The Shreveport city council agenda for the Tues. Dec. 14 meeting includes on second reading a Rental Dwelling Unit Registration Program (RDUR) ordinance.
If enacted the RDUR will come part of the city's Unified Development Code (UDC) and administered by the Shreveport Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC)
The ordinance Fact Sheet states that the primary aim of this ordinance is "to help identify problem properties and absentee landlords/property owners." It also states the ordinance will help "assist code enforcement officers to improve the quality of life for tenants and neighbours fo rental dwellings within the city of Shreveport."
Several owners of rental dwelling units addressed the council at its combined work session/regular meeting on Fri. Nov. 19. A primary concern of this group was the registration and administrative costs they would incur for each rental unit that would be passed along to tenants.
All in attendance agreed that safe and sanitary rental housing should be available to all Shreveport residents at a reasonable rental rate. However the means to this end was questioned, along with enforcement against absentee landlords.
Council member Tabitha Taylor is the proponent of this ordinance, having experienced major issues with her constituents who had deplorable housing conditions earlier this year. She is now service as chair of the council.
Taylor has advised that she intends to remand this ordinance back to the MPC to conduct a meeting(s) to fully explain the ordinance to landlords and tenants, answer questions and to receive input. This process should prove to be advantageous to all the stakeholders, and expedite any needed modifications to the proposed ordinance.
