St. Bernard Parish, Chalmette, Louisiana, A federal judge ordered St. Bernard Parish president Craig Taffaro to
rescind a cease and desist order issued just four hours after he stopped construction of the apartment complexes.
Judge Ginger Berrigan ordered the parish to "purge itself" of contempt by 5:00 pm April 9, 2011 or begin facing
fines of 25,000.00 per day until April 12, 2011, at which time the fines will be increased to $50,000.00 per day.
St. Bernard Parish president Craig Taffaro issued the cease and desist order Friday April 8, 2011, at 1 pm to
stop work on the mixed-income apartment complexes by Provident Realty Advisors in Chalmette, Louisiana,
but due to threats and federal fines would equate to 275,000 in the first week and an additional $350,000.00
in the second week. "I have attemptd to work within the judicial parametere, but St. Bernard Parish has continued
to find itself without protective due process, St. Bernard Parish President Crag Taffaro stated. The permitting
process by local and state law is clear, and my decision to issue a cease-and-desist is in line with the enforcement
of the process. St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro filed for an emergency injunction to stop work on the
Provident Reaty Advisors mixed income apartment projects. That request was denied, pending a hearing scheduled
for April 8, 2011 in State Court (Judge Robert Buckley) That hearing was conceled due to a legal maneuver filed
by Provident Realty Advisors, the developer of the mixed income apartment complexes in St. Bernard Parish,
Chalmette, Louisiana. The Provident Realty Advisor mixed income apartment development has been at the center
of a long running debate. The 34th Judicial District Judge Robert Buckley ruled the mixed income apartment
construction project lacked the proper permits. St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro notifed Provident Realty
Advisors of the findings, but Provident Realty and their Contractors continued working on the mixed income
apartments. St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro stated that that because of threats, he was forced to
issue the buiding permits to Provident Realty Advisors of Dallas, Texas.