Day 377: Bad News For The Lower Garden District

Low-income housing is absolutely necessary in New Orleans, but not the kind run by irresponsible landlords and that leads to the neglect of historical buildings across the city. Here is a message from the president of the Coliseum Square Association, Robert Wolf, which clearly addresses why Volunteers of America should not be allowed to purchase the St. Vincent’s Guest House (two doors down from my place) and what you can do to help stop the sale. I’m already tired of seeing squadrons of cop cars hurriedly arrive, with sirens blaring, at St. Vincent’s 2-3 times a week.  This otherwise quiet, safe and friendly patch of Magazine St. really doesn’t need more of such drama. Read away:

Dear neighbor,

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Volunteers of America has signed a contract to buy St.Vincent’s Guesthouse on Magazine Street for low-income housing. Apparently the sale has roughly 30 days before it is final so the deal is not yet done. I’m told the property will sell for about $6.5 million and a local Latter and Blum office is handling this transaction.

I received a call from a VOA representative yesterday who wasn’t able or willing to paint a clear picture of their plans for the property. He first said this would be a hotel, then he said it would be senior housing, then he said he wasn’t sure what they were doing with the property. Obviously St. Vincent’s could house many people and the adjacent vacant land leaves room for further VOA expansion. Regardless, high-density, low-income housing is not what we need in the LGD.

This development could have a far-reaching and devastating impact on our neighborhood. VOA will place a large and concentrated number of their constituents directly in the middle of the LGD. The VOA has an awful track record as a lousy property owner and lax landlord. The dilapidated VOA building in the LGD on Orange St. between Magazine and Constance St. is proof that VOA is not a good neighbor.

St Vincent’s is expensive to purchase and expensive to maintain so I’m not sure that VOA donors would feel this is the best use of their money. I’ve also heard that HUD may be playing a part in making this happen.

We have a small window of opportunity to stave off this unwanted expansion of an already bad neighbor. We need to move quickly, deftly and loudly.

All of us have worked hard to make the Lower Garden District a great neighborhood. We need your help.

We will have an emergency meeting of the entire LGD early next week to get organized. I will send out meeting details this weekend.

Thanks,

Robert S. Wolf
President, Coliseum Square Association