National Trust President Richard Moe Urges New Orleans Mayor to Reconsider Controversial Rebuilding Proposal Suspending Issuance of Building Permits
Posted July 31, 2009 | Contact pr@nthp.org or 202-588-6141
Washington, D.C. (January 13, 2006) – Today National Trust for Historic Preservation President Richard Moe responded to New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin’s Bring Back New Orleans Commission’s recently unveiled proposal that would give neighborhoods in the city’s low-lying areas from four months to one year to prove that they should not be bulldozed.
The following includes excerpts from a letter Moe sent to Mayor Nagin last night in response to the commission’s recommendation.
"I am very sympathetic with the difficult decisions you are facing regarding the recommendations of your rebuilding commission. I would not presume to advise you on those matters affecting the kind of city New Orleans might become because I believe strongly that the future of the city should be determined by those who live there. I would only say that we are very pleased that the report recognizes so vividly the unique role that historic districts play in New Orleans and thus the necessity to restore them."
"…There is one commission recommendation which I am compelled to urge you not to adopt, and that involves suspending the issuance of building permits for four months in those areas which have been severely flooded. Preventing homeowners from taking those steps necessary to make their homes habitable would, in my view, deal a very serious blow to the recovery momentum which is now beginning to build all over the city."
"At the very least, I would urge that building permits be allowed in the city's nineteen National Register Historic Districts, which contain 38,000 historic structures. We have concluded that every single one of these historic districts can and should be rebuilt, and that the overwhelming majority of damaged structures within their boundaries can be repaired. These are the Creole cottages, shotgun houses and historic bungalows that constitute the heart and soul of New Orleans. These are the neighborhoods most important to the identity of New Orleans, and they must be allowed to lead the city's neighborhood recovery effort."
Through its hurricane recovery efforts, the National Trust is working to ensure that residents of affected communities throughout the Gulf Coast region can come home to healthy, vibrant, livable places. As part of these efforts, the National Trust started the National Trust Hurricane Recovery Fund to support on-the-ground work in the region, including the work of the National Trust Disaster Preservation Assessment teams. To date, the Fund has raised more than $1,000,000. The National Trust is also working with Congress to pass a legislative package that would include targeted sources of federal and state funding for the preservation of storm-damaged structures; adjusted tax credit incentives for restoring damaged historic buildings; and a historic homeowner credit for qualified rehabilitation expenses made by historic homeowners in the Hurricane Disaster Area. In addition, the National Trust has worked closely with its partners – the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans and the Mississippi Heritage Trust – to operate field offices in New Orleans and Mississippi. The offices facilitate the deployment of volunteer preservation assessment teams to survey damage and provide technical assistance to homeowners and local and state leaders throughout the region. The National Trust has also begun a program, together with the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans, called HOME AGAIN!, which will enable low- and moderate- income owners of historic homes in the city to begin the process of making them livable by providing grants of up to $40,000. The purpose of beginning this demonstration project is to show that the vast majority of these areas can be rebuilt, and to help persuade those who are uncertain about returning and rebuilding, to do so.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (www.PreservationNation.org) is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history – and the important moments of everyday life – took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, DC, nine regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in all 50 states, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America’s stories.
