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Property abandoned, neighbor continues years-long battle to address Ascension Parish blight
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PRAIRIEVILLE - It's a problem 2 On Your Side has been looking into for several years — one woman's fight with the blight adjacent to her property. The property in question is on Charlie Brown Road off of LA-933 near Joe Sevario Road.
Deanna Landry first reached out to Brittany Weiss for assistance in 2018. At that time, the Parish told 2 On Your Side it was at the top of their list of issues to address, but six years later the condition of the property has only worsened.
Landry and her husband own about six acres of land in Ascension Parish. Adjacent to that property there are two lots that back up to theirs that hold dilapidated trailers and a couple of sheds. The lots are overgrown with fallen trees and other items. One of the trailers has been stripped for scrap metal.
"Rodents go in and out, people have reported vagrants going in and out of it," she said.
While some have suggested she put up a tall privacy fence, Landry says she doesn't feel she should have to fork over the money to enclose her property because of a neighbor who doesn't tend to theirs. Instead, Landry has planted trees to hide the eyesore, but she said enough time has gone by and she would like it to be taken care of once and for all.
"It's upsetting, just because we work so hard to maintain our property," Landry said.
In 2022, the Parish told 2 On Your Side it was exhausting its resources to address the violation on Charlie Brown Road and said it was a complex issue.
"I have emails and emails saying they've sent letters to the owners that they haven't picked up, and then they say they've been given dates to appear in court and they don't show up," Landry said.
The Parish has been out to the two properties several times. Two new cases have been initiated for the Code Enforcement Division. Officers will be visiting the properties for thorough inspections. Once the inspection is complete the Parish said it will provide an update on the proposed course of action.
Landry said she doesn't feel safe living next to the area and is frustrated after fighting the problem for so long.
"I don't know what to do at this point," she said.
Ascension Parish said its Code Enforcement Division aims to ensure that all properties within its jurisdiction adhere to regulatory standards and is committed to effecting positive change within the community.
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