GRAND COTEAU, La. — The city council discussed overgrown properties at Tuesday's meeting.
Elected officials say they have heard growing frustrations about the properties among residents.
"The property sits vacant, nothing gets done to it. Nobody takes the initiative."
Charlene Gutierrez moved here five years ago, hoping to settle down and enjoy the city, but the unkept houses around her neighborhood makes it difficult.
"You have snakes and rats, it can be a dangerous situation too, because some of these houses are close together and in case of a fire or storm, debris flies into your yard from these houses that are falling apart," Gutierrez tells KATC.
Although the subject of overgrown properties has come up in council meetings before, the complaints have rose since the beginning of the summer.
Alderman Devin Thomas says he and the city will start to keep track of the houses that are not being kept up, to help ease the residents.
"Tomorrow we will be riding around town writing down addresses and we will be working on it. Me, and the town supervisor and the mayor will be working on it," said Thomas.
Town Supervisor, Paul Prejean says it's more difficult when the homeowners don't respond to the notices, but either way something needs to done.
"We send out notices, there are notices that if they don't reply they still be sent," said Prejean but there is a plan in process to go moving forward to try to get these lots cut."
Until then, residents like Gutierrez just want others to keep their properties tidy.
"Just think of your neighbors, that's the main thing. I would just like to see the improvement and we will just have to see what happens," Gutierrez said.
