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St. Martin Parish discusses abatement options for neglected Houdry Drive property
Summary
Parish staff presented photos and service records for a property at 1010 Houdry Drive, saying only grass and a front-tree were cut after the owner was served; council members debated whether to order repairs, condemnation or an order of abatement under chapter 24 nuisance rules.
Unidentified Speaker 4 (role not specified) told the council that the property at 1010 Houdry Drive, owned by Mr. Jordan Houdry, had been served on Sept. 15, 2025 and that before-and-after photos show only grass and a front-tree were cut. "The pictures that were submitted… are the originals from July 7, which is the before pictures. There's also pictures from September 26, which is after he was served," Speaker 4 said.
Speaker 4 described the complaint as based on grass, structure and trash and said, "other than that, the structure really hasn't been touched." The speaker added they had not inspected inside and could not confirm whether the home was habitable.
Unidentified Speaker 8 asked what qualifies as a nuisance and what expectations the parish should place on a property owner. In response, Unidentified Speaker 9 cited the local code: "It's in chapter 24… debris, scrap, trash, machinery" and listed factors the parish considers, including whether the condition affects neighboring properties, harbors animals or renders the dwelling unlivable.
Speaker 9 outlined how enforcement typically proceeds: inspectors can be asked to assess whether a structure is repairable and a court may be asked to condemn a building when repairs are not feasible. "We tell them it's not beautification. It's compliance with the ordinances," Speaker 9 said, adding that an order of abatement directs the homeowner to "remedy the nuisance" rather than specifying immediate demolition.
Council members noted prior cases in which an inspector recommended condemnation because of unsafe conditions, including an exposed electrical box that would not meet current permit standards.
The council discussed options for this property: order owners to repair, allow an owner to remediate, pursue condemnation if inspectors find the building unsafe, or issue a combined order of abatement. The transcript records motions to proceed with agenda business but does not record a formal vote or final enforcement directive on the Houdry Drive property.
