Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Blight Demolition topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
After missing LCDBG cycle, Crowley to resume demolitions for condemned properties and step up code enforcement
Summary
Council heard that the city missed the current LCDBG demolition cycle and decided not to wait for the next grant: condemned properties will be demolished or the city will hire contractors and place costs on property tax rolls; code enforcement will increase proactive inspections for tall grass and junk vehicles.
Mayor Chad Munso and city staff told council the city missed the current LCDBG cycle for a blight demolition program because an existing public‑facilities grant prevented a concurrent LCDBG application. Administration said the city had delayed some demolitions while pursuing the grant but will not delay further.
Tim Mader and attorney Landry explained that the LCDBG application deadline was missed because the city's ongoing public‑facilities project had not closed; that project used funds to replace a gravity sewer main and left the city ineligible this cycle. Mader said the work done to prepare applications will still be useful for the next cycle, but the earliest the city expects to reapply is about a year away.
In the meantime the mayor instructed staff to resume enforcement: properties already condemned by prior council action will be moved forward for demolition. Mader and council members said the city will first seek voluntary remediation where owners can, but if owners do not act, the city will hire a contractor to demolish the structure and attach the cost to the property tax bill.
Council also directed code enforcement to adopt a more proactive approach to tall grass, junk storage and inoperable vehicles rather than only responding to complaint calls. Tony Duhall reported 49 tall‑grass notices sent in June with a number of scheduled cuts; council asked for regular lists of condemned properties and proposed administrative‑hearing oversight to clear long‑outstanding cases.
Public commenters and some council members pressed for quicker action, citing properties that have been condemned for years without demolition. The mayor apologized for the delay and said he had tried to secure grant funding so owners would not incur demolition costs; with that option delayed, the city will move ahead with the demolition schedule.
Next steps: staff will compile and circulate the list of properties previously condemned, resume demolition scheduling for those properties, and expand routine code‑enforcement inspections across neighborhoods.
