Shreveport hearing officer orders demolitions, cleanups and fines across city property-docket

A hearing officer in Shreveport’s Environmental Court on April 21 signed judgments ordering several demolitions, municipal cleanups and fines and reset dozens of other property-code cases for follow-up dates over the next two to three months.

The court issued demolition orders for multiple long-standing troubled properties, authorized city-led cleanup on several lots, and imposed fines when owners had not secured vacant structures. The hearing officer said she would “go ahead and order the demo, but I will give a 60 day window rather than my traditional 30 day window” in one case where a pending sheriff’s sale could transfer ownership, a decision intended to avoid unnecessary city expense if a bank or purchaser takes title.

Why it matters: The rulings affect dozens of vacant or deteriorated buildings across Shreveport and delegate responsibility — and often cost — to property owners or the city. Several orders emphasized public-safety risks from unsecured structures, overgrown lots and accumulated debris, which the court treated as immediate hazards requiring municipal action or demolition.

The most significant orders and next steps - 2409421PSD, 5555 Financial Plaza: Judgment ordering demolition with a 60-day hold to allow the pending sheriff’s sale (June 4) to conclude; demolition estimate provided to the court was $546,655 and the city had discussed a…