Baker blight community meeting set for Tuesday
BAKER, La. (WAFB) - Residents in Baker have the chance to attend a community meeting focused on eliminating and preventing blight in the area on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
The meeting will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Shady Grove 1st Missionary Baptist Church. The address is 16443 Plank Road in Baker, La.
The following information was provided by the Office of Public Information for District 2:
This is to invite you to attend District 2 SPOTLIGHT ON BLIGHT community meetings. The meetings are being planned specifically for residents living, playing, working, and worshipping in the unincorporated areas of Baker in East Baton Rouge Parish. To be located in an unincorporated part of the parish means the areas are not incorporated within the City of Baker, therefore services are provided by the parish. Often times, this is very confusing and frustrating for residents that often find themselves in “blurred line spaces”.
Two meetings are planned in sessions:
SESSION I:
Date: Thursday, October 27, 2022
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Restoration Christian Center
2018 Main Street Baker, La 70714
Pastor Charles Thomas, Jr.
SESSION II:
Date: Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Shady Grove 1st Missionary Baptist Church
16443 Plank Road Baker, La 70714
Dr. Kenneth Chandler, Pastor
We want to take a different approach to eliminate and prevent blight in our communities. Most current property that is deemed “blighted property” was at some point and time properties that were useful whether if its uses were for active commercial properties, livable residential property, or open land that isn’t a hazard to neighboring properties, etc. Therefore, we’re inviting the EBRP Sheriff’s Office to discuss tax sales and sheriff sales. When houses, automobiles, and other tangible items are not sold, mostly homes and vacant properties, they become adjudicated.
Also invited is our EBR Parish Attorney’s Office to share pathways to owning adjudicated properties. Programs such as “In My Father’s House” and “Mow to Own” have increased in demand, but thousands of adjudicated properties remain on the roll. Much of the blighted properties in our community is adjudicated and place a tremendous financial strain on taxpayers due to the cost of maintenance.
Lastly, the City-Parish Department of Development is invited to engage and present those hot topic constituency concerns, 311 Calls, Blight Court, Blight Vendor opportunities, and other City-Parish neighborhood revitalization initiatives.
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