Shreveport wants tighter rules on vacant downtown buildings. Here's what will be required.
The Johnson Building in downtown Shreveport, La., Tuesday, June 25, 2024, with several windows open.
By JILL PICKETT | Staff photographer
Downtown Shreveport property owners next week will have the opportunity to hear from the mayor on a planned change to the way vacant buildings are regulated.
Mayor Tom Arceneaux has proposed a change to city code which would require owners of vacant downtown properties to register them with the city and make arrangements for their upkeep, a move he hopes will lead to the restoration of some long-decaying sites and their reintroduction to local commerce. Though the mayor had hoped to introduce the ordinance for a city council vote already, he's delayed the decision so as to provide more opportunities for property owners to be informed about the potential changes.
“I want to be sure that all owners of downtown property have the opportunity to be informed about this ordinance, because it makes significant changes to the way the City treats vacant downtown properties,” Arceneaux said in a news release. “One goal is to encourage owners of vacant properties to keep them in an appropriate condition, but the larger intent is to encourage owners of vacant downtown buildings to return them to commerce whenever possible.”
There will be a public meeting July 25 at 10 a.m. in Government Plaza downtown meant to provide information on the proposed ordinance.
A number of downtown buildings have been vacant for years, some of which have been allowed to deteriorate. Arceneaux and other local leaders have this year put a greater emphasis on fighting blight around Shreveport, especially when it comes to property owners.
Arceneaux has suggested tightening the rules for the vacant buildings downtown, defined in the ordinance as one where all commercial activity has ceased for at least 30 days, eventually could serve as a model for citywide code changes.
The ordinance would establish a registry of vacant downtown buildings, requiring property owners to pay an biannual registration fee which increases over time. Registration fees start at $250 for single-family structures and $500 for all others, with the registration fee increasing each time by 50% up to a maximum of $3,000. The registration process requires property owners provide proof of at least $100,000 in comprehensive general liability insurance, a plan to correct violations and a plan for marketing the building for sale.
The ordinance also institutes a fee for annual inspections, priced a 1 cent per square foot with a minimum cost of $50.
If enacted, the ordinance would set minimum standards of care for the exterior of all vacant structures generally meant to keep them from deteriorating while vacant. Property owners must designate a manager for their buildings and give the city contact information.
The ordinance prescribes fines and misdemeanor criminal penalties for failure to comply with its rules.
This article is courtesy of the Shreveport Bossier Advocate.
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