NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— The ongoing problem of blight in our City continues, and now with the temperatures dropping squatters are staying in these blighted properties and causing problems for neighbors.
“It has been blight for 6 or 7 years, vagrants just running in and out of it. The lady passed away 6 or 7 years with no heirs or family members to leave it to,” Neighbor Jeffrey Carreras said.
This house at 815 Third Street in the Irish Channel infuriates Carreras and his neighbors.
“I hear people in there and try to run them out,” he said.
Months ago he went inside to board up the doors to try and keep the squatters out.
“Trash everywhere. Food, needles, beer cans, drug paraphanelia, just scared to walk through,” he said.
But these squatters are relentless.
“I had to screw the back door up with 3-quarter inch plywood. They are still getting in because the frame is so rotten around the door frame. They just pried off the plywood,” Carreras said.
This brings up the bigger housing issue of squatters in our City not having anywhere to go.
“It is cold outside, so they are looking for a place to go, trying to stay warm,” he said.
Jeff and his neighbors are relentless too. They took their complaints to City Council member Lesli Harris and Code Enforcement. Now progress is finally being made.
“Hopefully we can get it demolished,” Carreras said.
He says it must be demolished before things get worse like they did this week in Algiers at the recently-vacated Oakmont Apartments where a four-alarm fire, where homeless people were staying.
“It they light a fire what’s to say it won’t jump to the next house. It is a nuisance and just got to get rid of it,” he said.
Neighbors say the demolition hearing for this house is set for early December. The blight fight doesn’t end with this house, there are still several around the City that need to be demolished.