Overview

• Mayor Tom Arceneaux notified the city council on Oct. 9 that he withdrew the fee and ordered 2026 budget ordinances prepared without it.
• The shelved surcharge would have added 2% to water and sewer bills for 18 months, projected to raise about $3 million for tearing down unsafe large structures.
• Council Chair Tabatha Taylor said the council had not advocated such a fee, and members Ursula Bowman, Grayson Boucher, and Alan Jackson also voiced opposition.
• City officials plan to pursue state and federal grants, local partnerships, and potential Louisiana National Guard assistance if deployed to handle demolitions.
• Leaders say many blighted properties are held by entities with few recoverable assets, the estimated $3 million need remains unfunded, and legal actions against owners such as AMAR Holdings continue.