Latest Weather Blog
Squatters staying at city properties, leaving trash for neighbors
Related Story
BATON ROUGE - Two boarded-up properties on North 22nd Street are causing trouble for some neighbors.
Robert and Wanda Johnson live in the home next door and spend a lot of time picking up trash people drop on the ground, or calling the city about nuisance incidents they experience.
"Drugs, prostitution, whatever," Robert Johnson said.
The properties are between North Boulevard and Convention Street near the CATS bus terminal. For the past two years, the Johnsons say they have been cleaning up after others.
"It was a group home, once they moved out two years ago, this is what you see," Robert Johnson said.
The properties are owned by the City of Baton Rouge. The city cuts the grass monthly in the front and along the streets. Johnson says whoever cuts doesn't pick up the trash first so it's pulverized into tiny pieces making it harder to pick up. But the grass is the least of their problems. Someone has kicked in the door at one of the buildings and moved belongings inside. Both buildings have been compromised.
"You smell urine, feces, all kinds of stuff you smell," Robert Johnson said.
The air conditioning units have been dismantled and a fenced-in area has been opened to expose an overgrown area that's littered with trash, clothing, and other various items. The overgrown trees and weeds are now reaching over onto the Johnsons' property.
The Johnsons have called the city several times and submitted work orders.
"They say they want to clean the city up and if they want to clean the city up why don't they do something about these buildings?" Robert Johnson said.
The city owns a vacant house on Pocasset Street that was the focus of a 2 On Your Side report in May. The city has plans to board it up and sell it, but the process appears to have been stalled. On Wednesday, the property remained unsecured and has not been boarded up. Electricity is still running to the property. It is missing windows and a front door.
"Sell it, tear it down, whatever, because we don't want rodents going into our place," Robert Johnson said.
The city says it will reinspect the properties to make sure they are secured. The city hopes to sell or transfer the two on North 22nd Street to private owners as soon as possible.
News
