Historic Preservation Commission declines to add item on Spanish Town properties

Several members of the Historic Preservation Commission attempted at their meeting today to add an agenda item that would have discussed the process of demolition by neglect, an issue directly tied to the future of several dilapidated rental properties in historic Spanish Town that landowner Richard Preis wants to tear down to make way for a proposed apartment complex by developer David Slaughter. But the HPC could not agree unanimously to add the issue to the meeting agenda, so no discussion took place.

That’s important because the HPC has been trying to flex its muscles in an effort to save the houses and force Preis to clean up the properties. When Preis first proposed razing them, saying they pose a health and safety hazard, the HPC used his own inspection report—which came from city inspectors—against him and cited him for demolishing the houses by neglect, an obscure city law that would actually require him to repair the houses. Preis has appealed that citation directly to the Metro Council, bypassing the HPC. The Metro Council is expected to vote on the issue next week, and Preis is expected to prevail.

Regardless, the path is clear for Preis to beging the process of filing for demolition permits. While the HPC would vote on that application, should it be denied the decision can be appealed to the Metro Council, meaning the council will ultimately decide the issue. That’s why several HPC members attempted today—at the urging of the neighborhood civic association—to revisit the issue of forcing Preis to repair the homes before it goes to the Metro Council. Their goal was to get a better handle on the real condition of the properties and why city inspectors deemed them a health and safety hazard. For the third time in two months, however, those efforts were stymied by other members of the HPC, who say the issue is now one for the Metro Council to decide. For a copy of the letter the Historic Spanish Town Civic Association wrote to the Metro Council today, click here.—Stephanie Riegel

This story has been updated and corrected since its original publication.

Maginnis: Ethics claims starting to ring hollow

Gov. Bobby Jindal enjoys telling audiences about how he signed legislation to make Louisiana's ethics laws the best in the nation. But the chairman of the state Board of Ethics says the reforms have convoluted matters, says John Maginnis. "That little disagreement is not stopping the governor from continuing to project the state's new image for clean ethics to out-of-state audiences," Maginnis says. "In state, that's getting more difficult to do with a straight face." This year, political figures including judges, mayors and U.S. Rep. William Jefferson have run afoul of the law. "Recent headlines should ensure that Louisiana remains atop another national ranking, that of convicted public officials per capita," Maginnis says. Read the full column here.

(John Maginnis publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com.)

North Dakota newspaper: La. showing the way on ethics

North Dakota and Minnesota need to follow the lead of Louisiana and establish tough ethics laws for lawmakers’ financial disclosures, says an editorial in the Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald. The editorial, which ran in Monday's newspaper, notes that the nonprofit Center for Public Integrity gave both states an "F" for financial disclosure. Louisiana went from an "F" in 2008 to an "A" this year after Gov. Bobby Jindal got the Legislature to pass tough new ethics-reform laws. "Basically, Louisiana identified a weakness and acted. That’s the kind of dynamism Minnesota and North Dakota used to show, too," says the newspaper. "They should show it again, unapologetically following Louisiana’s good-government lead." Read the editorial here. (Registration required)

Real Estate Weekly has news on current housing market

Real Estate Weekly is out with news on how Capital Region home sales and supply compare with 2008's numbers, commercial Realtors getting in the car wash business, a new member of the Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers Board, an auction for some commercial properties and the latest columns from Brian Andrews and Tom Cook. To read the newsletter, click here.

Baton Rouge home prices holding ahead of national average

Home prices in metro Baton Rouge fell by 2.3% in the third quarter from the year before, a smaller drop than what was experienced nationally or regionally. The median sale price for homes in the Capital Region was $166,900 in the third quarter, reports the National Association of Realtors, compared with $170,900 in third quarter 2008. The two other Louisiana cities included in the survey fared even better in the period. Shreveport-Bossier City saw median prices rise 8.6%, from $140,200 to $152,300. Prices in metro New Orleans fell 1.5% from $166,800 in third quarter 2008 to $164,300. Nationally, third-quarter home prices were down 11.2% year to year, to $177,900, while the Southern average fell 7.9% to $160,000. See the full chart here.

Landrieu, Vitter team up for GO Zone extension

Louisiana's two U.S. Senators are backing a measure to extend GO Zone tax incentives for another two years in the parishes hardest hit by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, reports The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger. U.S. Sens. Mary Landrieu and David Vitter want to extend the bonus depreciation incentive, set to expire on Dec. 31, to Dec. 31, 2011. Joining Landrieu and Vitter in sponsoring the extension are both of Mississippi's U.S. Senators: Republicans Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker. Bills have also been introduced to extend GO Zone tax credits for low-income housing and historic rehabilitation projects.

Hungry Howie’s to open Nicholson location

Hungry Howie’s Pizza will open a location on Nicholson Drive near West Lee by Jan. 15. The franchise has applied for a building permit for a spot in the Beau Chene Shopping Center and construction is slated to start shortly on a 3,500-square-foot store that will have between 50 and 60 employees offering delivery and pick-up, says Ray Williams III, manager of the Hungry Howie’s location in Gonzales. Hungry Howie's specializes in pizzas with flavored crusts; choices include butter cheese, ranch and garlic herb. Ray Williams Jr. opened the Gonzales location in September and owns the Hungry Howie's rights to the state. “We always have a few more stores in the works and we plan to open two or three more by next year,” Williams III says. Hungry Howie’s, based in Michigan, currently operates more than 575 locations in 23 states, according to the company Web site.—Emma James

Fed officials warn weak recovery won't spur jobs

Unemployment likely will remain high for the next several years because the economic recovery won't be strong enough to spur robust hiring, Federal Reserve officials warned today. The cautionary note struck by the presidents of regional Fed banks in San Francisco and Atlanta were the first public remarks of Fed officials since the government reported last week that the nation's jobless rate bolted to 10.2% in October. It marked only the second time in the post-World War II period that the rate surpassed 10%. In separate speeches, Janet Yellen, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and Dennis Lockhart, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, warned that rising unemployment could crimp consumers, restraining the recovery. Lockhart says "very slow net job gains" may occur "sometime next year." Troubles in the commercial real estate market and the plight of small businesses will also weigh on the recovery, they say. Small businesses—which held up reasonably well in the 2001 recession—have been clobbered by the downturn, accounting for about 45% of net job losses through the end of 2008, Lockhart says. During the last two economic recoveries, small businesses contributed about one-third of net job growth.

Nominations open for Business Awards and Hall of Fame

Nominations are being accepted for the 2010 Business Awards and Hall of Fame banquet. The event is presented annually by the Business Report and Junior Achievement. The categories include: Business Hall of Fame Laureate (for a lifetime of achievement), Company of the Year (under 100 employees), Company of the Year (100 or more employees), Young Business Person of the Year (40 or under) and Business Person of the Year. To nominate your company, yourself, a client, vendor or friend, click here or call 928-7008. The deadline for nominations is Dec. 31. The banquet, which will be held April 20 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, is sponsored by Franklin Press Direct Mail & Printing and Capital One Bank.