NEW ORLEANS — Neighbors in Lakeview are continuing their fight to get a blighted property addressed. They say they've been going back and forth with the city for 16 years and they're not getting any closer to a resolution.
18 years ago, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, and the property at 5700 Vicksburg has sat vacant ever since.
Now the weeds are out of control, the grass hasn't been mowed, the front door is wide open and the property is home to rats and possums, and anyone else looking for shelter.
From the sidewalk, we could see inside. The house seemed gutted, with spiderwebs everywhere. This alley separates Connie Uddo's house from the blighted property. She says she's watched as a family of possums moved in.
"We have possums breeding in her yard in the grass...they now come across into my yard and under the house," Uddo told Eyewitness News.
Brigette Starr lives directly next door to the blighted property, and she has a binder filled with correspondence with the city, going back years.
"Probably about two dozen hearings by now since 2007. We have been going, we send emails, we have sent over 100 emails," Starr said.
"I can't sell my house for what it's worth, no one is going to want to live next to that," Starr said.
In 2021 the neighborhood threw a Sweet 16 birthday party for the blighted home. Councilman Joe Giarusso says for nothing to have changed in 16 years is ridiculous.
"Code enforcement says something can't be demolished unless it's an imminent danger. To them danger means it has to almost be collapsing or risk of hurting people or property. I guess, my view is this has been sitting here for 18 years and it is a danger because of the health and safety risk to people," said the Councilman.
The Orleans Parish Assessor's Office values the property at little more than $195,000.
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