Mayor Whitfield details stepped-up code enforcement, abatement plan in Helena'West Helena town hall

Mayor Whitfield told residents at a packed Helena'West Helena town hall that the city is ramping up code enforcement to address blight, abandoned vehicles, and unsafe structures and that the administration will present four priority properties to the city council for possible summary abatement.

The mayor said the city is not aiming to "catch" residents but to restore neighborhood safety and property values by enforcing existing codes and documenting cases to make them court-ready. "This is not an attempt to catch residents," Whitfield said, stressing the administration's emphasis on notice, documentation and due process.

City code enforcement officers Lakisha Williams and Kendrick Smith described the mechanics of the effort: a new activity log that records every complaint, inspection and follow-up; a web form the public can use to submit complaints and photos; and a newly implemented yard placard and notice system. "We send out 7-day letters through the mail," Williams said. She also described a new placard program to notify owners when the city may perform a cut…