State fire marshal warns doubles-to-dorms owners about safety violations, NOLA.com reports

The owners of more than 100 student-housing conversions in the University area were issued a warning letter over the weekend from the Louisiana fire marshal that their building may be unlawfully occupied and require a safety inspection, Stephanie Riegel reports on NOLA.com. Buildings that house four or more unrelated residents are considered commercial properties and must have fire exits, sprinkler systems and meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The fire marshal’s office, which got involved at state Rep. Aimee Freeman’s urging, told Riegel it is not likely to shut down the doubles-to-dorms, but neighbors said they welcome the extra burden on the D2D developers. READ MORE