Resident urges Bastrop to restart aggressive blight removal programs and improve code enforcement

Dean Blackett addressed the council during public comment and urged the city to pursue more aggressive action on blighted properties, including using state and parish demolition programs and local training to allow the city to remove unsafe houses directly.

Blackett said he had worked with other municipalities to remove hundreds of houses annually and recommended Bastrop begin with a short, moving list of properties to manage workload and momentum. “Blight has got to be a… we gotta get aggressive, and we gotta figure out how we can do it because it is doable,” Blackett said. He suggested starting with a list of 10 properties and using state programs and shared equipment when available.

Councilors and others asked clarifying questions about matching funds and asbestos inspection requirements; Blackett said municipalities should inspect for asbestos and abate where necessary, and that houses without asbestos could be taken down by licensed contractors or city crews after inspection.

The council thanked Blackett for the offer to help and asked staff to consider steps to accelerate code enforcement and demolition capacity. No formal directive was recorded during the meeting.

Next steps: Council asked staff to review existing demolition programs, any available state grants, and options for certifying local crews or contracting demolition work so the city can act more quickly on dangerous properties.