The Shreveport City Council agenda for today includes the approval of amendments to the downtown property standards ordinance dealing with blighted and vacant structures. The Council adopted the existing downtown property standards ordinance in May despite a request from Mayor Tom Arceneaux to delay adoption.
The existing ordinance deals primarily with vacant structures. The amended version expands the scope to include a more emphasis on blighted structures.
The ordinance defines a "vacant structure" as one in which "all active lawful commercial or residential activity has ceased, or reasonably appears to have ceased for a continuous period of thirty (30) days or longer."
Additionally, the vacant structure definition EXCLUDES storage/warehousing AND non-residential building with "occupancy or commercial utilization rate of less than 15%."
Owners of vacant structures must be registered within ninety days with the Property Standards ordinance IF given written notice by the department director. Thereafter, registration is required each year.
Registration requires, among other things, the following:
a. pertinent information on everyone with an ownership interest in the building along with contact information for the building manager.
b. proof of comprehensive general liability insurance coverage in the amount established by the department director.
c. a comprehensive plan of action with evidence as to repairs to be made AND marketing of the building.
d. payment of a $500 registration fee for each structure ($250 for single-family residential structures).
e. the registration fee increases after the first year by fifty (50) percent with maximum fee of $3,000.
There are limited exemptions from the registration and inspection fees in the proposed amendments.
The Slattery Building and the Johnson Building are totally vacant. The old First National Bank Building on the corner of Texas and Edwards may not have occupancy of 15%. These three buildings are owned by a person(s) from Monroe. Thus, the registration/insurance requirements should apply to two if not all three of these buildings.
Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson/G-Unit now owns several downtown buildings that are "vacant structures" as defined by the ordinance amendments:
- 205 Texas Street
- 218 Texas Street
- 611 Texas Street
- 308-310 Commerce Street
- 624, 626, and 628 Commerce Street
- 630 Commerce Street
- 401 Spring Street.
These properties should be subject to the registration requirements including may not be totally correct.)
The registration/insurance requirements should apply to these buildings.
There are many other vacant structures along Texas Street and Milam Street including the old Arkla Gas building that is the subject of an online auction ending midnight today (July 8). Texas Avenue, which is in the ordinance footprint and has several vacant buildings in the stretch from Common Street to Murphy Street, has numerous vacant structures.
Assuming adoption of the amending ordinance, one should expect Property Standards to initiate the registration notification requirements. These notices are public records that should be readily available on a city website. Follow up on compliance with the registration requirements including payment of fees, insurance coverage, etc. will be important.