The Lot Next Door
Note: This article was written by Deborah Langhoff to members of CHAT and fellow citizens, it’s a recap of the NORA board meeting, and an update on the state of the “Lot Next Door” program.
At last Monday night’s meeting of the NORA (New Orleans Redevelopment Authority) Board of Directors, I learned that, after three months, a beneficial agreement was imminent on securing NORA’s office space. I had no opportunity to learn about plans that are being made in closed committees or executive session. The “Policy and Procedures” are still being created in committee, so NORA had no “Old Business” or “New Business” to examine at this Board meeting.
Yet, at the City Council, NORA is seeking to weaken one of the most popular and most broadly supported rebuilding ideas to come out of 1 1/2 years of planning, the Lot Next Door Policy, which allows for everyday homeowners to participate directly in recovering our neighborhoods by obtaining the lot or blighted property next door at the same greatly reduced cost that it would be offered to a large-scale developer of “bundled properties.” A next door neighbor could have a right of first refusal on property to expand yards, gardens, for a pool or to repair/rebuild a residence for a relative (not for resale).
I see no reason why residents should not enjoy this one-time opportunity, and I join with others to ask you to write to our City Council. Here are some forwarded comments and suggestions:
Last week, the “Lot Next Door” Ordinance which gives homeowners across the city the right of first refusal to purchase adjacent lots sold to the Road Home Program or which are abandoned, was supposed to come up for a vote to the City Council. However, the Council deferred the Ordinance (Calendar #26,367) until April 19th because there were last minute changes requested by the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and other agencies in the City that will likely make it very difficult for a homeowner to purchase a lot next door to expand their home, have a larger yard/garage, build a pool, or repair/build a second home for a relative. The proposed changes also made it much easier for NORA or the City to package the lots for sale to large developers or to Wall Street banks without ever having to offer the lot to the next door neighbor.
If you want to see this ordinance passed in a way that it may actually help neighbors purchase abandoned properties, and thereby expand and retain property ownership from within our city neighborhoods, we recommend that you send a note to your City Council members showing support for the Ordinance, with the following points.
I support the Lot Next Door Program, which at a minimum, should include the following protections for neighbors:
- The Ordinance should require NORA or the City to send a certified letter to the adjoining homeowners notifying them that the lot is for sale, information about the lot, what the fair market purchase price is, and provide people a reasonable time period (60 days) to decide if they want to purchase the lot.
- The Ordinance should not allow NORA or the City to sell a lot at a lower purchase price than the one initially provided to the next door neighbor without giving the next door neighbor the option of buying the lot at the lower purchase price first.
- The Ordinance should require NORA and the City to turn around lots for sale as soon as they gain title or control of the lots. No land banking.
- The Ordinance should cover every residential property in the City without any option for NORA or the City to hold lots for pooling to use as collateral on Wall Street or for developer pools. They can pool the properties after the right of first refusal for the adjoining homeowners has expired.
- The Ordinance should not include any reversion requirement where NORA or the City can take back the lot if a family turns around and sells the lot in the first five years after it is sold to them. This reversionary right of NORA makes obtaining a loan for an expansion, new home, etc. very difficult if not impossible.
- The Ordinance should include a reasonable time period for people to build or bring the property into compliance with current codes.
A functioning and community oriented Lot Next Door program is another important way the City can help the community further along neighborhood based investment. Changes to the Ordinance which allow properties to be held off the market, or which do not require adequate notification, or which restrict what can be done with the properties to such an extent that it makes no sense for neighbors to buy the property are not helping the recovery of our neighborhoods, and we hope that you will approve a clear and simple Lot Next Door program which takes into account the points noted above.
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I continue to believe that this program can be a catalyst for restoring neighborhoods that is grossly underexploited.
With a longer list of chores than usual, I haven’t made a NORA board meeting in the last 6 weeks or so. That may be the arena to focus on for re-prioritization - or the Council…
I am inquiring about a lot next door to my home. there was a double on the lot about 8 years ago when i purchased the lot and the city demolished the double. my husband and i have been maintaing the lot since 2000 because it is very close to the property line of my house and if lseft unatteded it will be a forest on top of my home. are there any special provisions for neighbors who have been maintaining the lot next door.