By Misty Castile | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Shreveport City Council members advanced a measure Tuesday calling for stronger enforcement of existing property standards and tenant protections, including efforts targeting landlords who fail to maintain properties or properly handle tenants’ utility payments.
The council voted 7-0 to introduce Resolution 91 which calls for enhanced enforcement and coordination of laws and ordinances addressing property standards, blight, public nuisances and tenant protections.
Lindora Baker, government affairs director for the Northwest Louisiana Realtors Association, told councilmembers that the association backed the resolution, saying stronger enforcement should focus on property owners who violate existing standards while recognizing that most rental properties are locally owned and properly maintained.
“Too often, this seems to involve owners who do not live in our community,” Baker said of problem properties.
The association also supported increased enforcement against landlords who collect money from tenants for utility bills but fail to make the payments.
“We support this proposal to set up enforcement for any owner who is not timely remitting utility. Payments on behalf of their tenants,” Baker said. “We believe that this is already defined as fraud under existing Louisiana law.”
The utility issue isn’t new in Shreveport.
In February 2025, the city cut water service at Village Square and Southern Oaks apartments after property owners accumulated significant unpaid water bills, despite tenants paying rent that included water service.
The city initially delayed the shutoffs to five residents additional time before moving to a limited-service schedule.
At the time, Village Square had two accounts totaling more than $100,000 while Southern Oaks owed more than $136,000.
Resolution 91 cannot be adopted before Sept. 8.