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Shreveport, LA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Enforcing bodies
Property Standards; environmental court
Appeal window
Ten days to environmental court
City abatement charge
$500.00 plus actual costs
Lien sale trigger
Unpaid six months after filing
Residential fine cap
$5,000.00 total

Summary

Shreveport runs blight enforcement through the department of property standards and an administrative environmental court. Inspectors serve notices, hearing officers order abatement and levy fines, and unpaid costs become recorded liens that can end in demolition or sale.

Blighted property shall mean commercial or residential premises, including lots, which are vacant, uninhabitable, and hazardous and because of their physical condition, are considered hazardous to persons or property, or have been declared or certified blighted, and have been declared to be a public nuisance by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Source: Shreveport Code of Ordinances & Unified Development CodeView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 Update 1 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 20).

Full Breakdown

Sec. 38-4 defines blighted property as vacant, uninhabitable, hazardous premises declared a public nuisance by a court or by a hearing officer under R.S. 13:2575. The director serves a notice of violation by certified mail, personal service, or newspaper publication; the owner has ten days to appeal to environmental court, which sends a summons at least 15 days before the hearing. Hearing officers levy fines, order corrections, and record judgments in the parish mortgage office as a lien. Sec. 38-72 adds a $500.00 administrative charge when the city abates, and Sec. 38-26 authorizes demolition when an owner ignores the order.

Violations & Fines

Environmental court nuisance fines run $75.00 to $500.00 per offense; residential daily fines cap at $75.00 and total residential fines at $5,000.00. A criminal conviction carries at least $500.00.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after the city cleans or mows my property?
The city assesses its costs plus a $500.00 administrative charge, records a lien with the Caddo Parish clerk of court, and may add the amount to your ad valorem tax bill.
Can the city sell a blighted property over unpaid liens?
Yes. Under Sec. 38-72(g), if liens go unpaid six months after filing the finance director may sell the property. Seizure sales under Chapter 38.5 reach only unoccupied property.
How do I contest a notice of violation?
File a written request for appeal with the environmental court within ten days of receiving the notice, order, or decision, as Sec. 38-105 provides.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Shreveport

Parking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsVacant Lot MaintenanceHeavy RestrictionsSnow & Sidewalk ClearingFew RestrictionsParking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Curb Color RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome Restrictions

All Shreveport rules

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