Week #112
The focus of the conversation will be a continuation on our 9 Drivers of Poverty series on‘Lack of Home Ownership and Escalating Rental Costs' with a roundtable discussion curated by Alfredo Cruz (listen to his PlusOne podcast episode below).
Special thanks to everyone that came out to the first in-person OneRouge Coalitions gathering last Friday at the River Center Library. Attaching pics below and hope everyone can join us for the ‘X’ celebration on 8.05.
Enlight, Unite, & Ignite!
Quick Links: Notes, Zoom Chat, Community Announcements
Speaker Notes
Alfredo Cruz
When we start passing policies to criminalize the homeless so we don’t have to look at them, then we act as a community of people who don’t want to see the problem, but ignore it. To really tackle this issue, we have to consider what resources we have locally.
In some neighborhoods life expectancy is as different as 20 years. That’s huge. This is like third world country statistics. If you live in certain zip codes you could live 20 years less and it’s all tied to the built environment. The other finding is the racial segregation that continues because some neighborhoods are still 100% African American and others are 100% white. The access to capitol. The lending practices are 60% less in some neighborhoods. There’s a difference of about 30-40% on the success of your loan and the access to capital. We wonder why the differences look the way they look and it’s because folks need capital to make repairs. We are seeing a decline in homeownership in these neighborhoods because we invest more in rental development than in homeownership. We have a lot of tax sales on our property. These homes that are being bought are being bought by outside investors and they are making a lot of money on making these rental properties. We don’t have a lot of rental protection in this state.
Marlee Pittman
I was born and raised in Baton Rouge. I worked at Mid City redevelopment for five years. Coming into the city I was supposed to be at graduate school this fall but the Mayor asked if I could bring that neighborhood focus to the city. I try to understand the way these systems work at the city level. We are working with landlords and residents. That’s the base. That’s where we start. With that understanding, we’re now turning to data. Alfredo led the process to create the housing study. It’s 300 pages, but there is an executive summary. One fact is that in certain parts of our city, we have several income blocks where the average income is over $100,000, but then also have several blocks where the average is $25,000. There are 10 recommendations at the end of the summary. Where we are at right now is creating thriving neighborhoods of opportunity that are safe and thriving for all.
Housing Market Segmentation Study: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m1zK9a3TWTV1LL0uJFhG_OTnNLjNTRYB/view?usp=sharing
https://chcs.uncg.edu/east-baton-rouge-parish/
Tasha Smith Saunders
We are this newly reconstructed office of community development. Our mission is to implement the mayor’s vision of the city parish. A major component of that is affordable housing. The mayor has for many years had a focus on providing quality, healthy, affordable housing for residents. Some people think this is low-income, but this is for everyone. 30% of a household’s annual income is what people should be paying. There’s a focus in this office of homeownership. We need new units and units that are healthy. We are about to kick off our lead rehabilitation programs. We’re going to be working with landlords to rehab existing units. We also manage the city’s disaster recovery fund that we are going to be using towards housing. We are going to start public meetings on those very soon. How can you get involved? We have a comment card on our website. In the plan you will find the needs assessment. Housing repair, which is preservation and rehabilitation of our already existing affordable housing. OUr annual action plans will be focusing on driving housing repair and affordable housing repair. We are going to be focused on strong viable neighborhoods in the corridor. We are going to be asking developers to work in particular corridors. We have upcoming action planning meetings.
Office of Community Development : https://www.brla.gov/855/Office-of-Community-Development
Manny Patole
I am with Co-City BAton Rouge which is a collaboration with Build Baton Rouge, and we’re working to implement the Imagine Plank Road plan. That was when we first put out the idea of affordable housing that is something different than the traditional model. Louisiana as a state doesn’t allow for a landbank as its own entity. Louisiana has peculiar laws. One of the charges with Build BAton Rouge is to put abandoned or vacant property back into use. Build Baton Rouge only has 130 to 140 properties in its landbank, but there are over 4,000 in Baton Rouge. There is a process how it goes through the city and ends up with BBB. December 2021, we officially started the Plank Road Community Landbank and Trust, it’s the first hybridized landbank and trust. It is a unique thing. We have 501(c)3 status. The idea is the interim board here will set up the policies. We’re not focusing purely on residential. Not everyone is ready to own homes. There’s a reason why there are so many homes that are abandoned. The idea is to look at it from the residential and commercial perspective. We’re looking at areas for stormwater mitigation and eco friendly spaces. Louisiana is a heavily property rights state, and people don’t like to be told what to do. As we start going forward regarding how people can get involved, it’s going to be community driven and operated. We are hiring for two positions for management of this entity and we’re looking for an advisory board.
https://nhc.org/policy-guide/land-based-solutions/land-banks-and-community-land-trusts/
https://buildbatonrouge.org/resources/opportunities/careers/
https://cusp.nyu.edu/the-cusp-capstone/
https://wagner.nyu.edu/portal/employers/about-the-capstone-program
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
Is the landbank and trust tackling issues of title?
Manny Patole - The hardest part is the clear title. In Baton Rouge you have a lot of heirs, no one ever actually got a title, there’s no records of it, it’s hard to find everyone. The due diligence of how many years it takes to clear that. If individuals are interested in a property that gets cleared, Build Baton Rouge can assist with that. There is a big legal cost. It comes out to about $7,500 per property and that’s only for the title, not just the maintenance of the property. These things are still privately owned, even if no one is keeping up with them.
What does the word affordable mean? Who gets to determine what that means?
Manny Patole - Affordable is subjective. The 30% is pre-tax, not post tax. It’s about the area you’re living in as well. 30% in one area is not the same as 30% in another. That’s only for rent, not all the other costs like utilities and transportation. It’s pseudoscience.
See this GAP report by National Low INcome Housing Coalition- about the lack of affordable housing for those most https://nlihc.org/gap
Rev Anderson - The issue of zoning and renters. We have an extremely lopsided renters market because of our two universities. We build a lot of rental properties designed for a certain population. The second goes into the tie of resources. Often our rental properties are more high maintenance than they need to be. When we get into these zoing conversations that lean into homeownership, I think 2016 really talked about the elephant in the room - the risk is with all of us.
Alfredo Cruz - We are a receiving community for those communities that are losing their houses to rising sea levels.
Marlee Pittman - Our state is at risk of losing more housing due to climate change than other states. A big component is some of the permitting, zoning and policy recommendations that came out of the storm water planning. We need to set those up for success.
Is there any conversation about mixed or intergenerational housing?
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/it_takes_a_multigenerational_village_to_raise_foster_kids
Tasha Smith Saunders - There are two current projects and it is a rental development at the end it will have units of affordable housing. Some of those are from families with 65 or older, and then the rest are reserved for any household, so that will create that mix. It has to remain that way for 20 years. The city can impose additional restrictions, but that is a pretty heavy lift already.
Renaldi Jacobs Sr.- When you're trying to clear condemned properties, it has to go through the metro council, that could be done by staff. That’s something we could look at making some changes. In other cities if there is a set aside system for blighted properties. There is a program at Southern University to become a community developer. In Scotlandville we have two major projects going on. Southern just completed a master plan for the Scotlandville area master plan. It’s being adopted by the city parish. If we can help clear some of these condemned properties.
Zoom Chat
08:30:16 From Jen T. (she/her) to Everyone:
Morning y'all! Does anyone know of resources for kids that have a parent in prison?
08:32:23 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Good Morning!
08:33:16 From Casey Phillips to Everyone:
Jen, we’ve had this conversation with Rev. Anderson. "Rev. Anderson" <preachisliteracy@hotmail.com>
08:33:44 From One Rouge to Everyone:
When we pass policies that look past the problem on our streets and put folks in jail so we don't have to look at them, then we act as a community that wants to ignore the problem
08:34:04 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
Metro Council just tried to pass an ordinance to charge housing insecure folks $200 for “camping”. IGNORANT.
08:34:07 From One Rouge to Everyone:
What are the resources we have??? Can’t wait to see!
08:34:26 From One Rouge to Everyone:
@morgan, i refuse to believe that!
08:34:51 From One Rouge to Everyone:
where would unhoused people get $200 to pay for “camping”?!?!?!
08:35:07 From One Rouge to Everyone:
manny ALWAYS has TOOLS!!!!!
08:35:28 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Good morning One Rouge family!
08:36:00 From Samantha Morgan to Everyone:
Please listen to Alfredo's episode of Walls Plus One. https://www.thewallsproject.org/podcastwallsplusone/episode/7bd70517/alfredo-cruz-cuts-to-the-heart-of-the-housing-crisis
08:36:07 From Casey Phillips to Everyone:
Morning Rev. Anderson...always good to have an Alexis in the space!
08:36:27 From One Rouge to Everyone:
1. in some neighborhoods, life expectancy is as varied as 20 years
08:36:28 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
^100
08:36:44 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Yes, yes it is and One Rouge has plenty of Alexis(s)!
08:37:06 From One Rouge to Everyone:
2. racial segregation continues
08:37:16 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Yes and that is growing
08:37:43 From One Rouge to Everyone:
3. access to capital in predominantly black neighborhoods is 60% less than others.
08:38:11 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
And what they will lend for is also the challenge. A liquor store over a retail outlet, etc.
08:38:38 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
@Rev Anderson, I may touch on your point during my portion :-)
08:39:35 From One Rouge to Everyone:
"we have a lot of tax sales" What is driving those tax sales? How does a property become part of a tax sale???
08:40:53 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
Investment firms have been buying up what could have been affordable single family housing like hotcakes. Further exacerbating the housing shortage for the sake of speculative income. Those "We buy houses" signs are scarily ever present.
08:42:47 From Alfredo Cruz to Everyone:
EXACTLY! Some communities have passed ordinances that give first right refusal to local community development organizations or the local housing authority to prevent this buyout from outside investors.
08:42:57 From Alfredo Cruz to Everyone:
Here's the link to the Housing Market Segmentation Study: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m1zK9a3TWTV1LL0uJFhG_OTnNLjNTRYB/view?usp=sharing
08:43:30 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
https://chcs.uncg.edu/east-baton-rouge-parish/
08:43:52 From One Rouge to Everyone:
But how does this happen? Are people selling because they can't afford the repairs? or are they selling because they can't afford the taxes???
08:44:10 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
And those blocks back up against each other lol
08:45:01 From One Rouge to Everyone:
what exactly does “adjudication" mean?
08:45:21 From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone:
a formal judgment on a disputed matter.
"an adjudication had found a degree of unwarranted infringement of privacy"
08:46:06 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
An adjudicated property is a property which the owner has failed to pay property taxes and hasn't been bid on at a tax title sale. The property becomes adjudicated to local government; however, it is still in fact owned by the property owner.
08:47:14 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
State law allows local governments to facilitate the conveyance of these properties to a new owner. This transaction results in a non-warranty title and local Government holds no obligation to guarantee the clarity of the title.
08:47:16 From One Rouge to Everyone:
then how does the city sell soemthign that is still owned by a person???
08:47:38 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
That is also a larger issue specifically in Louisiana and the process to clear title
08:48:08 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Do not confuse adjudicated property with eminent domain.
08:49:06 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Public housing is affordable to residents because rents are subsidized. However, there are differences between public housing vs. affordable housing. Lower income individuals do not always live in public housing developments or in developments that accept Section 8 Vouchers to subsidize rent.
08:49:29 From One Rouge to Everyone:
@manny, trying not to. but the city sells the adjudicated property, right? and if it is still owned by someone, that's confusing. i thought adjudicated property was abandoned and no one was claiming it
08:49:34 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
NOAH refers to residential rental properties that are affordable, but are unsubsidized by any federal program. Their rents are relatively low compared to the regional housing market.
08:49:35 From Tekoah Boatner to Everyone:
How does this intersect with heir property with no clear documentation of ownership?
08:49:40 From One Rouge to Everyone:
i want affordable housing!!!
08:49:40 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
NOAH stands for Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing.
08:49:49 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Hi Rev Anderson, often property taxes aren't paid because there are multiple heirs or absentee heirs that may have left our community and aren't invested in keeping up and paying the taxes for the property. While there are a multitude of reasons a property ends up in "adjudication" or basically, abandoned with unpaid taxes, the hardest one to solve and the ones that sit in limbo is because there isn't a resident with clear ownership here to advocate for themselves
08:50:00 From jennifer carwile to Everyone:
We need to define what we mean by “affordable” housing
08:50:17 From Alfredo Cruz to Everyone:
We all do! Who wants to live in UN-affordable housing? I don't!
08:50:22 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) constitutes most of the affordable units in America. Although there’s no strict definition, NOAH generally is understood to mean rental housing at least two decades old, short on amenities and affordable without a subsidy.
08:50:34 From One Rouge to Everyone:
i thought affordable housing meant 30% of income. but i see tht isn't true.
08:50:45 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
The title issues related to adjudicated properties is also a result of failure to promote and create financial literacy education that coverages estate planning for low and no wealth communities.
08:51:03 From Samantha Morgan to Everyone:
I live in a disinvested neighborhood to get affordable housing. I'm lucky because I'm at least close to areas that still have investment.
08:51:04 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Hi Jennifer, technically "affordable" is set by the federal government, but we can definitely dig into how we're best serving all people and their housing needs at all price points
08:51:29 From Rinaldi Jacobs Sr to Everyone:
Louisiana is very protective of property owners. It was not until Katrina that they started making changes. After the Great Flood of 2016 The Affadavid of Small Succession has been created un $125k it costs about $1100 as opposed to 5K
08:51:52 From One Rouge to Everyone:
wait! i thought lead paint was outlawed in the 70s.
08:52:00 From Pam Wall to Everyone:
Older homes--often those available to low rental consumers-- are often owned by older citizens who cannot afford to fix them up, don't have the knowledge or tools to do that work, and finally have to put them up for sale.
08:52:06 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
How are we addressing everyone who can't afford housing because of evictions during the pandemic?
08:52:30 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Affordable housing is a subjective term that has no clear economic or social definition, similar to gentrification. There are many anecdotal definitions but no clear, acceptable one as of today
08:52:38 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Hi Samantha, a key part of that vision and strategy I mentioned is setting targets or KPIs for EVERY neighborhood in this city, whether it's a thriving stable neighborhood or a struggling one. For high cost neighborhood, the target is creating affordable housing opportunities, while uplifting other neighborhoods through targeted redevelopment
08:52:49 From Alfredo Cruz to Everyone:
Yes, but many of the properties in low income communities STILL have that original paint which is by now chipping and that chipped paint is TOXIC-- especially to children.
08:52:55 From Rinaldi Jacobs Sr to Everyone:
Most of the via Commercial property in North BR is owned by 80 plus year old White people. Their kids don't want it and don't live here
08:52:58 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Affordability also depends on which agency you are working with. For instance much of the land in East Baton Rouge Parish is in fact rural and under the USDA. We also have huge issues around flood zones and environmental challenges.
08:53:10 From Alfredo Cruz to Everyone:
Office of Community Development : https://www.brla.gov/855/Office-of-Community-Development
08:53:36 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Zoning is a huge issue in EBRP.
08:53:44 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Hi Alexis, the city has, in coordination with partners, provided more than $50 million in rental assistance faster than most other cities to keep people in their homes. Almost 40% of those families who received that were at risk of homelessness.
08:54:22 From One Rouge to Everyone:
this sounds like a lot of resources for homeowners. but if we are majority renters, are there programs for renters?
08:54:46 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
Is there a movement for tenant rights yet?
08:54:51 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
Here I mean
08:55:44 From Pam Wall to Everyone:
Morgan, there are plans for tenant support, yes.
08:56:03 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
@marlee I know we have ERAP, but the city didn't work fast enough to prevent the eviction of many renters leaving them homeless with no where to go
08:56:27 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Renters are important and should stop being treated like second class citizens. Many folks are displaced because of rental facilities that are priced for college students and not for the elderly and low income residents. You can't have a community where you pay people minimum wage or less and then have housing for high wealth individuals.
08:56:39 From Rinaldi Jacobs Sr to Everyone:
We must talk clearings up th back log of succession. Y DOES a condemnation have to go to the Metro Council? This could be done at the staff level at planning and zoning
08:57:03 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Hi One Rouge, the housing study showed that renters our housing cost burdened ACROSS the city. We're helping to fund the EBRP Housing Authority's Choice Neighborhoods Project which will provide new, quality rental opportunities for people at all incomes. More work needs to be done, though. We're working LHC aka the state to bring the dollars needed here for more rental opportunities.
08:57:46 From Rinaldi Jacobs Sr to Everyone:
Manny has failed to mention Louisiana Housing Corporation. What is their work?
08:58:05 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
I'm seeing many people applying for our Homeownership Program have 5K+ in evictions on their records that won't get paid and prevent them from obtaining affordable housing
08:58:08 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Hi Rinaldi, you know I'm working on that 😅
08:58:18 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
https://law.justia.com/codes/louisiana/2012/rs/title33/rs33-4720-151/
http://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=452710
08:58:31 From Pam Wall to Everyone:
Currently, there are more renters in America than ever before. If there are not strong models out there already some will emerge soon because of the necessity to ACT.
08:58:38 From Rinaldi Jacobs Sr to Everyone:
The money is out there but be prepared to wait because it is reimbursement
08:59:16 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Hi Rinaldi, he city is definitely working with LHC. Tasha's leading on that and the Mayor's Office is leading on that. We're hoping to see more support coming to meet the needs we have in our communities.
08:59:53 From Laura Livingston - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
@marlee I wonder if we have money left over at the end of ERAP if it could be used to pay some of those eviction debts for those we couldn't help in time
09:01:04 From One Rouge to Everyone:
https://nhc.org/policy-guide/land-based-solutions/land-banks-and-community-land-trusts/
09:01:26 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Hi Ms. Pam, LIHTC is the funding model for providing more rental opportunities in cities, as I know you're very familiar. Of course, there’s some cities doing some great things around creating communities to support those renters social, emotional and economic needs. It's my understanding that the EBRPHousing Authority is working to implement some of those in their newest project at Ardendale!
09:02:13 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Tiny homes can be very valuable if they are sustainable and built to next century standards.
09:02:15 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2022/06/national-academies-gulf-research-program-awards--3-7-million-to-support-innovative-community-engagement-methods-and-enhance-data-usage-to-develop-equitable-outcomes-to-climate-hazards
09:02:22 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
There's a brownfields coalition working to tackle contaminated properties(including blighted and adjudicated) throughout Louisiana : https://www.labrownfields.org/
09:03:34 From One Rouge to Everyone:
@rev. anderson, louisiana has a long history of (large) tiny homes. 800 sq.ft. used to be the norm. now it seems that we believe we need more space ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
09:03:44 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
^^^^
09:03:45 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
https://buildbatonrouge.org/resources/opportunities/careers/
09:04:01 From Pam Wall to Everyone:
Yes, Marlee...thanks for mentioning that. But the Ardendale project is four years from completion. All units (nearly 500) will be mixed income and will target the market rate customer. But Ardendale will not meet the need in Baton Rouge.
09:04:05 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Haha thanks Rinaldi, poking the bear helps me to know that clearing title is still the right North Star to work towards for revitalizing our disinvested neighborhoods
09:04:22 From Rinaldi Jacobs Sr to Everyone:
Southern University College of Business has the Sustainable community Developers program. it is focused on small Development. Next class in the fall
09:04:39 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
I don't think of 800 sq ft as tiny.
09:04:56 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Yes I do!!!
09:05:01 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
https://cusp.nyu.edu/the-cusp-capstone/
https://wagner.nyu.edu/portal/employers/about-the-capstone-program
09:05:23 From jennifer carwile to Everyone:
Ronaldo- how does one sign up for the development class?
09:05:36 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Hi Ms. Pam, current models suggest mixed-income is actually the best opportunity for low-income families to grow and thrive while living in the community because it'll increase the availability of resources. However, your point is well made. We need MORE affordable units!
09:05:44 From jennifer carwile to Everyone:
*sorry- Rinaldi!!
09:06:07 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Also, the PlankRoad CLBT website is coming soon and will have a lot of what I just discussed on that site.
09:06:40 From One Rouge to Everyone:
@rev. anderson, 600 sq ft. is the high side of a tiny house. but if you have a family of at least 3, 800sq.ft. is *tiny*
09:06:53 From One Rouge to Everyone:
😂😂😂
09:07:38 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Does 2 elderly dogs count towards the 3?🤣
09:07:57 From One Rouge to Everyone:
😂
09:08:42 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
600 sq ft is a luxury apartment in NYC
09:08:56 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
I have 700 sq ft, 2 people and three cats :-)
09:08:59 From One Rouge to Everyone:
@manny, just another reason not to live in NYC!
09:09:09 From Rinaldi Jacobs Sr to Everyone:
www.southernuniversitycenter.edu
09:09:21 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
or it is, why you need so much space?
09:09:46 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Thank you Manny. 400 sq ft without a roommate is a luxury!!!
09:10:10 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
Is that 30% also tied to our state minimum wage? It makes sense to me that the two should be linked.
09:10:19 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
As a cap
09:10:21 From One Rouge to Everyone:
it's not about the space. the word "luxury" comes with more 0s than i can handle. 🙃
09:10:54 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Hi Morgan, it's based on avg incomes in an area, which of course, is affected by the minimum wage but they aren't formally connected
09:11:28 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Although activists often trumpet the minimum wage you'd need to afford an avg 2 bedroom apt for your and a child.
09:11:30 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
https://www.notcomplexis.com/dti.html
09:11:31 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
Just thinking out loud that, if we could link the two it would give at least tenants a fighting chance and some power to push icome equlity.
09:11:34 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
manny.patole@nyu.edu
09:11:34 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
It's over $17/hour
09:11:45 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
for Baton Rouge
09:11:47 From Alfredo Cruz to Everyone:
See this GAP report by National Low INcome Housing Coalition- about the lack of affordable housing for those most https://nlihc.org/gap
09:12:22 From Jan Ross - Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation to Everyone:
A RESOURCE: A collaboration of SU Law Center, La Appleseed and SE Legal Services to present on and help families with heirship and title issues. They present at community events and have law clinics to help families.
09:12:26 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
also, we are putting out a call for napkin sketchs for our park shade structure at Erie Community Ecopark. (Morgan, looking at your partner) We would like to have MWE parters in this work.
09:13:15 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
If our minimum wage is 17/hr, and you're full time, single, etc. Then 30% is $884 a month. Which I know if laughable with the constant building of "luxury" one bedrooms that are 1600/mo
09:13:26 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
Communities that focus on mass public transit systems (including sidewalks, bike lanes, etc) are also better prepared to tackle climate change
09:13:49 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
https://www.zillow.com/rent-affordability-calculator/
09:14:29 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Alexis that is a great point because Alexis(s) always make great points.😂
09:14:39 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
I forgot to thank HAWF for their generous contribution to help hire staff for the CLBT
09:15:26 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
@Marlee can you share those; is there an infographic for lay person advocacy?
09:15:29 From Pam Wall to Everyone:
The Brookings institute and other bipartisan think tanks predict a significant surge in poverty in the near future. Housing FIRST is a research based strategy and we need to aggressively plan for this.
09:15:32 From jennifer carwile to Everyone:
Morgan- you are spot on! Our “affordable stock” is completely unaffordable to folks with lower wage jobs. Even folks making double minimum wage can’t afford a $1600/ mo rent!!!
09:15:33 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
@ Morgan, I see Housing to income ratios as high as 70% for applicants applying for our program. Almost every applicant who comes through our program shows housing need based on cost burden alone
09:15:40 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
https://stormwater.brla.gov/
09:15:44 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
My colleague (and former classmate) has a successful startup called Esusu (https://esusurent.com/)
09:16:25 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Esusu was built to create equitable financial access for everyone.
09:16:34 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
We haven't even touched on the challenges of the high formerly incarcerated population in EBRP.
09:16:35 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Including renters :-)
09:16:35 From Sherreta Harrison to Everyone:
Yes!!! So much to gain from intergenerational living!!!
09:16:56 From One Rouge to Everyone:
^^^^^ co-sign!
09:16:56 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Is the EBRCOA considering doing mixed generation work?
09:18:00 From One Rouge to Everyone:
How long is the reservation? Indefinite? 10 years? 5 years???
09:18:47 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
The Parish needs to stop providing tax incentives for developers that don't meet a need for the Parish.
09:18:51 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Hi Rev Anderson, we're working with community activists like Alfredo, the parole project, and various actors within the criminal justice system to create a strategy for meeting our reentry needs. We’re hoping to bring dollars from the federal government and state gov to meet our needs for reentry.
09:19:22 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
This is why that implementation planning process for housing matters! It's so interconnected to so many social and community challenges and we need a holistic vision.
09:19:32 From Tekoah Boatner to Everyone:
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/it_takes_a_multigenerational_village_to_raise_foster_kids
09:19:58 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
^^^ Communities that include all voices in their planning are also more economically resilient!!
09:20:35 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Marlee, the Parish needs to work with people like Alfredo who worked with all the voices in the currently and formerly incarcerated populations.
09:20:49 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
I was going to respond to Ms Boatner about the intergenerational communities.
09:21:27 From Tekoah Boatner to Everyone:
https://bridgemeadows.org/about-us/#Mission%20&%20History
09:21:27 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Absolutely Rev. Anderson. I consider him my (sometimes unruly) partner in crime.
09:21:37 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Incarcerated (formerly) have the hardest time, especially in areas with restrictive covenants
09:22:29 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
Can the Main Street America model help Scotlandville? I wonder if anyone has looked into that
09:22:35 From Tekoah Boatner to Everyone:
This is an example of what I was referring to. Beyond development, there is a structure of support built around the community. It's intentionally designed to fill the gaps in marginalized communities ability to participate in society
09:22:51 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Purpose built community (bayou district)?
09:22:53 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Marlee, the idea that these conversations don't involve players such as REAL, VOTE, Youth Oasis, 19th JDC Reentry and Recovery Programs, Connections for Life, etc. are a real problem.
09:22:56 From One Rouge to Everyone:
small succession affidavits are determined by the amount the property is worth
09:24:37 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
Yeah... sound like a slippery slope to have that be a process
09:24:49 From Samantha Morgan to Everyone:
What do you do when a property is condemnable, but It's an inherited property that is co-owned by multiple people and then there's a person is living in it?
09:24:53 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
The Parish needs a Flag and Tag system.
09:25:01 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
Can't that also be used as a loophole by speculative owners?
09:25:02 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Have a meeting with JDC next week! It's a new level of collaboration I hadn't seen before because Mayor and her team understand that's what it takes to address this chance to provide people returning to our neighborhoods a chance to thrive
09:25:53 From Samantha Morgan to Everyone:
What Renaldi just said about the drug house is the situation I'm dealing with. There was a legit murder there. 21-year old kid was dead in the street because he went there and was murdered. That's two houses down from mine.
09:26:07 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
@Samantha, you have to due diligence and run prescription to clear the title (https://www.findlaw.com/realestate/land-use-laws/prescriptive-easements.html)
09:26:36 From Samantha Morgan to Everyone:
They didn't even cover the body. All the kids in the neighborhood came down and you could see the wounds.
09:26:46 From Alfredo Cruz to Everyone:
YES! And it's important for councilmembers to hear from ALL their constituents, not just the property owner of that problem property in your neighborhood.
09:26:48 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
https://definitions.uslegal.com/a/acquisitive-prescription/
09:26:53 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
That's horrible.
09:27:10 From Samantha Morgan to Everyone:
The boy was in the street for 3 hours before they removed his body.
09:27:25 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
Thats is horrific!
09:29:00 From Tekoah Boatner to Everyone:
Most definitely! I became a member of the "sandwich generation" taking care of a baby and aging parents at the same time. It was hard.
09:29:53 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Ms Boatner, I am in that situation right now of caring for an ill parent and another family member's children. Never prepared for that.
09:29:54 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
^Gen X would great mentors for us Millennials that are just now reaching that phenomenon.
09:30:08 From Samantha Morgan to Everyone:
The man who lives in that house is a 70 year old career criminal. He told me that he's called "the criminal" by his family. It's very sad because apparently he was a track star when he was younger and everyone thought he was going to be a big success. The other day he brought me a bag of shrimp and asked me to boil it for him because his freezer was busted. The truth is that his sister, who also owns the property, turned off the electricity. But, there's water at the property, which is all you have to have to avoid it being condemned.
09:30:08 From Tekoah Boatner to Everyone:
And of course afterwards I became a Death Doula because of course I have to bring solutions to everyone lol
09:31:04 From Pam Wall to Everyone:
Wilson Foundation is looking at a model where all title searches include follow up estate plan for the homeowners that helps stabilize the entire neighborhood.
09:31:10 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Children are 10% of our current population but 100% of our future, how can you use preventative education to ensure that future is full of opportunity
09:31:31 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
^^
09:32:05 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
This has been so good!
09:32:12 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
I have about 40 tabs open for later reading because of this convo today
09:32:30 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
https://chcs.uncg.edu/east-baton-rouge-parish/
09:32:30 From Tekoah Boatner to Everyone:
It starts with access to childcare (accessible access to childcare that is affordable and doesn't end at 4 pm!)
09:32:55 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
reupping the job opportunities with the CLBT - https://buildbatonrouge.org/resources/opportunities/careers/
09:33:18 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
Childcare is becoming a "luxury”. I pay my mortgage in childcare.
09:33:33 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Please feel free to reach out to me about the Community Advisory Panel, the Plank Road CLBT, or the grad student research teams
09:33:36 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
or baseball
09:33:38 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
:-)
09:34:01 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Yesterday the first African American female judge was sworn into the US Supreme Court! A change is going to come!!! Today Judge Donald Johnson officially became Chief Judge of the 19th JDC.
09:34:07 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Website is forthcoming, working with Raina and Sherin (Nura Co)
09:34:49 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Also how do you become power of attorney of a loved one
09:35:03 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
Yes! We have a whole class on Wills for all our partners in the Homeownership Program
09:35:04 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
and be healthccare proxy
09:35:11 From Tekoah Boatner to Everyone:
And the different types of power of attorney and decision points
09:35:24 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
Sorry if all of my answers were a bit too wonky or jargon-y! Housing isn't as complicated as all of the acronyms and obscure words suggest. My email is mpittman@brla.gov if you want to keep the dialogue going
09:35:35 From jennifer carwile to Everyone:
Sleep!!!
09:35:41 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
Juneteenth 2.0 is what we refer to it as in our house
09:35:55 From Samantha Morgan to Everyone:
Fireworks are horrible for the environment. Skip them, please
09:36:02 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
^^
09:36:13 From Alexis Jones - Habitat for Humanity to Everyone:
Yes, advocating for the animals over here too
09:36:14 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
firewokrs are also horrible for our fur babies too
09:36:16 From Tasha Smith Saunders to Everyone:
That's awesome!!!!!
09:36:30 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
They're also horrible for MY nerves. lol
09:36:34 From Morgan Udoh (She/Her/They) to Everyone:
09:36:48 From Jan Ross - Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation to Everyone:
Not everyone needs an attorney to write a will. **A will can be written and dated by the person in their handwriting. It's legal and legit.
09:36:51 From Rinaldi Jacobs Sr to Everyone:
Notary can write basic wills. If you don't have a will someone else WILL
09:36:53 From Mary Bergeron to Everyone:
Sow Good Saturday at Howell Park's Baton Roots, 10 am until noon. So much fun! I'll see you there! Pick some fresh veggies, watch a great cooking demo by Chef Traci, and move a little (yoga and dancing)
09:36:58 From Rodneyna Hart to Everyone:
I didn't realized I was off mute lol
09:38:01 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
any one interested in the work with BBR or the decision support tool, let me know
09:38:05 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
manny.patole@nyu.edu
09:38:27 From Marlee Pittman to Everyone:
I'm interested Manny! lol
09:38:39 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
we will be holding a Project Launch in August 2022 (https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2022/06/national-academies-gulf-research-program-awards--3-7-million-to-support-innovative-community-engagement-methods-and-enhance-data-usage-to-develop-equitable-outcomes-to-climate-hazards)
09:38:48 From Manny Patole to Everyone:
Marlee, we have SO MUCH to talk about
09:38:50 From Jen T. (she/her) to Everyone:
Thanks y'all - have a good weekend!!
09:39:05 From Toni Quinn Bankston to Everyone:
thank you to or presenters today. I'm one of three owners/heirs of a 6 acre track in the Oakcrest/70814. It has been taken over by trespassing 18 wheeler trucks, squatters etc. I want to influence the other two owners to turn this space which is on the busline a place for homeless or rehabilitating youth. It's always in my mind but overwhelming for someone not familiar with this arena. I'll reach out to you to look at options.
09:39:09 From Judy Touzin to Everyone:
Thank you, everyone!
09:39:17 From Kelli Rogers to Everyone:
Thanks everyone! Have a great long weekend!
09:39:30 From Rev. Alexis Anderson to Everyone:
Be safe
09:39:41 From Mary Bergeron to Everyone:
Baton Roots at Howell Park is on Winbourne Ave
09:40:12 From Mary Bergeron to Everyone:
Sow Good Saturday is from 10AM until Noon
Community Announcements
So Good Saturday
Sow Good Saturday at Howell Park's Baton Roots, 10 am until noon. So much fun! I'll see you there! Pick some fresh veggies, watch a great cooking demo by Chef Traci, and move a little (yoga and dancing)
First Sunday
The Capitol Park Museum will be participating for the first time in First Sunday. Admission to the museum is free
