There’s a common thread running through Shreveport neighborhoods, and it appears to be crime and dilapidated houses that are often used by drug dealers. Thursday night, residents of district “A” faced the mayor with their concerns. It was the third of seven town hall meetings Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover is hosting. He’s asking the people to step forward with what troubles them the most about their communities. And the people are speaking up. So what can you and the city do if you live next to one of those dilapidated houses or trash heaps? Wardell Bowie heads up Shreveport’s Code Enforcement. “Narcotics or any other type of illegal activities, they need to contact the police first, then the second thing they need to do is call code enforcement.” A city inspector will see if the structure violates any of the city’s code. If it does, the city will start the legal process to notify the owner. That notification process takes between four to six months. “If the owner doesn’t contest, the city forces will come in a tear the house down and put a lien against the property,” Bowie said. If the owner does fight, you have to wait while the case creeps its way through the legal system taking years. And what about junked cars? Again, an inspector will issue a citation. If the owner contests, it could be months or even years of legal wrangling. Bowie calls his job huge, as many as 16,000 complaints a year and only a dozen or so inspectors and one newly hired paralegal. The city’s looking at rewriting some of its code to make it easier to deal with eyesores. Here is a list of the remaing town hall meetings:

–Thursday, Feb. 22; Council District A; Southern University Science Lecture Hall, SUS Campus

– Thursday, March 1; Council District B; Highland Center Child Development Center, 520 Olive St.

– Monday, March 5; Council District D; Caddo Middle Magnet School, 7600 Cornelious Lane

– Tuesday, March 6; Council District E; Summer Grove Baptist Church, Jewella Avenue at Inner Loop

– Thursday, March 8; Council District C; Captain Shreve High School, 6115 E. Kings Hwy.