Donaldsonville Info

[MetroBTR]

Originally Posted by TNRyan23

Sorry I haven't gotten back to this thread in awhile...

I've been bouncing back and forth between LA and TN, mostly due to work. I've found that LA has tons of jobs just not very many that pay really good money.

I'm trying to find work in Fourchon but working through the processes of getting a TWIC card and Z card. I have to say that I love Louisiana but man, It's a pain in the butt. I was told by the DMV (Golden Meadow) that since I was from out of state, that I needed a static photo copy of my title with my name and my leinholders info on it. I call Ford (Ford is my leinholder) and am told that Ford doesn't possess titles that I have to go through my local DMV (Nashville, TN) I get to Nashville and request a copy of my title and get told that Tennessee is one of the states that also doesn't hold titles when a leinholder is involved and told I needed to call Ford.

In Tennessee, You have to pass a vehichle inspection to get your tags. I'm told in LA you have to buy your tags before you can even have your inspection done. Eh, irritating.

Anyways, Yes, In South Lafourche all we have is Vision Cable and yes, they suck. Still without internet or television down there. Until I got to Nashville I didn't even know there were storms out there and ended up driving through the remnants of Claudette on my way back through Mississippi.

McDonalds wifi is worthless, I've tried in Orleans, Jefferson, Terrebonne and Lafourche and every McDonalds I stop at wants $2.95 which is getting really increasingly irritating. I would get DirecTv or Dish Network but told that my credit score isn't good enough. Whatever.

I don't really care about the small town and gossip that goes on down around the G.M., Galliano, Cutoff areas but hell, that comes with the area I guess. Other then my own personal struggles I really don't have anything negative to say about the State.

I do have to question car insurance rates though, My new agent at Farm Bureau in Mathews pulled a quote and my wife and I will end up paying close to $300 a month when in Nashville we're paying $113 a month and we're talking South Lafourche here, not Orleans Parish or the West or East Banks in Jefferson. I don't get it.

LA-GAPeach, I like the name, My wifes aunt lives or lived in both Raceland, LA and Atlanta, GA and commuted like crazy.

I don't like Donaldsonville and honestly, I haven't even been in the city itself but the area around the sunshine bridge is just a dump and I dont want to live in a neighborhood where they allow peoples tore up houses just sit there like a bomb went off. It's sad too because for every house with a resident, there are two that are abandoned.

I regret that I never got to checkout Gonzalez or B.R. though. maybe sometime soon. It pissed me off that Whataburger is no longer in Houma. I now have to drive to B.R. or Lafayette to get a Whataburger. Oh well.

Thanks for the replies !

Yeah, here in LA we do like our gossip, lol. You should ditch basic cable and get DirectTV.

And yes, we also have a big problem with abandoned and decaying property! Baton Rouge recently had to start trying to force people to clean up their property. There's also a problem with old rusted out cars in the yard. I can never understand why somebody would let their property get as bad as some of the people do.

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by MetroBTR

Yeah, here in LA we do like our gossip, lol. You should ditch basic cable and get DirectTV.

And yes, we also have a big problem with abandoned and decaying property! Baton Rouge recently had to start trying to force people to clean up their property. There's also a problem with old rusted out cars in the yard. I can never understand why somebody would let their property get as bad as some of the people do.

We were turned down by DirecTv for credit score reasons or something bogus, Do they even offer DSL ?

It's a shame about the property, The area of DVille that we were looking at was horrible, The only worse neighborhood I've witnessed in person was the lower 9th ward after Katrina.

You would think that with the land value in Louisiana these days people would keep up there stuff.

We're looking at Houma or Metairie to settle down. We looked at houses to rent near UNO but I really didn't care for the area and really don't think I would like living in the city unless it was the Garden District or one of those loft apartments in the French Quarter.

[MetroBTR]

Originally Posted by TNRyan23

We were turned down by DirecTv for credit score reasons or something bogus, Do they even offer DSL ?

It's a shame about the property, The area of DVille that we were looking at was horrible, The only worse neighborhood I've witnessed in person was the lower 9th ward after Katrina.

You would think that with the land value in Louisiana these days people would keep up there stuff.

We're looking at Houma or Metairie to settle down. We looked at houses to rent near UNO but I really didn't care for the area and really don't think I would like living in the city unless it was the Garden District or one of those loft apartments in the French Quarter.

Houma is a pretty good town. Lots going on there, these days. If you move to Houma look for places West of the Intracoastal Waterway.

[7echo]

We have lived in Donaldsonville for 10 years. We chose to live here because it is a quiet town and a walkable community. It is along the Mississippi River and a historic town. It is not a wealthy town- so if you are looking for a gated community look elsewhere. But the Quality of life and the value for your money are wonderful- much better than other places we have lived in Louisiana- including Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Denham Springs. If you are looking for excitement, go elsewhere. We drive 30-60 minutes to NOLA or BR for a fun night out whenever we want one. But day to day we choose the quiet SAFE comfort of Donaldsonville.

[Nicholls Street Propertie]

Good job doing your homework with the sheriff's office!
I am sorry to see that your family property was in an area with no support or neighbors to look after it. That can happen when owners are away long enough.

The fact is that Donaldsonville is a great place to live if you like small town life. If your a big city person, it may be too quiet for you. There are some fairly vocal folks with a bad taste in their mouth about Donaldsonville which I honestly don't understand. I see no value in throwing mud so I applaud you for finding real data.
I will tell you the public schools are lacking, much like the rest of the state. People with the means choose the private school, just like the rest of the state. Ascension parish in general is a great place to live. The east side does have some good public schools (above state average) but you will pay so much more to live in those areas, you could have sent your kids to the private school in Donaldsonville. East side of Ascension has higher crime and traffic hassles too, though these are nothing compared to what Baton Rouge folks experience.
The area is land locked by several family held farms so it has not grown or really changed in generations. It is a fascinating little town with history and culture to offer.
I would also say that if you are single, it may be worth the risk crime and traffic of more densely populated areas in order to meet people and socialize more broadly.

[Nicholls Street Propertie]

Originally Posted by TXRyan23

Just wanted to update for anyone that looks at this thread at a later date or whatever.

We are officially once again Louisianans (is that right ? ) Anyways, We made our way to Donaldsonville last week to look at the house (would have been earlier but Vision Cable are complete ripoffs) Anyways, When it comes to Donaldsonville It was a nightmare. The neighborhood where the house was located (near Robinson and Wire Lane(s)) literally resembled a 3rd world country. The area was full of boarded up or totally abandoned houses.

Some were boarded up, Some had no doors, windows, ect, ect, and some were just completley smashed in and opened up like a tornado hit the town and the people just left their stuff. Trailers that look like a giant boulder smashed them in half with all these people worldly possessions spewing from the wreckage. Garbage and broken down cars scattered the lawns. Someone kicked in the door of the house we were supposed to move into. One of my wifes relatives that live in the area said that local hoodlums break into and vandalize the houses that are empty or appear empty.

It was just really, in a word, Horrible.

We are now staying with family "down da bayou" in Lafourche Parish until we get up on our feet and have found several nice places to rent in the Garden District in New Orleans.

Loving Louisiana, BTW.

Originally Posted by MetroBTR

Yeah, here in LA we do like our gossip, lol. You should ditch basic cable and get DirectTV.

And yes, we also have a big problem with abandoned and decaying property! Baton Rouge recently had to start trying to force people to clean up their property. There's also a problem with old rusted out cars in the yard. I can never understand why somebody would let their property get as bad as some of the people do.

Decaying properties is a problem all over the state. A little known fact is that the blighted property laws which New Orleans has used for decades (Before Katrina) to deal with decaying properties is actually a state law (RS 19:136.2 and RS 9:5633 for example). This means it is enforceable by any municipality. Recently Donaldsonville government has begun using this tool to correct the problems you describe. Governments all over the state can clean their areas, but only if they have the political capital (public will).

[forcellm]

Theres nothing wrong with donaldsonville no crime where your moving just quite, as for the schooling there is catholic, or public... I love it here just a little bit slow..