City push to reduce blight producing results

Plaquemine Mayor Edwin Reeves Jr and the Board of Selectmen continue the clean-up initiative begun in 2017. The process has included sending notifications to property owners when their properties do not meet City codes.

In many cases the property has been abandoned by the owner and is causing blight and dangerous conditions for neighbors.

So far this year the City Inspector’s Office has sent 249 letters of violation to property owners, and posted 125 vehicle violations on junk vehicles.

The Board of Selectmen has condemned 20 houses, and ordered the demolition of eight houses.

This initiative is on-going, with the Board often holding an extra meeting each month to handle only violation issues.

“No one wants to live next to blight property,” Reeves said. “These properties reduce property values for neighbors, and they are an eye-sore in our beautiful city.

“They must be addressed. I commend the Board for working with me to get our city cleaned-up,” he said.  “It is a long and difficult process.”