Join us at the Jewish Community Center on St. Charles Avenue. More details to come.

The 2011 Night Out Against Crime was moved from the traditional August date to October 11 this year, and we enjoyed great fall weather in addition to mingling with neighbors and friends. The kids loved the bounce houses, face painting, and other activities. Our friends from the NOPD 2nd District stopped by, and our generous members contributed to the CUNA cause. All in all, a great night. Mark your calendars for next October!

As Chief Ronal Serpas has announced, all weekly COMSTAT meetings in each police district, and the citywide COMSTAT meeting, will be open to the public. COMSTAT meetings involve a discussion of the latest neighborhood crime, with an emphasis on statistical data. The schedule is as follows:

2nd District COMSTAT meetings: each Wednesday, 1 pm, at Touro Hospital, 2nd floor

Citywide COMSTAT meetings, each Friday at 8:30am at 401 City Park Avenue.

Additionally, please note that the Second District is in the process of compiling a list of businesses, and private citizens, who have surveillance cameras that may assist in solving crimes committed in the area. If you have a surveillance camera or know of someone who does, please forward that information to Lt. Montalbano at JMMontalbano@cityofno.com.

The 311 phone system to report issues and problems to the city has changed. Now you may call 504-658-2299 for the following:

Press #1 for Public Works (potholes, clogged drains, missing street signs, traffic signal outages).
Press #2 for Housing/Code Enforcement (blighted houses)
Press #3 for Environmental Health (vacant lot with high grass)
Press #4 for Revenue Dept. (property and sales tax, etc.)
Press #5 for Parks and Parkways (tree trimming, downed trees)
Press #6 for Emergency Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation
Press #0 for all other departments and agencies.
For streetlight outages, follow the prompts.

Councilwoman Midura’s Neighborhood Liaison Extraordinaire, Enrico Sterling, will stay on with Susan Guidry and continue to work towards the recovery of Council District A and the city.

CUNA’s 1st Quarter General Meeting focused on ways you can REUSE, REDUCE, RECYCLE, and SAVE MONEY.

An Entergy representative shared information about the new Energy Smart energy efficiency program sponsored by the New Orleans City Council and Entergy. that could annually make up to 7,300 homes and businesses more energy efficient and save customers money beginning in 2010! Also, Sun Power LLC discussed government rebates and company financing for solar panels that can be installed on residential properties at minimal cost! And finally, we heard from the Green Project, a non-profit retail store that sells used building and art materials at an affordable price to the community. They also offer recycling drop-off, paint recycling, art materials through Recycle for the Arts, and community workshops.

The master plan, when completed, will have the force of law! If you’d like to review the plan go to http://www.nolamasterplan.org/

On Nov. 10, the City Planning Commission voted unanimously to delay consideration of the Master Plan until the January 26, 2010 meeting. Public comments received before the Oct. 28 deadline will be considered as amendments at the Jan. 12 CPC meeting. CPC staff will post the public comments and staff recommendations to the master plan website in advance of Jan. 12 meeting

The New Orleans City Council will then deliberate the Plan and conduct additional public hearings. A final decision on a Plan is expected in 2010.

Orleans Parish lost 70% of its tree canopy during Katrina (by comparison, Miami lost 42% during Andrew in 1992 – the previous record). If you would like to plant trees to replace those you lost, make a donation to help other residents replace trees, OR if you have trees you would like to maintain, the following organizations are available to help:

HIKE FOR KATREENA
This organization was founded by Monique Pilie’ who hiked the Appalachian Trail (2,175 miles!) to raise money to plant trees in New Orleans. They have planted over 3500 trees and are still going strong! Go to their website www.hikeforkatreena.com if you would like to:
* Plant a tree on your property
* Volunteer on city-wide planting projects – such as the Broadway replanting project from Fontainebleau to the river.
* Make a monetary donation

PARKWAY PARTNERS
Parkway Partners perform the following services for a minimal fee:
* Buckmoth Caterpillar Spraying by March 31 will kill the stinging caterpillars that damage live oaks and threaten humans and pets. This season will be especially severe.
* Termite spraying protects your trees and your home.
* Fertilization program helps strengthen your trees.
* Tree and plant sales provide homeowners with the opportunity to buy low-cost plants that are well-suited to our area.
For more information and to apply for spraying/fertilization services, please go to www.parkwaypartnersnola.org

The New Orleans City Council’s Lot Next Door program will allow residents to purchase a NORA-owned property immediately “next door” to their own. NORA will send notification letters by registered mail on a rolling basis to eligible homeowners. These letters will include specific instructions for participating in the Lot Next Door program. Letter recipients are determined based on the status of their city tax and homestead exemption records and whether they are adjacent to NORA-owned or potentially owned property. NORA owns a small number of properties and has limited sources of property. NORA expects to receive property sold to the State as part of Road Home program and can file expropriation lawsuits to acquire property officially designated blighted. For more information on which properties can participate, go to the following links.

To be eligible, Lot Next Door participants must:
1. Have a homestead exemption on your property;
2. Live directly to the right or left of the property NORA owns or will come to own;
3. Currently comply with City building codes and health and safety ordinances on all properties you own in Orleans Parish;
4. Be current on taxes on all property you own in Orleans Parish;
5. Be prepared to pay NORA the appraised, fair market lot value plus legal fees and costs; and
6. Plan to hold ownership of the subject property for at least five years or pay a penalty

Additional information can be found at:

http://www.noraworks.org/Lotnext.htm

CUNA has done some great things since our founding in 2006, including the following 2008 milestones:
• Participated in city-wide planning efforts in support of the Master Plan.
• Assisted in the Expansion of the National Historic District of Carrollton to include the CUNA area.
• Organized a successful Night Out Against Crime Block Party at University Village.
• Received free trees from Park Way Partners for neighbors to plant along streets.
• Organized volunteers to survey the blighted properties remaining in the neighborhood.
• Obtained 501(c)4 tax-exempt ruling from the IRS
• Held campaign forums and keep in touch with local politicians to promote our neighborhood.
• Received $18,000 grant for upcoming traffic study on S. Claiborne at University Village (Calhoun St.)
• Quarterly meetings keep residents informed of our progress on various projects.

We look forward to building on our progress in 2009!