‘Just insane’: New Orleans S&WB is wasting three quarters of its treated water
So, in January, on a very cold night, the New Orleans Sewage and Water Board showed up to repair a leak on our street. In the process they manipulated the water hydrant in front of my house and in the process they cracked something. Since then we have had a nice leak running from said hydrant into the street. I'm anticipating a rare minnow finding a home in this stream and our house being declared a wetlands refuge with my driveway becoming off-limits. That the city is losing 76% of its processed waters to leaks is not a surprise to me. See a pic of our lil' pond below:
ONLY 83 DAYS LEFT IN THE ROSS HURRICANE SEASON
We have 83 days left in the fabled "Ross" hurricane season, which ends COB 31 October. I have been pondering, with our dramatically warming Gulf, whether I should extend the season, and have settled on reserving the right to do so with a cut-off date of 15 Oct. My main concern would be the tail ends of the cool fronts pushing over the now warmer waters. Stay tuned.
Judge approves $106 million settlement over deadly 2019 Hard Rock Hotel collapse in New Orleans
We talk about this local disaster at the end of our commercial insurance real estate agent CE. The lack of proper oversight by the city's permitting division mixed with the general awful construction efforts rendered a scenario more akin to 3rd World shenanigans:
Cancer risk in Louisiana's industrial parishes is underestimated by EPA, study says
Mmm mm mmm, we don't have the highest cancer rates as a state in the U.S. Kentucky, with a strong tie to smokers, owns that honor. However, Louisiana ranks among the highest in the country for cancer diagnoses, and the 11-parish area known as, "Cancer Alley," places in the top 5 percent nationally for toxic air-related cancer risk. Historically, the neighborhoods located closest to our industrial plants are largely populated by minorities. Is this matter a Fair Housing matter?: https://www.nola.com/news/environment/cancer-chemicals-louisiana-industry-research/article_84f4dd30-bbb0-4248-be18-c842d223b778.html
LCG anticipates $22 million reimbursement for lagging flood project
So, do you know the difference between a "retention" pond and a "detention" pond? A retention pond is designed to permanently hold water and only lose it via evaporation or settlement into the soil. A detention pond is like back when I was getting detentions at school. I had to stay in the school for a while, but not forever:
https://thecurrentla.com/2026/lcg-anticipates-22-million-reimbursement-for-lagging-flood-project/
As Lafayette grows, must its oldest trees come down? At least one developer says no
I live across the street from City Park. That park lowers the ambient temperature of my community. Trees can be a pain in the rear, but they are so very important. This piece about the developer working to keep the trees in the neighborhood is enheartening. Whenever possible, try to keep trees and don't plant fake grass in your back yard: https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/home-builders-tree-removal-lafayette/article_c0683841-9483-46d0-83e5-d2eeb9ee1822.html
Despite dramatic rate hikes, these sewer systems are still failing
Can't tell you I'd be thrilled about the idea of a privately run sewage system,...........and I live in Orleans Parish. I didn't know these entities existed before this article. I only just learned that parts of St Tammany Parish have a private water system. This article about sewage leaks in the Thibodaux associated with Magnolia Water is eye-opening:
https://thecurrentla.com/2026/despite-dramatic-rate-hikes-these-sewer-systems-are-still-failing/
‘Improving … but I am certainly not satisfied’Homeowners policies are a little cheaper, easier to come by, but is the state’s insurance crisis over?
Pretty good article describing the current Louisiana property insurance market. Louisiana has a lotta moving parts. I want to point out that our property, flood and better built homes real estate agent continuing education classes are all being updated, and I recommend you consider retaking them. We also have released our commercial insurance class this year: https://app.theadvocate.com/article/improving-but-i-am-certainly-not-satisfied-2/content.html
St. Tammany Parish Council approves new zoning near Covington for 800 new homes
Generally, when it comes to new home building projects, this is how it goes in strained areas where infrastructure challenges exist. The local government initially rejects the plan offered by the developer with hard pushback on the plan by local residents. The developer comes back with promises to lower housing density and/or offer other mitigation promises such as retention ponds for drainage concerns. The local government approves the new plan: https://www.nola.com/news/northshore/covington-isadore-esperanza-subdivisions/article_fc4a684d-694d-4b81-9529-9087d10330e6.html
The Mississippi River wants to change course. The struggle to stop it faces new threats
Southeast Louisiana faces several critical realities, strengthening hurricanes, rising property and flood insurance premiums, a receding coastline. Possibly the most important is the Mississippi River doing what it wants to do and shifting primarily to the Atchafalaya Basin: https://www.nola.com/news/environment/mississippi-river-changing-course/article_a8f5fcd0-14eb-4a75-956d-6da2130a563b.html#tncms-source=featured-top
Mayor Helena Moreno taps top staffer to direct new 'Canal Street Renaissance Initiative'
I don't like to use the word, "feel," as I generally find "think," or "believe" reflect a situation that shows we worked a bit harder to arrive at our conclusion. That being said, I "feel" as if now might be the right time to witness a rebirth of Canal Street, and this article points to some reasons for it: https://www.nola.com/news/canal-street-renaissance-initiative-mayor-helena-moreno/article_b2d257ad-48cc-4659-929e-a4744adc6365.html
Repairs to Madame John's Legacy, one of French Quarter's oldest buildings, cause concern
So, we are very interested and are exploring the opportunities for creating a real estate agent CE class on old and possibly historical housing. In order to do so, we need to research properly and create relationships with the right people. We'll see how this works. It might take years. In much the same way, maintaining historical properties requires the same approach:
A dungeon for water? On Tulane's campus, managing stormwater goes deep
Tulane's efforts to mitigate flooding by retaining rainwaters is pretty amazing, a study in an of itself: https://www.nola.com/news/education/tulane-new-orleans-flooding-storms-drainage-infrastructure/article_f6895409-9ef5-4297-b72a-6a0a05fe7d23.html
Oak trees are being moved along Elysian Fields Ave. It's part of major $141M stormwater project
We talk about this type of flood mitigation in our insurance class, using greenspace to temporarily capture rainfall. This is one of the larger projects I have witnessed. I remember that El Paso would use their playgrounds in a similar manner. Jefferson Parish has placed a levee around the Wally Pontiff Jr playground in Old Metairie for a similar effect: https://www.nola.com/news/politics/new-orleans-gentilly-green-project-resumes-after-lengthy-delay/article_59fb7820-bc9a-431c-8354-4f170a3e3ccb.html
How New Orleans' Faubourg Marigny spawned the city of Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish
Here's an old piece from Richard Campanella, Tulane professor, Greater New Orleans Know-It-All, Picayune contributor, and overall interesting person. This time he ties in the history of the Faubourg Marigny to Mandeville: https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/new-orleans-faubourg-marigny-mandeville-st-tammany/article_0f55b39a-858d-4d21-8711-ec8d98c1fa3e.html
Trump’s Clashing Goals: More Housing, Fewer Immigrants
I think this podcast speaks very thoroughly to the challenges of the homebuilding workforce: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trumps-clashing-goals-more-housing-fewer-immigrants/id1200361736?i=1000777858316
Real estate's new paper trap Homebuyers are getting stuck in terrible deals with their real estate agents, and it's costing them big money
The alarmist nature of this article title aside, real estate agents, here is a piece worth reading. I found that it covered all aspects of the challenges of working with buyers: https://www.businessinsider.com/buyer-representation-agreements-homebuyers-stuck-real-estate-agents-2026-7
Residents of this troubled New Orleans East complex just landed a $3M win. Here’s what’s next
Interesting piece right here. As someone who experienced a bad landlord, I can appreciate the frustrations of the tenants. I would suggest that incessant leaking is a sign of a bad landlord: https://www.nola.com/news/politics/willows-apartments-new-orleans-east-settlement/article_221c21d4-163d-4aef-ade9-92d852ccb538.html
New Tropical Disturbance Near Florida
Again, my favorite forecaster for hurricane activity can be found here with video: https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/
New study ranks New Orleans among worst cities for first-time home buyers
Rough article, definitely merits a hard look. It is my contention that property insurance is the biggest challenge to home ownership in S. Louisiana. My recommendation is to confer regularly with engaged insurance agents, shop property and flood insurance with multiple agents, and keep your nose in the news, every day: https://www.audacy.com/wwl/news/local/new-orleans-home-sales-survey