Shreveport, LA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

Section 38-12 of the Code of Ordinances puts the burden squarely on the owner or party-in-interest. It runs through nineteen numbered requirements: a sound foundation capable of carrying normal loads, exterior walls and siding free of holes or rot, structurally sound roofs, gutters and downspouts, safe unobstructed egress, protective railings on porches over 30 inches or stairs with four or more risers, weathertight windows and doors, and hardware maintained in good condition. Plumbing gets its own detail: every dwelling unit needs its own toilet room with privacy, a lavatory, a bathtub or shower, and a kitchen sink, all supplied with hot and cold running water and connected to the city's water and sewer system at all times the unit is occupied.

Heating equipment must supply sufficient heat while occupied, and electrical facilities must be installed to the code in effect when the building was built or last substantially remodeled, with outlets covered by protective plates. Section 38-16 lets the director of property standards cite a tenant, owner, or party-in-interest for violating any of these requirements, serving the citation under section 38-84. 00 and up to 30 days in jail, restitution for the city's abatement costs, and each day the defect continues counts as a separate offense. Owners aggrieved by a director's order can appeal to the environmental court within ten days under section 38-105.