St. Bernard Parish - Voters in Saint Bernard may one day get to decide if developers are able to build mixed income housing complexes in the parish.
Council members voted for a ballot referendum bound to raise eyebrows. It would require any developer of multi-family housing to seek voter approval to build apartment complexes of 6 or more units.
The council's decision comes just days after a federal judge held parish officials in contempt for violating the Fair Housing Act. Back in April, officials tried to stop developers from building 4 mixed income apartment complexes in St. Bernard when the planning commission denied the developers routine resubdivisions. The judge then ordered parish officials to comply and stay out of the developers way.
Morgan William with the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center believes the council's latest move may once again end up violating the Federal Fair Housing Act.
William says, "It would appear this is another effort to block the creation of multifamily affordable housing which would undermind the federal fair housing act."
Parish President Craig Taffaro says he along with the council members will look into whether the council's latest decision is constitutional.
