble. Unfortunately we've seen this first hand in our neighborhood, and are attempting to bring to light a short list of properties that have been nominated as neighborhood blight. Our definition of blight is a property that is in danger of collapse and/or has become a health or safety hazard. If you would like to nominate a property for our attention, please email blight@faubougmarigny.org. Feel free to attend any of our monthly meetings to get updates on properties currently on our list.