Mandeville Development May Soon Be Used for New Homes

 

The housing market is booming and inventory is still low. Developers want to take advantage of this on some wetlands just west of Lewisburg Estates close to Mandeville. The wetlands are located at the mouth of the Chinchuba Bayou flood plan that is made up of marsh grasses and cypress trees.

The current landowners have applied for a coastal use permit through St. Tammany parish. This coast permit would allow them to fill in the wetland site and lake bottom. Their plan is to add a bulkhead and a private road. This would be the first step in developing the land for future homesites.

Many in the community are distraught about the thought of future development on the wetlands. Filling the lake in would lead to flooding and change the ecological landscape that could hurt the community.

According to John Lopez, a coastal scientist who reviewed the permit for the development for the Lewisburg Civic Association, says that it could cause flooding in the Mandeville area. He confirmed that the wetlands are healthy enough to allow cypress trees to grow but should not be developed.

He reported that if the wetland is developed, the filled land would slow down the water’s exit from the Bayou Chinchuba watershed into Lake Pontchartrain. A bulkhead could also exacerbate erosion in adjacent areas.

State environmental agencies also report a negative impact. The filled land would replace 2.5 acres of shallow intertidal habitat that is home to submerged aquatic vegetation and where Indian manatees also call home. The Indian manatee is a threatened species already.

The state Department of Natural Resources did a biological investigation report for the project. Their findings indicated that there are plenty of other lakefront properties that are available to develop in the same area.

“Each little slice of shoreline, marsh and productive waters taken away hurts the lake, the aquatic culture, and the birds and animals whose lives depend on this type of habitat," David Lawton, a Lewisburg resident communicated.

This piece of wetland has been in discussion for decades. Many developers have wanted to develop the property but have not gone through the plans due to opposition from residents, environmental groups and local and state officials.

“Everybody wants a piece of paradise. There ain’t enough paradise to go around anymore so you got to create paradise out of the wetlands and the marsh,” Ted Ralph, a nearby resident and retired federal engineer, said as he pointed out the site of the proposed development from his fishing boat.

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This Fall Saw a Gain in Single-Family Permits

 This September has seen a gain in single-family permits. The first nine months of 2021 reported year-to-date (YTD) got up to 864,184. This is a 21.2% increase from the 713,286 reported in September 2020.

All four regions had a very strong increase year-to-date ending in September 2021. The South saw the largest increase of 22.8% while the Midwest reported the lowest at 16.1%. The Northeast reported 20.4% and the West 20.3%. For multifamily permits, the West reported 35.3, Midwest 26.7%, the South 24.5% and the Northeast 17.7%.

Of the four regions, 49 states and the District of Columbia reported an increase of single-family permits issued. The highest growth was in the District of Columbia with a 234.7% increase! Mississippi was the only state that saw a decline of 0.5% during September 2021.

At the local level, below are the top 10 metro areas that issued the highest number of single-family permits.

Metropolitan Statistical Area	Single-family Permits: (Units #YTD, NSA)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	40,255
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	39,161
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	27,534
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	24,928
Austin-Round Rock, TX	19,250
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	15,444
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	14,767
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	12,725
Jacksonville, FL	12,725
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN	12,625

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St. Tammany Parish School District Approved Tax Renewals

 Last month St. Tammany Parish voters voted on four property tax renewals for their school district. The voters approved the tax renewals which total 42.72 mills. The St. Tammany Parish School District will gain around $102 million dollars annually.

This sounds like a huge chunk of change, and it is, however it is just part of the school district's approximately $453 million budget. The money pulled from the four taxes will go to things such as general school operations, employee salaries and student educational programs.

St. Tammany schools Superintendent Frank Jabbia is thankful that the four taxes generating the $102 million won by the voters. He said it would have been "catastrophic" if the four taxes were not supported by the community. The four taxes will not go into effect until 2023 and will stay in effect for 10 years. Nineteen percent of the 186,000 St. Tammany Parish voters voted on the four taxes.

The first proposition at 4.42 mills (bringing in around $10.52 million annually won by 54%. The second proposition at 32.41 mills (bringing in around $77.1 million annually) won by 55% of the vote, proposition three at 3.14 mills (bringing in around $7.4 million annually) received 54% of the votes and the fourth proposition at 2.75 mills (bringing in around 6.5 million annually won by 53%.

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Tips On Improving Your Indoor Air Quality

 When it comes to the air in your home, it has become more important now than ever in this day in age. The COVID-19 pandemic kept the country indoors and in their homes a lot within the past couple of years. In the past, air pollution has been focused on the outdoor air quality but with the past stay-in-door orders, this has also brought our home's air quality into the equation.

Our indoor air quality can affect our health and our well-being. Bad indoor air quality leads to colds, the flu, asthma allergies, impaired sleep and concentration, sluggish productivity, mood disorders and health problems.

Professionals in the industry report that more than half of the homes in the country do not have correct ventilation which leads to poor indoor quality. Surprisingly, indoor air pollutants can be found in your home's paint, furniture, carpets and cleaning products.

“Understanding the sources and, more importantly, controlling the causes behind common indoor pollutants can help to protect the health of your family, and one of your most important investments — your home,” says Scott Rasmussen, president of Quality Edge.

Below are some tips on how you can improve your indoor environment at home to help with indoor air quality.

Proper Ventilation Is Crucial for Clean Air

While your home does need to be weatherproofed, it still needs to be able to breathe. Proper ventilation is imperative for this and helps alleviate those indoor pollutants.

“Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources, and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out,” Rasmussen says. He adds that proper ventilation is crucial for clean air.

Your attic is one of the first places you should start. A home's attic needs continuous ventilation. An attic with no airflow causes mold, growth, mildew and rot. Make sure the ventilation at the eave edge can bring fresh air in through the roof exhaust vents.

If this is a concern for you and your home, you might want to consider investing in a high-performance roof ventilation system. This kind of system will do its job well but is architectural pleasing to the eye and will not stand out and ruin your home's curb appeal.

Extend the Life of Your Home

A new roof with an adequate roof ventilation system will help do this. As a homeowner, you will be able to avoid costly repairs due to mold, rotten wood or odor buildup with this system.

Another way to extend the life of your home is to add vented soffit products that will not only help with the health of your home but will add to your home's curb appeal. These products do this by elevating the look of your house's exterior.

“Replacing your soffit also presents a great opportunity to update your home’s trim colors,” Rasmussen says.

Prevent Leaks

A home's exterior siding can prevent water leaks. These leaks will seep into your home's interior causing moisture damage and mold. Professionals suggest a moisture-wicking siding should be used on a new home or added to a remodel.

If you cannot afford to replace your current siding, then a regular maintenance check-up is suggested. Look for cracks that can be scaled up to help prevent any water leaks.

Other Steps to Take

There are many simple things you can do to your existing home that will help with air quality. Make sure to clean and dust regularly which will minimize indoor air pollutants. Also regularly check your HVAC system and replace their filters several times a year.

Remember the quality of the air in your home does not only affect those that live in the house but extends the health and life of the home itself. “High temperature and humidity levels in your attic spaces due to inadequate ventilation can increase your energy costs, reduce the effectiveness of your home’s insulation, cause premature aging of your home’s building materials and void your home’s roof warranty,” Rasmussen says.

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