The New Iberia City Council reviewed five blighted properties in city limits that could be up for demolition if the owners of the properties do not contact City Hall. 

Houses located at 1219 Jane St., 713 Touriac St., 110 Reynolds St., 507 Silver St., 202 N. Chestnut St. and 225 Hortense St. were all reviewed by the council and found to be in a dilapidated and dangerous condition, which are the main criteria for the city choosing to demolish a house. 

Although no action was taken on the properties, Mayor Freddie DeCourt said presenting them at a City Council meeting allows the possibility of the owners seeing the property and potentially fixing the issue themselves. 

“We’re trying to do more coming attractions because we’ve had success with that,” DeCourt said. “It also shows the community we’re picking the next batch of houses.”

The house on Jane Street, for instance, has a tree that fell through the roof of the home. Building Inspector Matthew Gulotta said the house is in poor condition and very visible. 

“It’s a giant eyesore on one of our main thoroughfares,” Gulotta said. “We’ve gotten no responses whatsoever.”

The house located on Touriac Street, on the other hand, has owners who tried to demolish the home but then disappeared, Gulotta said. 

“They were hustling, trying to demolish it and then they disappeared,” he said. 

The house on Hortense Street, which Gulotta called a “hidden home,” was recommended to him by a local resident who said a man was living in the house. After finding the property it was condemned and the resident helped to relocate the man living there. 

If the owners of any of the properties do not contact City Hall, the houses will move up the city’s demolition list.