Trash overflow, no property maintenance or management; neglect greets city leaders

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)—After a report gave residents at three neglected Shreveport apartment complexes an opportunity to share how conditions continued to deteriorate, members of the city council, property standards, and police officers went to each property to see for themselves on Friday.

Three owners of the apartment complexes failed to pay the City of Shreveport thousands owed for water service. As the bills increased, those owners and eventually property managers seemingly vanished.

In an effort to assist residents whose water payments were included in the monthly rent, the city agreed that rather than shutting water off completely, they would reduce water service to only four hours a day, two in the morning and two in the evening, allowing residents to have a somewhat sanitary living situation until they could move.

On Wednesday, March 12, a KTAL News crew returned to the locations and found overflowing trash dumpsters, trash around the dumpsters, and no management or maintenance on site. Some residents told us they had not seen management since January.

Many residents had moved, but those still living there told us homeless people were breaking into empty units and people were stealing appliances out of them.

On Friday, March 14, after some city officials saw the report, they reacted.

Property standards, police, and Shreveport City Councilmembers Tabatha Taylor and Ursala Bowman, went to each property.

Officials went door to door to determine which units were occupied and which were vacant. The vacant units will likely be boarded up to prevent squatters and thieves.

Bowman contacted Caddo Commissioner Stormy Gage-Watts, and the two agreed to assist by sending a crew to remove the trash. We were told residents unable to afford to move are being directed to resources.

Water at the complex is expected to be shut off on Wednesday, March 19.