Get to Know Your Neighbor

May 2, 2017 | From City of New Orleans

Get to Know Your Neighbor: Spotlight on Katherine Prevost

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

Gosh, I’ve been here since I was 16 years old. A long time. 50 years almost. 

What do you love about your neighborhood?

I love everything about my neighborhood. People take care of each other and look after each other. I love the people, everything is really close so I can walk to it. It’s clean, but we’ve got some blight issues we’ve got to figure out. I find myself trying to figure out how to bring this neighborhood back in the right way. 

What successes have you had in your neighborhood?

After Katrina, we helped create and rebuild houses in this neighborhood. I felt that keeping homes affordable was very important. Katrina made me want to do things and get active in the neighborhood. 

Based on your successes in Bunny Friend, what advice would you give to other neighborhood leaders?

I think it’s important that we listen to what’s going in the neighborhood to see how we can make necessary changes. When residents have concerns, it’s important to make sure we can make everybody happy in the community. 

Why do you love New Orleans?

I love everything about New Orleans. I love the way people greet you when you see them on the street, regardless of who you are. I love hanging out with my family and friends. It’s a different kind of culture than anything you can imagine. My husband was in the Navy for 22 years so I’ve seen all parts of the world, and there is nowhere like this place. 

October 5, 2016 | From City of New Orleans

Get to Know Your Neighbor: Spotlight on Brenda Lomax-Brown

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

I moved into the Hollygrove-Dixon neighborhood in early 2006. My mother lived in the neighborhood for many years. After the storm, she wanted to return home. Because she could no longer live by herself, I left my Westbank neighborhood of 26 years and returned back to the city.

What do you love about your neighborhood?

I love the size and location of Hollygrove-Dixon. We are one of the smallest yet centrally located neighborhoods in the city. It's like going to the suburbs after a long day of hustle and bustle​. Our neighborhood is sandwiched between Airline Highway and the Pontchartrain Expressway. We are a 15 minute drive to the airport going west, and to Lake Forest going east. We are 5 minutes from the Superdome, City Hall, and the new medical complex on Tulane Ave. We are 10 minutes from Lakeside Mall and Oakwood Shopping Center.

What successes have you had in your neighborhood association?

One of our greatest successes was stopping a builder from building death trap houses. He has built several of these houses in the neighborhood. They are called "death trap" houses because there is only one door used as the entrance/exit. Although only 2 stories, the house is elevated. The base of a window on the first floor is more than 6'. One of these structures caught fire. The upstairs resident had to throw her children out of the window to the catching hands of neighbors. When she jumped, she broke both legs. The association president spoke with the builder about putting in a rear door, but the builder refused. He continued building these houses throughout the city. On his last attempt to build another on land acquired through NORA, we were able to stop his plans. He was then required to submit new architectural plans and include rear exits to the structure.

Do you have any upcoming events or projects?

We have several plans on the drawing board, i.e., a community garden and a playspot for our children. There are no playgrounds or parks. The park assigned to our neighborhood by NORDC is on the other side of an eight lane highway. Our greatest achievement has been an answer to the many, many, prayers for a Life Transformation Center or commonly called a community center. There were so many obstacles in our way but we continued to press forward, and will be moving into our center in the very near future.

What advice would you give to other neighborhood leaders?

My advice is "no matter how hard the battle gets or no matter how many people DON’T believe in your dream, never give up!” It’s difficult to wait, but more difficult to regret.

August 29, 2016 | From City of New Orleans

Get to Know Your Neighbor: Spotlight on Jacob Rickoll from Tulane-Canal

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

I purchased my home at on the 2300 block of Conti Street in April of 2015, but I was born and raised in New Orleans. I’m proud to be a resident of the Tulane-Canal Neighborhood Association (TCNA).

What do you love about your neighborhood?

I hate driving! I love being in the Mid-City area because it’s close to everything. I’m a nursing student at LSU HSC and am employed at Crescent Care Clinic and Tulane Hospital, both of which are just minutes away. I also love being close to City Park and the Lafitte Greenway, because I love to run. The Greenway’s paths to the park are well-lit and heavily trafficked with other bikers and runners. I can feel safe while enjoying my run. Being able to walk to the French Quarter or Broad Street Theater is priceless to me. I also love the diversity in the people of my neighborhood. It’s one of the reasons that I always wanted to stay in NOLA. I love that I can look down my street and see both young professionals and retired elderly. Everyone contributes something special in their own way.  

What successes have you had in your neighborhood association?

So when my partner, Jason, and I purchased the home last April, we just assumed that we were part of the Mid City Neighborhood Association (MCNO). One day, we were volunteering at a trash pick up event along Lafitte Greenway and learned that the MCNO boundary was actually Broad Avenue. After more research, I learned that no neighborhood association even existed for my area, the boundaries of which consisted of Broad Ave., Saint Louis St., Claiborne Ave., and Poydras St. So my partner and I then reached out to neighbors, mostly through social media like Nextdoor and Facebook, and met for coffee. What started with just 6 or 7 of us has grown to an official neighborhood association with monthly meetings with attendance averaging in the 30s to 40s. I’m currently the President of TCNA. While I have the best of intentions, I’m certainly not very experienced with running a neighborhood association. Fortunately, Councilwoman Cantrell’s office and the Mayor’s Office and even surrounding neighborhood associations like MCNO have been tremendously helpful and are coaching me patiently and lending to me every available resource. While still in our infancy, our neighborhood has had several successful neighborhood cleanups, partnered on several NPPs with local businesses, and appropriately advocated for local residents in City Hall Chambers. 

Do you have any upcoming events or projects?

We do plan to host something for the “Night Out Against Crime” in October. Once the weather cools, we also will be having more neighborhood cleanups. We just had a “Mixer” at Avery’s Restaurant on Tulane Ave. last week with our neighbor, MCNO. It was fun but also a great networking opportunity for neighbors, so I look forward to more of those. We are working with the "Welcome Table New Orleans" on some upcoming projects and are always thrilled to support the ReFresh and Lafitte Greenway folks with all the things they have going on. Meanwhile, however, the residents remain acutely focused on resolving the bigger problem of our area, which is still blighted property. We have so many overgrown lots and abandoned buildings that harbor unhealthy behavior and dangerous activity. While it is refreshing to see spots of progress, it is not nearly reaching the potential that it should. 

What advice would you give to other neighborhood leaders?

My best advice to other neighborhood leaders is to learn the resources of your community. New Orleans is a terrific city with amazing people. Get to know them and find out what they can contribute. Everyone is useful in their own way. Help others realize their potential to improve the community and that everyone’s opinion matters. Don’t be scared to think outside the box. Listen to the concerns of your neighbors, but listen to understand. Don’t just give them time to speak and move on with your own agenda. When you disagree, and there will always be disagreement amongst neighbors, remind your neighbors to attack the issue, not the group. Criticize the policy, not the official. Condemn the behavior, not the person. The rest is just time management and staying organized. 
 

April 28, 2016 | From City of New Orleans

Get to Know Your Neighbor: Spotlight on Mona Lisa Saloy

How long have you lived in the 7th Ward?

I was born and raised in the 7th Ward. I moved out west where I completed my undergraduate and early graduate education, but I’ve lived here longer than anywhere else, and I continue to love it.

What do you love about your neighborhood?
 

I love the folks who are so creative--just hard-working, earnest folks, carving a living and a life, the way we take time for each other; the rich culture makes life here sweeter, vivid, and I’m thankful for it.

What successes have you had in your organization?
 

In our first big effort, we helped to coordinate the rebuilding of Hunter’s field, successfully proposed the lovely mural by neighborhood fine artist Richard C. Thomas and 35 young artists. We hold annual nights out against crime. Last year, we, with a grant from First Books, gave almost 400 books to teens and tweens in the neighborhood. We also learned to make rain barrels, deter standing water, and studied growing food. This year, we hope to bring LEH’s Prime Time Family Reading Time into our neighborhood, host demos of native Craftsmen demonstrating the old-world artistic crafts for which we are known, and to publish a tour booklet.

Do you have any upcoming events or projects?
 

Yes. We are now part of the Treme/7th Ward Cultural District; and with Treme, we are hosting the first ever T7 Fest, the Treme/7th Ward Arts & Culture Festival, which will be held Memorial Day weekend with Friday panels on the historic Architecture, Foodways, Building Trades at The Autocrat Social & Pleasure club.  Saturday will be a concert and festival under the Claiborne Avenue overpass, and Sunday culminates in a musical brunch with local choirs, St. Raymond/St. Leo the Great and other guests.

What advice would you give to other neighborhood leaders?

First, I consider myself a good neighbor, then an author & educator & Folklorist.  My role is to listen, communicate what I learn, and help in what ways I can to represent us, so that someone is at the table when our area is discussed; mostly, I work to encourage active citizenship.

Our goals are, as our mission states:

We aim to enhance and improve the quality of life in the 7th Ward, to promote active citizenship, and to preserve and promote the art, culture, environment, and heritage of our neighborhood, for the enjoyment and safety of its members and residents.

January 26, 2016 | From City of New Orleans

Get to Know Your Neighbor: Spotlight on the DeSaix Area Neighborhood Association Board

How long have you lived in the DeSaix neighborhood?

Pam Harris-Coward, the current 2016 President of D.A.N.A says, “I have lived in the DeSaix neighborhood since May 1995, 20+ years.”

Taetrece Harrison, the current 2016 Vice President of D.A.N.A says, “I have lived in DeSaix neighborhood since March 2010.”

What do you love about your neighborhood?

Pam Harris- Coward: “I love the character of the old homes in the neighborhood.  My home is 75 years old.  Our neighbors are wonderful too!  Also, I love how we are so close to the many festivals held at City Park and the Jazz Fest held at the Fairgrounds.”

Taetrece Harrison: “The neighborhood is very quiet, friendly, diverse, and centrally located near all of the best events in the city of New Orleans (Jazz Fest, Seafood Festival, and Voodoo Fest) and close to City Park so we can enjoy all of the City Park activities.”

What successes have you had in the DeSaix Area Neighborhood Association?

Pam Harris- Coward: "My most recent success is I started serving as President of DANA in January 2016.  Also, I applied for and we were the recipient of the Harrah's/City Council of New Orleans Grant for fall 2015.  We will use the funds towards the purchase and installation of crime cameras for our ongoing crime camera project. Finally, I am a fall 2015 graduate of the Civic Leadership Academy offered by the City of New Orleans."

Taetrece Harrison: "I was just voted to the position of Vice President of the DeSaix Area Neighborhood Association, so I cannot really report any successes just yet.  However, one of my goals is to engage more neighbors in getting involved in the neighborhood association."

Do you have any upcoming events or projects?

Pam Harris- Coward: "Our closest upcoming event is our annual Mardi Gras Breakfast for the 3rd District NOPD on January 30th. We will also have our 2nd annual volleyball game in April.  Our opponent is still TBD.  We will also trim the crape myrtle trees along DeSaix Blvd. in the next few months."

What advice would you give to other neighborhood leaders?

Pam Harris- Coward: "My advice to other neighborhood leaders is to keep communication between members open and honest."

Taetrece Harrison: "Be on time, be willing to Listen, Be Honest and lastly do your BEST!"

December 8, 2015 | From City of New Orleans

Get to Know Your Neighbor: Spotlight on Cynthia Harris from Zion City

How long have you been a resident of the Zion City neighborhood?

I moved to Zion City with my parents and my two siblings at the age of 5 years old. On S Gayoso St., I was baptized at James Chapel Baptist Church. We then moved to other areas of Uptown. I'm an Uptown girl! I had other relatives who also lived in Zion City. Although I lived elsewhere, my belief in God and Jesus Christ was rooted and grounded in Zion City and I continued to be an active member at James Chapel Baptist Church. I married a wonderful man by the name of James Harris in 2004--he also has roots in Zion City. After a brief stay in Dallas, Texas, we moved back to New Orleans and now reside in Zion City.

What do you love about your neighborhood?

What I love about my neighborhood is the closeness of the neighbors, who are longstanding in the community. Whether they have lived in Zion City for 20, 30, 40, 50,60 years as homeowners or renters, this is HOME! Let's get one thing straight: our community never overlapped into Gerke's Town (Gert Town) nor Marlyville. Zion City boundaries are 1401 S Broad to Howard Ave to S Jeff Davis to Washington Ave to 4001 Martin L King Blvd. The commercial and residential areas are divided by Earhart Blvd. You can stand on the Earhart Blvd neutral ground and see I-10 on the commercial side and the Washington Ave Canal on the residential side. The expanse of our community is 7 blocks wide and 4 blocks deep on both sides of Earhart Blvd. As the saying goes, "Sometimes larger is not best." 

October 13, 2015 | From City of New Orleans

Get to Know Your Neighbor: Spotlight on Julius Lee from Real Timbers

How long have you been a resident of the Real Timbers neighborhood?

16 Years

What do you love about your neighborhood?

I love the quietness and low crime activity in the neighborhood.

What successes have you had with your association? 

Over the past twelve years we have had many successful events including a neighborhood fun run/walk, night out against crime activities with a candle light neighborhood walk,  an Algiers community cleanup rally, as well as a community carnival fair.

Do you have any upcoming events or projects? 

I will be asking my neighbors and other Algiers neighborhoods to volunteer to help my nonprofit organization, S.M.C.L. Foundation & Associates Paralympic Sport Club New Orleans with our upcoming community Adaptive/Paralympics Sports and Recreation event on December 11, 2015.  This event will foster activities for the community’s wounded veterans, along with our youth and other adults with physical disabilities, blindness or visual impairment. The location of the event will be announced by October 31, 2015.    

What advice would you give other neighborhood leaders?  

To be successful in anything, you will encounter some ups and downs; however, when things seem to be working against you, when you are down, stay prayed up and continue to press forward.  However, when thing are going real swell, I caution you to guard against pride, because “Only by pride cometh contention, but with the well advised comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 13:10)     

August 4, 2015 | From City of New Orleans

Get to Know Your Neighbor: Spotlight on Victor Gordon from Pontilly

“Prior to 1970,” says Victor Gordon, President of the Pontilly Neighborhood Association, “Gentilly Woods and Pontchartrain Park were separate communities.”  He explains that it was a crisis at the local university that motivated the leadership of both communities to come together, cooperate, and solve problems for the area, and it was a cooperation that stuck.

Gordon has lived within the boundaries of the adjoining communities since 1966 and is proud to serve as the association’s current president, almost half a century later.  When asked what he loves best about his neighborhood, Mr. Gordon provides a long list: “the pride exhibited by the past leadership of the community; the community involvement of the younger generation; the family environment; community engagement in the schools; our places of worship; our commercial corridor; and most of all, the community’s engaged residents and organizations.”

His passion for his community certainly shines through and his advice for other leaders across the city is to engage and represent all members of the area in which they serve as well as to work with other communities across the city.  Next on the agenda for the Pontilly Neighborhood Association, along with neighboring organizations, is the series of Hurricane Katrina commemorative events planned in late August.  The association hopes to “honor those residents of Pontilly who lost everything or died during Hurricane Katrina.”

May 27, 2015 | From City of New Orleans

Get to Know Your Neighbor: Spotlight on Sylvia Richard from East New Orleans

How long have you been a resident in New Orleans East?

I have lived in East New Orleans "ENO" for approximately 20 years but my commitment to this area started long before that.  I felt  a part of the New Orleans East community because for nearly 35 years  I taught at  Southern University at New Orleans and most of the students were from the East, Gentilly and the Ninth Ward. Additionally, during that period of time as a real estate broker, I sold homes primarily in the East to many of its residents, so I was familiar with the area issues and concerns of the community.

What do you love about your neighborhood?

I love the passion and commitment demonstrated by the ENO residents for our neighborhoods. Despite numerous challenges, such as the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, it did not dampen our zeal or willingness to return and rebuild our homes. We have survived and thrived determining to stay and work our way back to the uniqueness and the revitalization of our community. East New Orleans has different layers of living including affordable homes for first time homebuyers and, unlike other areas of the city, lush homes in over 15 subdivisions built around manmade lakes. We have a new, state of the art Read Regional Library, East New Orleans Hospital and Joe Brown Park with the slated return next year of the Audubon Nature Institute’s "Nature Center." New Orleans East is the gateway to the City of New Orleans and comprises 66% of the city’s land mass.  We are home to NASA Michoud Assembly, Folger Coffee, Boeing, Textron Marine, Lockheed Martin Space Systems and the new movie industry company Film Works.   ENO is the perfect location for families to live, work and play.

What led to the formation of ENONAC and what successes have you had?

After Hurricane Katrina, we realized to recover and rebuild our community we needed to have a plan and be a recognized authority to provide input, to determine and enforce standards that would maintain a good quality of life.  In 2008 East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission (ENONAC) was established as a state legislated commission adopted as HB887 (later revised to Act 394).  As a state legislated body we may advise, promote, and monitor both City and State government. This Act requires the City of New Orleans to notify ENONAC of proposed projects for the ENO community and allows us to advise the appropriate governmental bodies in regard to the planning of public and private development.  The citizen participation component mandated in the Master Plan of 2014 was already being implemented by Act 394 in 2008 in the East.

Consequently, ENONAC has been able to have a voice and recognized leadership in creating ENO as a thriving and sustainable community. Our successes have included establishing committees to:

• Challenge incompatible zoning and land use requests, while focusing on high quality development, state of art design and landscaping
• Lobby for quality and improved school facilities
• Develop a blight eradication strategy in collaboration with NOLA EAST Clean Sweep and the City of New Orleans to successfully eradicate pervasive commercial blight
• Host East NOLA Business Expo where we connected and educated the residential community with businesses and industries in ENO
• Promote healthy lifestyles by hosting ENO, walk, run, bike in the “Families Get Fit” event
• Foster collaboration and engagement of other stakeholders to increase property values, home ownership and improved healthcare

Do you have any upcoming events or projects?

We are planning a Katrina 10th Remembrance Event with a focus on neighborhood resilience and family commitment to protect, promote and preserve our ENO community.     

What advice would you give other neighborhood leaders?

Share your talents with your neighbors, we all have something to give. There is no greater value or benefit to you and your loved ones than the enjoyment and protection of your community.

April 21, 2015 | From City of New Orleans

Get to Know Your Neighbor: Spotlight on Barry Brantley from Carrollton

How long have you lived in the Carrollton neighborhood?

I've lived in New Orleans since November 1994, a little over 20 years now.

What do you love about your neighborhood?

I enjoy the quaintness of Carrollton. In my opinion, it's the “Mayberry” area of the city where almost everything you need is walkable: parks, public transportation, shopping, great restaurants, lively entertainment and longstanding neighbors.  In less than 10 minutes you can be downtown or in the French Quarter. Beautiful Oak boughs, river paths and family friendly parks provide safe temptations to get outside and enjoy the city.

What successes have you had in the Carrollton/Riverbend Neighborhood Association?

Since 2006, we have completed a short annual survey of our members through Survey Monkey to provide guidance to the CRNA leadership. We also host an Open House to invite neighbors to volunteer for committees and/or learn more about the goals for the coming year. Our association has grown significantly over the past few years with improvements in social networks. We have just under 300 registered members but well over 400 viewers in our Facebook and web blogs at www.crna-Nola.org through Wordpress.

I believe engagement and awareness of neighbors in Carrollton has improved too. While we have a diverse collection of subgroups representing different priorities for improvement, I believe the discussions are healthy, forward thinking and sincere. In my role of president for the association, I have learned more about the silos created over the past years due to low trust, and or participation. Understanding and respect are the first steps in my opinion to moving forward.

We've held a few community town forums this past year regarding education and community service needs that I believe provided direct priorities for developers in Carrollton. We've held a few social events like outdoor family movie nights, community gatherings and look to add neighborhood business after hour events.

Do you have any upcoming events or projects?

Our annual CRNA Membership meeting is Thursday, June 11th at Central  St. Matthew United Church of Christ, 1333 South Carrollton Avenue, 6-8 pm.

We are working with the New Orleans School Board regarding preservation opportunities of the Carrollton Courthouse, state legislators regarding a Carrollton Community Center and the Lycee Francais Charter School in the development of the former Priestly Middle School site. There are several private nonprofits in Carrollton such as Community Commitment, Inc.,  Leonidas House and several community gardens in which we  applaud their contributions and important role in Carrollton.

What advice would you give to other neighborhood leaders?

• Understand and follow the bylaws of your organization.
• Recruit and engage stakeholders
• Hold yourself and your leadership accountable. Trust and transparency are necessary.
• Add fun events to your schedule for the community. Movie nights, potluck meals, business open houses, etc. are all ways to bring community members together, even if it's 8-10 people at a time.