Downtown Shreveport is a focus of an ordinance introduced at the Shreveport City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 11. It was the first reading, and it cannot be adopted prior to June 25. The ordinance is headed to the council’s Property Standards Committee chaired by Council woman Tabatha Taylor. Council members Ursula Bowman, Gary Brooks and council president Alan Jackson are on the committee.

The ordinance will apply to properties in the Downtown Commercial Historic District, the buildings on Texas Avenue from Elvis Presley Boulevard to Murphy Street, and buildings within one city block from these two areas.

The ordinance has two basic goals.

The first is to require registration of vacant property owners with the City of Shreveport. This requirement is intended to obviate the numerous problems encountered by the City in attempting to take corrective action on the decrepit apartment complexes that were recently evacuated.
The registration will identify responsibility parties for the vacant structures and provide contact information. This applies to all vacant property owners--both in the city, outside the city and outside the state. It also requires proof of a general liability insurance coverage of no less than $100,000 including coverage of the Vacant Property structure.

The registration requirement also applies to creditors that may be foreclosing on vacant properties. This will provide needed contact information for a creditor that becomes an owner of a vacant structure.

The second portion of the ordinance imposes stricter standards for ALL buildings in the defined area. Examples of these include:
a. protective treatment for exterior surfaces
b. premises identification
c. enhanced standards for exterior walls, roof and drainage, decorative features, overhangs, stairways, chimneys, and other exterior features

Many of the structures within the ordinance coverage area are clearly out of compliance as evidenced by a drive-by observation on Texas Avenue, Texas Street, and Milam Street.

The meeting will be held in the chambers at Government Plaza. Mayor Arceneaux will address property owners and answer questions on the proposed ordinance.