NEW ORLEANS — Abandoned blighted homes in one New Orleans neighborhood have been blamed for increasing crime. Thursday, one of those homes was demolished and now residents there are feeling hopeful.
For the first time in years, Asia Wyman will sleep peacefully tonight knowing the blighted home that's been the source of constant crime across the street is gone.
"It's amazing. I'm almost brought to tears," Wyman said.
Wyman dreamed of giving her 9-month-old little boy the same happy childhood she had growing up on France Street, but the constant drug activity and shootings stemming from the blighted homes made that dream seem unrealistic.
"Tons and tons of drug activity," she said.
Wyman said one of the houses has been abandoned since before Katrina and she has watched it play a major role in the increasing crime in her neighborhood.
"It's been situations where someone's overdosed. I've used 2 doses of Narcan. I've done CPR," she said. "We've had multiple shootings, people died in that house and were outside so we see them bringing the bodies out."
A a shooting several months ago finally pushed her to finally beg the city for a solution.
"We ended up having bullet hole in my fence, bullet hole in my air conditioner and that was just it. It was enough," Wyman said.
She posted a message on Mayor LaToya Cantrell's Facebook page. It said:
"Mayor LaToya Cantrell are you available to speak about the escalating crime in the 1300 block of France St. There have been 2 murders and several shooting this year! I am a mother to a 5 month old child and we were ducking bullets in our living room last night! I am on the verge of a mental breakdown with limited resources!"
Four months later, she saw results. Mayor Cantrell was there as the home came down demolished. The house next door was donated by the bank to be rebuilt for affordable housing.
"I stated clearly and earlier this year that my administration would be fair, but more aggressive as it relates to blighted properties and the negative impacts they have on our community," Mayor Cantrell said.
Wyman was considering moving from New Orleans, but now plans to stay, hoping to see her child grow up in a safe neighborhood.
"Now we can sit outside and don't have to worry about him seeing needles. My main concern was having to explain to him why this person is passed out on the street," Wyman said.
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