The Board of Directors of the Shreveport Implementation and Redevelopment Agency (SIRA) has a board workshop on Wednesday. It is an open meeting although the public will not be allowed to speak. The agenda is at the bottom.
SIRA is Shreveport's answer to the New Orleans Redevelopment Agency (NORA) and Build Baton Rouge. Both of these authorities have a long history of existence, very large budgets and well qualified staffs. These authorities also have the power to issue bonds to fund projects,--a power that SIRA does NOT have.
NORA's mission statement says it "is a catalyst for the revitalization of the city, partnering in affordable and equitable strategic developments that celebrate the city's neighborhoods and honor its traditions."
NORA was created in 1976 as the Community Improvement Agency to implement federal urban renewal projects which focused on the elimination of physical blight. The first redevelopment project was completed in 1972 for the Lower Ninth Ward. In 1973 the Agency implemented the City's Public Improvement Program in the Irish Channel and Broadmoor neighborhoods.
NORA's website lists three primary goals: Build Homes, Enhance Corridors, and Strengthen Neighborhoods. The website lists over 30 employees.
Build Baton Rouge's mission statement is "bringing people and resources together to promote equitable investment, innovative development, and thriving communities across all of East Baton Rouge. The website lists a six person Executive Team. This authority was created in 2007.
Programs of Build Baton Rouge include public financing and incentives, community engagement, development districts, land banking, real estate development and urban planning. Build Baton Rouge. The website touts $70 million plus in total development supported, 3000 plus jobs created or retained, 900 plus affordable housing units developed, and 200 plus blighted properties acquired.
NORA and Build Baton Rouge provide examples of what SIRA could, with big emphasis on could, grow into to help Shreveport. However, care should be taken in using these two agencies as models by the SIRA board in its upcoming workshop. Currently SIRA has approximately $25 grand in the bank, a city budget line item of $100 thousand that has not be accessed, a five acre vacant neighborhood tract donated in January of this year with no Board action, and a long dormant and neglected former YWCA building on Pierre Avenue acquired this summer.
SIRA has a non-paid interim director, no paid employees and no office.
The SIRA board should, in short order. address three issues.
The first is to hire a permanent, paid director. How realistic the proposed job description for this person is a question that should be aggressively addressed, along with the proposed pay scale and a source of funding for this salary.
The second issue is what to do with the two properties it currently owns.
Lastly, the SIRA board should soon address the obvious redevelopment resource of 7000 (pick a number) adjudicated properties owned by the City. Most of these are inner city in areas that need development versus empty lots that the City must mow. The City can donate these properties to SIRA for development.
How much progress can be made on these goals is an open question for Wednesday's workshop. However, none of these items are on the agenda. How SIRA expects to receive additional City funding, much less private or public grants for next year is an unanswered question.
The listed agenda item "Developing SIRA's mission and vision" may be a great start for a large bureaucratic organization but it certainly merits little on a list of accomplishments. Other than that, SIRA currently has the public persona of just another quasi-governmental agency with a big title and little performance.
The Wed. workshop is scheduled from 1 pm until 4:30 pm. It will be held in the Bonvenu Bank Community Room located in the Beaird Tower on the corner of Travis and Marshall Streets.
SHREVEPORT IMPLEMENTATION AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Board Workshop – Summary Agenda
September 24, 2025
1:00 - 4:30pm
1. Arrivals, welcome, and introductions 1:00 - 1:15pm
2. Role of SIRA as an implementation and redevelopment authority 1:15 - 1:45pm
3. Getting to productive reuse: What other places do 1:45 - 2:25pm
4. Defining priorities and resources 2:25 - 3:10pm
5. Short break 3:10 - 3:20prn
6. Overcoming barriers 3:20 - 3:35pm
7. Developing SIRA's mission and vision 3:35 - 4:20pm
8. Next steps and closing 4:20 - 4:30pm