In a perfect world, board members of a governmental entity lead by example. In the real world some do just the opposite. DDA director Drayden Dunn falls into the latter category.

Not only is Dunn a DDA board member, but he is also vice-chairman of the board. And to top it off, he is one of the four DDA board members on the search committee to hire a new executive director to replace Liz Swaine.

Dunn is the owner of the building located at 709 Texas Street and pictured at the top. It is sandwiched between two great building rehabs pictured on this page that make up the south side of the 700 block. Across from this tacky window and deteriorating facade, is Artspace and many other remodeled building gems on the north side of the street including the just completed Cooper's Corner.

The DDA just placed its first downtown floral pot on the corner of Texas and Louisiana streets on the south side of the 600 block of Texas. This beautification effort is only a hop, skip and a jump from Dunn's "bad property owner of the year" storefront. One can only wish that about five of these pots could be placed in front of 709 Texas.

Dunn is the African American Chamber of Commerce appointee to the DDA board. He was appointed by his wife, the president of the African American Chamber. Seemingly, the African American Chamber, which has a building donated by the Shreveport City Council located at 2230 Jewella, has an interest in a vibrant downtown Shreveport and the appearance of the buildings on Texas Street.