TPCG looks at property sales

With a slow economy demanding a search for revenues and savings, Terrebonne Parish is considering selling off property to attain both.

District 1 Councilman John Navy brought up property sales for discussion during last week’s Terrebonne Parish Council meeting. Navy said he wants Terrebonne officials to focus more on the sales to figure out what can be turned into a revenue stream for the parish.

Terrebonne Parish Purchasing Manager Angela Guidry is in charge of the parish’s property sales. Her department has worked with the parish assessor’s office to compile a list of the different properties the parish owns, such as those handed to the parish when the owner does not pay delinquent taxes on the property, known as adjudicated properties. Other properties include those acquired through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program or Community Development Block Grant Program and those that the parish bought outright. The purchasing department will then

Navy originally brought up the idea two to three years ago as the state considered cutting the redemption period, when owners can pay the back taxes and retain their properties, on adjudicated property in half. When the parish sells off properties, it not only brings in revenue from the sales, but also saves money by not having to maintain the properties anymore. According to Navy, the parish has made more than $500,000 in property sales over the last three years. When considering both the savings and revenues possible with a renewed parish focus, he has even loftier goals going forward.