Sustainability in our Blighted Communities

Question: Both your "Top Priorities" list and your "First 100 Days" list contain a line about "identifying and cleaning up blighted neighborhoods". I just wanted to know what you consider a "blighted neighborhood" and what "cleaning up" would entail? I realized I was curious about your criterion and specific plans for these neighborhoods.

Answer:  There are many explanations for "blighted neighborhood", The Associated Press (2009) suggested that Mr. David Brown Kinloch, of Louisville, KY went into a "blighted neighborhood", "unsightly rows of vacant homes where crime flourished into a model of urban renewal". With vision, blighted areas can become neighborhoods of renewable green energy developments. When I think of blighted neighborhoods, I think of boarded up homes, abandoned properties and slum lord properties, to include Downtown properties as well. I passed a bill in 2013 to address the issue of adjudicated proprieties to reduce the wait time from 3 to 5 years to 18 months, in order to get these proprieties back on the rolls and back into commerce. Blighted neighborhoods are eyesores that I want to eliminate and create green spaces, gardens and flourishing communities.

Thank you for your questions and I look forward to much more dialogue with you in the future.

Sincerely,

Patrick

Patrick Williams Announces Candidacy for Mayor

January 5, 2013Contact: Amy Jones
337.303.7119 or amy@hijones.com

Shreveport, LA – State Representative Patrick Williams joined hundreds of family, friends and supporters this afternoon to formally announce his candidacy for Shreveport mayor. Joined by his wife, Karanda, Williams made it official in the fellowship hall of the Lake Bethlehem Baptist Church on Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. “I couldn’t start this journey and not go back to the place that is my foundation. I’m proud to start this campaign for mayor on the Cooper Rd. I believe in the people of this great city, the community and our existing businesses. We have been poised for growth for so long. We have the natural resources and the ability and the want to make us thrive. We need strong leadership for the future of Shreveport and I am that leader.” Running on the theme of “Progress. Together.” Williams went through the main issues he will focus on as mayor, with economic growth topping his list. “We are going to make economic development a top priority. We are going to bring in jobs that pay good wages. People are tired of talk. They want progress and that is what my administration is going to give the people of Shreveport.” Williams also plans to address blighted neighborhoods and instituting public/private partnerships to revitalize some of the cities most downtrodden areas. He also highlighted the importance of a mayor that will collaborate with police, fireman and first responders to make city streets all city streets safer for families and his intent to work closely with the school board administration to make high quality public education available to every student at every school in the city.

About PatrickPatrick Williams is currently the Louisiana State Representative for District 4 and is a former Caddo Parish Commissioner. He owns his own architectural engineering consulting company and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture Engineering from Southern University and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from from Centenary College. He has completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He and his wife Karanda have been married for 19 years and live in Shreveport.