Shreveport City Council Considers Demolishing Abandoned Apartment Complexes

Shreveport City Council is poised to take the first step towards eliminating the blight caused by abandoned apartment complexes in Shreveport, Louisiana. A housing crisis has placed a spotlight on abandoned buildings across the city, and the council now aims to take action.

The Fight Against Crime and Urban Decay

With $800,000 earmarked for the demolition of five apartment complexes, the council is ready to address properties that not only serve as eyesores but also contribute to an increase in criminal activity. The Villa Norte, Forest Oak, Kings Manor, Pines, and Silver Lake Apartments are the sites currently under discussion for demolition.

“These buildings are a haven for crime. We want to make sure that we are preventing crimes from happening, that’s why it’s important that a lot of these buildings, opened the way they are, come down,” said Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor.

Repurposing usable Properties

Amidst the plans for demolition, there is also an initiative underway to repurpose any usable buildings. The council is attempting to contact lean holders of these properties in the hopes that they may find someone to take over and refurbish these sites.

“It is possible that some of these, Pines, Villa Norte in particular where we are working with the lean holders on those properties, are trying to reach out to them. We’ve had some success with that already and a couple of other complexes in hopes that someone will actually take these properties back, and thus we may not have to do these demolitions,” said City Council Chief Administrative Officer, Tom Dark.

Combating the Housing Crisis

Sources within the council revealed that bids for the demolition were received on Thursday. The decision by the council to pursue the demolition signifies a bold move in dealing with the city’s housing crisis by working to eliminate dangerous and uninhabitable buildings.

Unlike the previous efforts towards housing improvement, which focused on refurbishing and redevelopment, this current council’s move underlines the critical issue of safety in communities. By directly addressing the crime problem associated with these deserted buildings, the council is sending a clear signal of its commitment to safeguarding its citizens.

Whether the approach of demolishing these derelict apartments will yield the desired outcomes remains to be seen. However, it is a significant step in attempting to curb crime and enhance the aesthetics and safety of the city.