After Hurricanes Laura and Ida, thousands of Louisiana homeowners filed lawsuits against their insurance companies, alleging the insurers were lowballing and delaying their claims as they struggled to rebuild. The crop of lawsuits, many still winding through the state’s court system, has become central to the debate over how to stem Louisiana’s property insurance crisis. […]
Another D.R. Horton subdivision under duress after finding out their HOA may never be turned over to home owners (LA)
D.R. Horton is facing heat again with Livingston Parish residents in the Foxglove subdivision finding out they may never take over their homeowners association. Foxglove homes went on the market in 2020 and the neighborhood was in the process of building more homes. Residents bought their homes under the impression of purchasing a good quality […]
Water discoloration alarms Lake Charles neighborhood (LA)
Residents in a Lake Charles neighborhood are filled with concern as their water has not been clear for close to a year now. “We started getting one or two houses with yellow water and then it became really dark, almost like a brown. And, uh, it has continued on every week, one or two houses […]
Iconic Metairie Towers up for grabs in multimillion-dollar deal (LA)
Metairie Towers, a prominent piece of real estate in Old Metairie, is expected to be sold in a multimillion-dollar deal. The tower, vacant since Hurricane Ida, is now on the market with the aim of maximizing profits and finding a developer aligned with the neighborhood’s vision. Watch the news report………………………………..
Woman dead following Mandeville condo fire (LA)
Upon arrival, crews found smoke and fire inside one of the units and smoke damage to adjacent condos. A woman was found inside the condo and transported to a hospital where she later died. Read the article………………………..
Troubled Baton Rouge condo fires manager; financial investigation underway (LA)
The office manager at Concord Condominiums has been fired after sources tell WBRZ he allegedly mishandled money and failed to keep accurate records. This was confirmed to WBRZ by several owners and a condo committee member. Additionally, have also been told the CPA is launching an internal audit to see if any money has gone […]
Upscale Conway community in Ascension has chronic street flooding. A fix remains fraught (LA)
The builders have made features out of the large live oaks on the former 344-acre cattle ranch and honed architectural details, but residents say Conway has a significant and unexpected problem now several years into construction: chronic street flooding that can linger for days after moderate rains and at one point blocked the neighborhood’s entrance. […]
Fla. and La. must borrow millions to pay insurance claims
The Gulf Coast insurance crisis has hit a new low as two state-chartered insurance associations are being forced to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars for the first time in three decades to pay the hurricane claims of insolvent insurers. Borrowing in Florida and Louisiana could reach a combined $1.35 billion and will be repaid […]
After WBRZ report, work on a condo’s parking lot covered in potholes finally begins; some tenants aren’t satisfied (LA)
Owners and tenants at Concord Condominiums have wanted their parking lot, which was covered in deep potholes, to be fixed for years. After WBRZ reported on the problem, it seems that work has started on the repairs. Read the article………………………..
Proposed state law could require HOA audits leaving residences with higher fees (LA)
A bill introduced in the state legislature could mean more fees for some HOA members. State Rep. Paul Hollis (R-Covington) has brought forth a bill that would require homeowners associations with 25 or more lot owners to be audited annually by an independent certified public accountant (CPA). Read the article………………………..
Frustrated condo tenants bump heads with manager over property’s costly pothole problem (LA)
The parking lot at Concord Condominiums is covered in potholes, and in some areas, the original concrete is exposed. Cars have to be very careful driving around the holes to make sure they don’t damage their cars. Read the article………………………..
Pothole problems plague condo community (LA)
People living in the Concord Condominiums said they are having to deal with what seems like an endless stretch of potholes. The residents said the pesky potholes are taking a toll on cars and wallets. Read the article………………………..
Property owners learn they’re responsible for fixing the potholes on their road (LA)
Folks who live off Brightside View Drive say their hands are tied after the city told them, it’s not their responsibility to fix. There’s no Homeowners Association for maintenance repairs. Joshua Kim says his apartment has had some close calls when it comes to flooding. Read the article………………………..
Most new Ascension neighborhoods have little-known extra road tax (LA)
If you’ve bought a house in the newest neighborhoods of Ascension Parish over the past two years, you’re probably paying extra property taxes for the long-term maintenance of roads where you live. Read the article………………………..
More insurance companies pull out of Louisiana: ‘We are in a crisis’
Thousands of folks in the south no longer have home insurance because companies are leaving the area after years of devastating storms. Read the article………………………..
Metairie Towers residents displaced by Ida won’t be able to return home for at least another year (LA)
The last 12 months have seen insurance disputes, a second flood and the discovery of asbestos Read the article………………………..
$3 million granted to Metairie Towers rebuild; residents still battle insurance hassles a year after Hurricane Ida (LA)
Slow progress is underway for the residents of a Jefferson Parish condominium after Hurricane Ida left residents displaced for over a year. Metairie Towers Association Board and residents can now move forward on removing damaged material from the building after a $3 million loan was approved. Read the article………………………..
Largo Townhome Association Sue D. R. Horton Home Builders As Lawsuits Abound (FL)
D. R. Horton, Inc. has been sued by a homeowner’s association in Largo for myriad construction defects. The top-volume homebuilder in the U.S. is headquartered in Arlington, Texas. It is also the subject of a class action lawsuit filed in March by homeowners based in Youngsville, Louisiana. Both states experience high levels of humidity. Read […]
HOA hoping to net $800K to turn tennis courts into homes in BR neighborhood (LA)
A quiet, upscale enclave is hoping to net nearly $1,000,000 by selling and possibly subdividing its tennis courts. The courts in the Walden subdivision were listed Friday for $800,000. According to a Realtor.com listing, the property is just shy of 1.5 acres and is a “huge opportunity” for someone to subdivide. Read the article………………………..
Metairie Towers remains vacant 11 months after Ida, attorney says insurance agency isn’t paying up (LA)
It’s being called an eyesore in Old Metairie – Metairie Towers. More than 400 people had to move out after Hurricane Ida. Eleven months later, it still sits vacant. “We are 11 months to the day from Hurricane Ida and clients at Metairie Towers and residents through the condominium association are still not back in […]
Woman accused of embezzling from St. Tammany homeowner group gets suspended sentence (LA)
A Slidell area woman accused of stealing money from her former employer, the Belair Homeowners Association, pleaded guilty last week to one count of theft over $1,500, nine years after authorities said the thefts occurred and five years after she was indicted. Read the article………………………..
Resident points to HOA for answers regarding street flooding concerns (LA)
There is concern that drainage infrastructure in one Baton Rouge neighborhood isn’t working the way it should. Shawn Cooper contacted 2 On Your Side after he says his HOA isn’t responding to his inquiries. Read the article………………………..
Lot filled with crab traps upsets neighbors (LA)
The New Orleans Office of Code Enforcement has opened an investigation into a piece of land in a Venetian Isles neighborhood, zoned residential, but used to store and clean crab traps……The upset neighbors tell us they reached out multiple times to the Venetian Isles Homeowners Association but nothing was ever done about their complaints. The […]
Driveway entrance replaced following call to 2 On Your Side (LA)
An entrance to a condominium community off of Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge was in need of some repairs. The Homeowner’s Association had been trying for years to get help and recently contacted 2 On Your Side. The issue dates back about seven years, and Jennifer Mizzell says it’s been a battle ever since. That […]
Woman critical after E. Shreveport condo fire (LA)
Prior to the SFD’s arrival, condos on both sides of the smoke-filled condo were evacuated by neighbors, who were unable to force their way into the condo on fire. Read the entire article……………………………….
Short-term rental guests accidentally set fire to Lafayette condo with discarded cigarette (LA)
A short-term rental on Lee Avenue suffered fire damage after occupants tossed a cigarette in a plastic planter outside the unit’s front door, the Lafayette Fire Department said. Read the entire article……………………………….
Shreveport Policemeet with HOA’s (LA)
The Shreveport Police Department takes initiative to hear the concerns of home owners, right from the source. On Tuesday evening they met with seven different homeowner’s associations at Willow Pointe Church. Read the entire article……………………………….
Lawmaker wants oversight on states HOA’s (LA)
Homeowners associations have their purpose and set important rules and standards. But, one lawmaker wants to make sure those rules and standards don’t trump your constitutional right to privacy. Read the entire article……………………………….
A grass-roots efforts brings new life for The Island Golf Course (LA)
A grass-roots effort has led to a new lease on life for Plaquemine’s only golf course. The event brought together local officials for the return of the facility, which had operated more than 20 years in Plaquemine until its closure in April 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the entire article……………………………….
Hollis’ HB9 Misunderstands Property Rights (LA)
When a legislator fundamentally misunderstands the nature of property rights, he produces a bill like Republican state Rep. Paul Hollis’ HB 9. The bill cued up for the 2022 Regular Session would negate large swaths of homeowner association rules, although no one can say for sure just how extensively because of its incredibly broad language. […]
Do HOAs have too much power? One state lawmaker says yes (LA)
A Northshore state lawmaker has filed legislation that he says seeks to stop homeowners’ associations from infringing on constitutional rights. Rep. Paul Hollis, a Covington Republican, says he also is considering filing a bill that would allow homeowners to opt out of HOAs. Read the entire article……………………………….
Outrageous subdivision light bill adjusted following call to 2 On Your Side (LA)
An HOA president got a shocking bill in the mail a couple of months ago, and it took a call to 2 On Your Side to get it fixed. Tracey Kelleher has been the HOA president of the Woodland Ridge subdivision for the past six years. One of her duties is to pay the subdivision […]
DPPJ, Stonewall look to changes with roads, subdivisions (LA)
DeSoto Police Jury Road Committee members recently said no to recommendations from the parish planning commission to accept two new roads into the parish system. The reason: Both roads are in subdivisions that are in the infant stages of development so there are no homes on either road. Read the entire article……………………………….
East Ascension drainage approves discussions with Prairieville subdivision association (LA)
The East Ascension Drainage Board approved of Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment entering discussions with a Prairieville homeowners’ association regarding work on a private retention pond. Read the entire article……………………………….
Amid flurry of flood zone development requests, planning commission shoots down Burbank subdivision (LA)
Days after heavy rain brought flooding to areas of the capital city, the East Baton Rouge Planning Commission denied a rezoning request for a subdivision project along Burbank Drive. Maple Cove, an 11-acre, 60-lot project near University Villas, was one of several potential projects either partially or entirely in the floodplain to be heard Monday […]
Should Ascension Parish help fix a subdivision’s controversial flooding prevention reservoirs? (LA)
Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment will open talks with a Prairieville homeowners’ association about costly repairs to their neighborhood’s private drainage basin, even as some parish council members warned the move could start a precedent that would open a “Pandora’s box” of requests from other subdivisions. Read the entire article……………………………….
219-unit Metairie Towers condo complex ‘uninhabitable’ for 1 year post-Ida; residents forced out (LA)
Residents of the Metairie Towers condominium complex hauled away suitcases, moving boxes and artwork on Tuesday after learning from management that the building would need to be vacated for roughly a year to repair the damage caused by Hurricane Ida. Read the entire article……………………………….
Some Baton Rouge residents outraged, not receiving funds to rebuild after May flooding (LA)
Mounds of trash sit high on the curb at the Nesser Gardens condo complex along Jefferson Highway. Homes remain gutted since the May 17th flood. Residents say they still haven’t been able to move back in. “We’re not getting the funds that we thought we should get to rebuild our units,” said homeowner Christie Parker-Netherland. […]
River Bend HOA says complacency is causing more break-ins (LA)
Police say 237 guns have been stolen this year, of that 94 were out of vehicles. One of the hardest-hit subdivisions is right off Brightside called River Bend. In River Bend lives Pete Bush, who’s been there for more than 15 years, telling WBRZ last month he was taken by surprise. Read the entire article……………………………….
4 days after fire, Fairfield Oaks HOA holds meeting for displaced residents (LA)
It has been four days since an apartment building caught fire at the Fairfield Oaks condominiums. On Sunday afternoon, the Homeowners Association held a meeting to update residents, answer questions, give information needed for insurance claims, and to remind everyone to cut off all utilities with providers. Read the entire article……………………………….
Starting over: Shreveport condo fire victims face tall task (LA)
People from 30 units destroyed by fire at the Fairfield Oaks Condominiums are dealing with the need to find a new place to live and replace just about everything that was inside. “Find another place to live and start all over!” Barbara Wilson said with a chuckle. Read the entire article……………………………….
2-alarm fire leaves 30 condo units destroyed on Fairfield Ave. (LA)
Shreveport firefighters battled a multiple story condo building fire in the 3800 block Fairfield Avenue Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters remained on the scene overnight and into Thursday morning to watch for any danger and extinguish hot spots. Read the entire article……………………………….
BR homeowners displeased with Entergy’s installation of new tech devices in neighborhoods (LA)
While technological advances bring welcomed convenience to daily life, the new tech gadgets that make such convenience possible often seem to go through an ‘awkward phase’ before evolving into a more attractive product. Read the article…………………………………
Political sign with offensive language causing stir in Baton Rouge neighborhood (LA)
Offensive wording printed on a political sign in one Baton Rouge neighborhood is turning heads. The sign shows President Donald Trump dressed as Uncle Sam with the words, “just say no to Joe” and a derogatory word for a promiscuous woman that rhymes with Joe. People who live in the area are upset that families […]
No repair date set for neighborhood damaged by June tornado (LA)
On the morning of June 24, an EF-1 tornado hit parts of Baton Rouge along Essen Lane, near I-10. One neighborhood in the storm’s path is still trying to clean up the damage. Cypress Point, just north of the interstate, was damaged by that tornado. Blanche Williams has lived in her Cypress Point condo for […]
Tropical Storms Marco and Laura: Insurance typically covers some, but not all, damage (LA)
As Tropical Storms Marco and Laura barrel toward Louisiana, you may wonder how well your homeowners or renters insurance will hold up in a natural disaster. The answer largely depends on the disaster. Damage from many calamities are covered by a standard policy, but a handful are not and require separate coverage for protection. Read […]
Dispute over collapsing backyards along Mossy Oaks neighborhood pond raises long-term questions (LA)
A nearly year-old lawsuit on an Ascension Parish drainage issue has now cleared early attempts to dismiss the litigation before deeper investigation could begin. The lawsuit alleges a floodwater retention pond for the Mossy Oaks neighborhood was built so poorly that it caused the backyards of two homes to partially collapse into the pond. Read […]
Fences in servitude removed by parish to cut ditch, residents must pay to put them back (LA)
Last year, the Livingston Parish Department of Public Works said it would be tearing down fences in Arbor Walk, if the neighbors didn’t move them out of the servitude. The neighborhood’s HOA, Community Management, LLC, sent out a final notice on June 10 saying homeowners not in compliance would have their fences removed. The parish […]
Island Golf and Country Club permanently closes in Plaquemine (LA)
For homeowners, the biggest question is what happens now. The HOA does not subsidize the Island with any of their fees. The burden on golf courses is not a unique one, as others have encountered the same fate nationwide. Read the article…………………………….
Livingston Parish subdivision installs state of the art technology aimed at preventing crime (LA)
At the three entrances of the Spring Lake subdivision, drivers may or may not know that new devices are keeping track of who comes and goes. “They’re motion-activated cameras,” Spring Lake resident, Greg Bunch said. “They work day or night and basically anything moving through these entrances is picked up.” There is nothing standard about […]