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Blight fight over Port Allen property being repaired by parish councilman
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PORT ALLEN - A West Baton Rouge Parish Councilman has been given 120 days to fix up his property or it'll be torn down. People living near that property say the structure can't be saved and it should be demolished.
Councilman Kenneth Gordon appeared before the Port Allen Council earlier this month regarding a property owned by a family member on 13th Street. At the meeting, the council condemned the structure and said the property owner has 120 days to make improvements or it will be demolished.
When asked by the council if he had a timeline for repairs Gordon said he didn't have one.
"No I can't give you a time frame, but I'm working on it," Gordon said.
People who live near the structure say they are tired of looking at the mess. A dumpster has been sitting full for weeks and they're fighting off snakes and rats. One neighbor who does not want to be identified says it's at risk of falling over onto the house next door.
"I've been looking at this mess now for two years," she said.
Gordon tells 2 On Your Side that people didn't start to complain about the property until recently. He says the house had been sitting there for about 10 years and the moment he started working on it he got complaints.
The neighbor who contacted Brittany Weiss says she hasn't seen Gordon working.
"He hasn't been over there one day since then," she said.
The structure appears to be held up by several pieces of wood braced against one of the walls. It's missing a roof and several exterior walls. The city says the owner will have to frame walls, floors, and ceilings and enclose the structure with windows, doors, and a roof. Gordon has until Aug. 8 to make the changes.
The city says Gordon applied for a permit but used the wrong address on the request. He was asked to resubmit the application with the correct address.
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