Terrebonne property donated after split Council vote

A simple thank you
July 4, 2018
Graduated Colonel gets a shot with Pelicans’ summer league team
July 4, 2018
A simple thank you
July 4, 2018
Graduated Colonel gets a shot with Pelicans’ summer league team
July 4, 2018

Terrebonne Council members last week voted to donate a Houma property controlled by the parish to a church, whose pastor plans to build affordable housing on the site, but the move was not without controversy.

A parish council member who had previously supported the plan expressed strong reservations about the deal, prompting debate at last week’s council meeting between herself and the clergyman.


Specific plans have not yet been presented by the Rev. Leo Brown, pastor of the Gospel Assembly Church of Houma Inc. But Brown has a track record of creating affordable housing in the parish.

On January 4, 2018, Brown wrote a letter requesting the donation of 307 Palm Ave., which was put up for auction at a sheriff’s sell but failed to draw interest.

“As a nonprofit, we plan to assist in revitalizing the community by constructing modern residential unit(s) of which we will rent to low income families,” Brown wrote. “We have a record of having completed several projects in the past and therefore we are confident that we can do the same with the above-mentioned property.”


The property currently is home to older housing. Under state law, a property put up for auction by a local government can be sold, or donated, at the discretion of the government entity. The parish government prepared a cooperative endeavor agreement for donation of the property to the church and the church’s promise to build low-income housing.

The potential donation of the property was initially discussed at a May 21 Council Policy, Procedure and Legal Committee meeting. At the meeting two council members, John Navy and Arlanda Williams, praised the work Rev. Brown has done with other properties.

“I want the public to understand that we are donating a property to you which you are using your own money to renovate, to build affordable housing,” Councilman John Navy said, addressing Rev. Brown, stating that other organizations have acquired such property but also asked for help from the parish.


Council member Christa Duplantis-Prather, in whose district the property sits, expressed support for the donation, voting as did other members to set up a public hearing on May 23. She had questioned the plan because she had constituents expressing interest in it.

“When we met on Friday you said it was righteous, it needed to happen and that you needed to pay on it,” Duplantis-Prather said. “Well th at happened to me Sunday because when when I was in Mass and the words that were spoken is actually what you do and what everyone does who sits up here.. God and Jesus gives us spirit to do certain things to do in the community, to do the right thing.”

The May 23 hearing was scheduled, but due to a technical issue the matter was rescheduled for June 13. At that meeting several owners of adjoining properties spoke of having an interest in purchase of it, and also questioned whether the property should be donated by the parish in difficult economic times.


The matter was then held over to June 27.

At that meeting Duplantis-Prather expressed reluctance for her initial support of the deal.

“You Ms. Duplantis, said God dealt with you, spoke to you, in Mass, to say ‘give the property to the church,” said Brown. “Now, the God I know is the same yesterday, today, and furthermore… If he said give the property one day, then why are we having this conversation as if the lord had changed his mind? Was god intoxicated, and woke up sober?”


Duplantis-Prather pushed back.

“Why? Because I had more time to for information to come sir,” she responded. “God can do many things, sir… I didn’t say he told me. I said it was a feeling.”

The councilwoman said she had difficulty understanding how the parish could be acting as if the deal had been approved, when that had not happened yet. The concern arose because of constituents who had spoken of inquiring about a purchase but were told it was to be donated, before the Council had voted on the matter.


“The problem I have is the process. With this particular property, let me tell ya, I heard all different stories, and people wanted to buy it and it was told when they called that it was already donated. How can you say that when tonight we didn’t even vote on it to donate it?” said Duplantis-Prather, addressing Councilman John Navy . “So, I got a problem with that process, and if somebody wants to buy it, my goodness, I mean let them buy it. And, I’ve heard all kinds of stories and I don’t like it: government does this – government does that. We’re supposed to help and, to me, if the person said it’s donated then that meant we already voted on it and we didn’t, and it didn’t come before me as a council person and it falls in my district.”

One neighbor of the property, Houma resident Rod Roddy, spoke of e-mail correspondence he had with the parish concerning a possible purchase, and that he was told the property was available for sale by Duplantis-Prather, who said she was not aware at the time of those correspondences that the deal was already being discussed with the church. Parish President Gordon Dove gave the okay in January. The Council had not discussed it because an agreement had not been drawn up until May.

Duplantis-Prather said she took issue, expressing frustration about not being informed about the property, since it was within her district.


The measure passed by a vote of 6-2, with Council members Duplantis-Prather and Gerald Michel opposed. Councilman Scotty Dryden was not present.

Terrebonne propertyCOLIN CAMPO | THE TIMES