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Property values are lower
Considering St. Bernard Parish property values are lower than average, it’s no wonder that the area has one of the lowest median property taxes in the nation. In fact, the average tax rate is less than half the national average. In a recent study, the average home in the parish was appraised at only $132,400. The tax on such a home is approximately $9,447, or about 0.3% of the appraised value.
For the homebuyer looking for a new pad or an existing one, the property tax office of the town or city in which you reside is your best bet for all things tax related. Most offices are located near the county courthouse or courthouses. Often, they will have a plethora of information on the topic. It’s best to call in advance for an appointment. If you are in a hurry, you may want to enlist the services of an attorney with local ties. They may also be able to give you the lowdown on the nitty gritty, if you’re willing to spend the cash.
Several of the taxing jurisdictions have a tax review board that you can contact for a more structured appraisal of your property. This is where you’ll get an expert’s take on your property’s value as well as an honest assessment of your pending tax bill. Some counties also allow you to pay your tax bill online, which is a big bonus in the current climate. You might also be pleasantly surprised to learn that there are several taxing jurisdictions that offer special assessment opportunies that may allow you to lower your property taxes.
Flooding is a risk in St. Bernard Parish
Located in southeast Louisiana near the Gulf of Mexico, St. Bernard Parish has undergone concerted efforts to mitigate its flood risk. In addition to a comprehensive levee system, the parish maintains a staff of floodplain managers. The National Flood Insurance Program works with communities to adopt floodplain management regulations.
The parish also has its fair share of heavy rainfall events. In fact, the parish has had 69 major flooding events since 1997. Fortunately, these events haven’t caused serious damage to property or humans. But the area does boast a large population, which increases its vulnerability to the hazards of a flood.
For comparison, the city of New Orleans has pumping stations that have a combined capacity of more than 30 billion gallons of water per day. These pumps are powered by diesel engines. In addition, the New Orleans metropolitan area is served by over 80 pumping stations.
One of the many ways in which the parish protects its residents is by requiring that all newly constructed buildings meet FEMA flood zone standards. This is a wise move. The city’s Flood Insurance Rate Map lists two zones: AE and VE. The map’s most prominent features are low-lying areas such as bayous, as well as places near water bodies. The area is particularly prone to a spate of flooding during the spring.
The most noteworthy part of this story is that the municipality isn’t the only one with a long list of buildings that would be flooded. Those in the flood prone area also include federally owned structures, and state-owned properties. The city’s water treatment plant is also susceptible to flooding.
The best way to protect against flooding is to maintain flood insurance. This helps protect individuals, businesses, and institutions from financial disaster. In the event of a major storm, the insurance can help them recover from the damage faster.
Residents moved across Lake Pontchartrain to St. Tammany Parish after Katrina
During Hurricane Katrina, residents moved across Lake Pontchartrain to St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. The region was a haven for evacuees and a staging point for emergency relief efforts. As a result, many residents chose to stay in the area after the crisis passed.
After the storm, New Orleans was still rebuilding. However, the region’s economy began to rebound. People from suburban neighborhoods began to move back.
The storm surge left parts of the Northshore inundated, with water in some places up to 20 feet high. It was also responsible for significant flooding in Plaquemines Parish. It destroyed homes, businesses, and historic areas along the lakefront.
As a result of the hurricane, dozens of families moved out of the city and into the parish. Several of them had been living in New Orleans for years. Others were looking for a safer, less crime-ridden area.
Some were not even able to return to their homes after the floods. The levees failed, causing complete destruction. The hurricane had flooded 57 miles of the parish’s coastline. The EPA estimates that between 140,000 and 160,000 homes will need to be torn down.
In the years before Hurricane Katrina, St. Tammany grew at a staggering pace. The population jumped by more than one-third in each of the last four decades. The parish now has more than 265,000 residents. The region has experienced repeated floods. The parish is a celebrated Louisiana community.
The Gulf Coast Center for Law and Policy has been focused on environmental justice issues. The site of the former Katrina debris dump, the Isle de Jean Charles, has been tied in litigation over habitat protections.
The island is often referred to as America’s first climate refugee community. Several local officials have been working to address the challenges that the parish will face as a result of migration.
Land management of abandoned lands in St. Bernard Parish
During Hurricane Katrina, the City of New Orleans experienced a large loss of properties. More than 228,000 homes were damaged, and more than 228,000 were not rebuilt. The city government invested public funds in mowing and reclaiming abandoned lots. But the landscape of these abandoned lots is not uniform. Some areas have lawns, while others have tall grasses and invasive trees.
While the State of Louisiana bought the lands, it also passed the property on to parish and county-level agencies to manage. The Louisiana Land Trust worked with the government to redevelop abandoned lots. However, a legal problem arose when a portion of the lots continued to grow wild on private land.
The Lower 9th Ward was one of the hardest hit areas, resulting in the greatest loss of vegetation. In order to prevent the recolonization of opportunistic species, the Gentilly project was put into place. The plan was later condemned, primarily because of its green infrastructure plans.
The Gentilly Resilience District aims to use vacant and abandoned lands to produce ecosystem services. It will break ground in 2017. The project is supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority is also working to improve access to and management of abandoned lands. It has recently secured federal funds for large-scale “green infrastructure” projects on public lands. But these projects have not yet been implemented at a large enough scale to influence the broader vegetation dynamics.
A recent study by the US Forest Service researcher Wayne Zipperer examined vegetation on abandoned lots after Hurricane Katrina. The study found that post-Katrina landscape management policies mediated vegetation recovery on abandoned lands. These policies included:
The Lot Next Door program allowed returning residents to purchase adjacent lots. The program was found to be racially discriminatory in 2010. The Road Home program determined grants to homeowners based on the pre-Katrina property value.
SEO efforts in St. Bernard Parish
Considering the fact that St. Bernard Parish isn’t the easiest place to remit a check, one might ask, who benefits from such an initiative? Moreover, the state is no stranger to hurricanes or floods. This particular parish is not immune to the scourges of mankind, as it was hit by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Its population is now around 65 percent of its pre-storm size. With that said, the municipality is currently undergoing the biggest rebuilding exercise in Louisiana’s history. The ensuing slew of newcomers has resulted in a host of new, and re-established, small businesses.
The city is also home to the Industrial Canal, which was damaged by Hurricane Betsy in 1965. The city’s largest asset is the 76-mile-long navigation channel, which is operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. While this entails a fair amount of maintenance and upkeep, it also proves to be a worthwhile investment in a time of war.
The city is also home to the only IMAX theatres in the state of Louisiana. As a result, the film industry has seen its share of snafus. To keep the magic alive, the St. Bernard Parish Council enlisted the services of an external consulting firm to devise a bespoke film incentives program to suit the needs of the local film community.
