NEW IBERIA, La — The city of New Iberia is continuing to tackle the issue of blighted properties.
The council discussed the future of eight homes at Tuesday's meeting. They reviewed each property and voted that each is in a dilapidated and dangerous condition. A public hearing was set for October 5, 2021, so that the owners of the properties can make their case for whether the property should be demolished by the city.
Councilman Marlon Lewis, District 2, said that these properties in particular have likely been an issue in the city for 3-5 years.
The city currently has 15 properties to be considered for demolition.
Mayor Freddie DeCourt and the council have set funding aside to begin dealing with the many blighted properties all over New Iberia, and have already demolished several properties that have gone through the process, said Lewis.
According to the mayor's office, the city has set aside $60,000 for demolitions for the FY 2020-21, and will allocate more in next year's budget. Within the last year, the city has demolished seven properties; however, multiple property owners have taken the initiative to demolish their own blighted properties after the council indicated their intention to demolish the properties, the mayor's office said.
The council and mayor are continuing to work on handling the blighted properties, Lewis said.
Lewis previously said that the process the tear down a blighted home could be anywhere from six months to a year. First the city must get in contact with the property owner and make sure that legally, the city can tear down the property. The issue then heads before the council.
