On June 11, 2024, a proposed Downtown Property Standards ordinance was introduced at the Shreveport City Council meeting. On July 25 of last year, Mayor Tom Arceneaux held a public meeting for input on the proposed ordinance.
The ordinance was tabled last year by the Council, and it has not been mentioned much less discussed at any Shreveport Council meetings since last fall. Suddenly the ordinance became a major issue to councilwoman Ursula Bowman, whose district does NOT include the downtown area subject to the proposed ordinance at Tuesday's council meeting
In short order the ordinance was removed from the table over the objection of three council members and set on the agenda for a vote. Gary Brooks' district encompasses almost all of downtown and the area to be affected by the ordinance. His motion to postpone a vote was supported only by Grayson Boucher and Jim Taliaferro.
Mayor Arceneaux requested the Council to delay any vote because the ordinance needed several amendments based on comments at the public hearing and in correspondence sent to him by downtown stakeholders. For an unexplained reason, Bowman and her new sidekick (or is it the other way around) pushed for immediate adoption, which happened.
So now the City has a flawed ordinance on the books. An ordinance that the mayor and downtown stakeholders want amended. The question NOT answered by Bowman or Taylor is how Terrence Green and his property standard inspectors are to enforce an ordinance with many needed changes. To say the least this puts Green in an untenable position. Additionally, citations issued under the ordinance will be subject to substantial objection by downtown stakeholders.
Geez--how can passage of this ordinance be said to be good government? Is this another attempt by a surrogate of councilwoman Tabatha Taylor to undermine/embarrass the Arceneaux administration. Somehow Taylor believes pulling the mayor downtown helps the MLK area--an area she grew up in but quickly abandoned as an adult to live in a gated community on Cross Lake. Taylor is like many elected officials and so-called civic leaders who lament the hollowing out of city areas in which they themselves have abandoned.
Mayor Tom has an unneeded and uncalled for deliman with this ordinance. He can veto it, and hoped that the Council could not get 5 votes to override the veto. Then the ordinance could be reviewed by the Mayor and the Property Standards Committee to make needed changes before enactment of an amended ordinance.
In the meantime, Property Standards Director Green has a new unwelcome responsibility that can only lead to bad consequences. What a mess.
See prior SETTLETALK column on this ordinance attached:
PUBLIC MEETING TOMORROW 10 A.M. ON PROPOSED SHREVEPORT ORDINANCE TO UPGRADE DOWNTOWN PROPERTY STANDARDS AND ADDRESS DOWNTOWN VACANT PROPERTY OWNERS
(July 24, 2024)
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.
GOOD ISSUES RAISED AT MAYOR ARCENEAUX'S MEETING ON PROPOSED DOWNTOWN PROPERTY STANDARDS ORDINANCE
(July 25, 2024)
Approximately 45 citizens attended the informational meeting held by Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux to review the proposed downtown property standards ordinance. Those in attendance included downtown property owners, property managers, realtors, and concerned citizens.
Some of the issues/concerned expressed included:
1. Well-kept vacant buildings should not be penalized by the proposed ordinance
2. Occupied buildings should have the same property standards as vacant ones
3. Distressed buildings/properties should be focus of the ordinance, not primarily vacant ones
4. Delays in remodeling buildings that are attempting to obtain tax credits, historic designation and/or financing should not be penalized
5. The legality of requiring building liability insurance was questioned
6. Requirements limiting plywood on building woods should be modified
7. Inclusion of SAC to help beautify boarded up storefronts should be explored
8. Registration of building owners/managers is a positive requirement of the ordinance, although fees could be onerous as well as frequency of registration
9. The annual inspection fee for buildings could be onerous
10. Enforcement of the detailed ordinance in the designated downtown area would be best serviced by a Property Standards Inspector assigned to the area
11. Title to adjudicated properties is troublesome issue that hinders maintenance and improvement of properties
12. Homeless individuals in the downtown area are troublesome.
The Mayor commended the comments and suggestions. He advised that the council's Property Standards Committee would be the next step in the approval process before going to the City Council for a vote.
VACANT PROPERTY ORDINANCE SUMMARY SHEET
• The ordinance applies to all properties in the Downtown Development District (DDD), as well as the area along Texas Avenue to Murphy Street and a one-block perimeter around the DDD.
• Vacant structures are defined as structures where all active lawful commercial activity has ceased for at least thirty days.
• The ordinance is to be enforced by the Department of Property Standards. Any decisions they make can be appealed, first to the Mayor and then, if desired, to the City Council. The ordinance establishes a number of minimum standards of care for the exterior of all vacant structures. Generally, these standards are meant to ensure that the exterior structure is kept from deteriorating while it is vacant.
• Vacant structures are required to be secured to keep out unauthorized persons. However, securing with plywood is only allowed for 90 days unless Property Standards approves in writing.
• All owners of vacant property are required to designate a Manager for the structure and provide the City with contact information for the Manager.
• The ordinance establishes a requirement that vacant buildings be registered with the City every six months. Registration will require a fee of $500 ($250 for single-family residential properties):
- Registration is required within 90 days of receipt of written notice issued to the Property Owner
- Late fee of $150 if not registered within prescribed 90-day period
• The registration process will require owners to provide proof of at least $100,000 incomprehensive general liability insurance. In addition, owners must provide a plan for correcting any violations and a description of how the owner plans to maintain the building and market it for sale.
• There are provisions for fee waivers in certain cases. These waivers are intended to incentivize owners to maintain their properties, to rehab them when necessary, and to market them for sale. We are not intending to use this process as a money-maker, but rather as a way to move properties back into commerce as soon as possible.
• There is an annual inspection fee of one cent per square foot due and payable at the time of first registration and annually by January 31 thereafter.
• Failure to comply with the ordinance is a misdemeanor, with penalties increasing if the violations are not corrected.
• After notice of lack of compliance, the Property Owner will be given a reasonable amount of time to remedy the violation prior to the issuance of a criminal citation:
- $500 - first offense
- $750 - second offense
- $1,000 - third offense
- Each 30 days a Property Owner has not complied with the provisions constitutes a separate offense