"Blight" is the current buzzword in Shreveport. The mayor's campaign against blight--the Block by BLock Initiative--has been highly successful in picking up "trash" and used tires.
But what is the solution? Will the pattern of trash and dumped tires continue? And what about decrepit houses/buildings?
1. Dumped Tires
This illegal activity is likely to continue. Cameras in dumping locations will probably result in the establishment of new dumping areas. It's a known fact that small tire shops are the culprits. Usually these business places have stacks and stacks of old tires on the premises.
Efforts should be made to track new tires purchases by tire shops and follow up on proper disposal of used tires. In almost every case a new tire replaces an old tires. The City of Shreveport should explore adopting new ordinances to address this growing problem.
2. Neighborhood Trash
City workers have conducted sweeps to pick up trash, dead animals, used building materials, old furniture and appliances, tires, household items, junk and you name it. How long will these neighborhoods remain "clean" before the well established, virtually ingrained, habits of considering vacant properties, public property and other areas to be dumping grounds for unwanted items start back up--it they even put on pause by the sweeps. To date no publicized campaign has been launched to discourage this practice.
Putting the burden on the understaffed Property Standards Department to monitor this illegal activity is not a realistic remedy. There are only so many citations that can be issued and so many cases that can be sent to the citys' Environmental Court. In effect the neighborhood sweeps represent an interim solution to a habit/practice of many citizens that will evidently continue.
3. Decrepit Houses
The urban scourge of abandoned vacant and decrepit houses (and buildings) is not a new phenomenon. These properties have become so unlivable that they can not be inhabited by owners or rented to third parties. Former inhabitants have moved to more livable places.
Economics is a major factor. Maintaining old structures is expensive and the longer it is delayed the more likely it will never occur. And even if all of the uninhabitable houses were made "livable", where would the people come from to inhabit them as Shreveport continues to lose population.
Absentee ownership is a major factor but not the only factor. Fines and liens against these properties are not really that effective unless the property owner tries to sell or mortgage/refinance the property. And adjudicated properties rarely have any maintenance and they contribute to the problem.
4. Solutions
Bottomline, there are no easy answers to "blight". Having reports on how to better coordinate city departments and track these properties does nothing to address the underlying realities of dumped tires, neighborhood trash, and decrepit houses. The tallies on how much trash and dumped tires has been picked up is both encouraging and discouraging.
Changing citizen behavior patterns and shady business practices are not small feats, and in some instances virtually impossible. Its time to focus on this reality while counting tons of trash and the number of old tires picked up at the public's expense.