The Reedom family approached the New Iberia City Council Tuesday night to approve the demolition of a mobile home on their property of 118 Hortense Street. 

There was only a small problem: they don’t own the mobile home and had no idea who put it there. 

“The Reedoms just want it removed,” Jacqueline Reedom said on behalf of her property. “We have no idea (who owns the structure).”

The family said they had inherited the property from their deceased mother, but the dilapidated structure on the property did not belong to them or their mother. 

To make matters even more confusing, a hearing in January saw a man approach the city council who said he would take care of restoring the property. 

“We don’t know him,” Reedom said. 

John Reedom, who was also present at the meeting, added that this was the second time this had happened to their family’s property. 

“The additional problem is when I checked with the city department, they don’t know where it came from,” John Reedom said. “You have a structure that appeared in the city, you have city regulations that require the mover get a permit and no one knows who this structure belongs to and it’s an embarrassment.”

“I agree,” Mayor Freddie DeCourt replied.  

When asked about what they’d like to do with the structure, the family said they endorsed the city demolishing the property. 

Building inspector Jimmy Landry suggested the family do it on their own terms, however, since the administrative fees associated with the city taking care of the building would cost the family much more. 

“It sounds to me like the Reedoms have decided they would like it torn down and not have the headache of doing it,” Councilwoman Deidre Ledbetter said. 

There also were other aspects of the strange case discussed, like if the owner of the mobile home could take legal action if the family removed the structure. 

“I don’t know how they could sue them if they haven’t leased the property,” legal counsel Jeff Simon said. 

Councilman Dustin Suire made a motion to demolish the structure within 60 days time. However, that motion gives the Reedom family the time to contact the owner of the structure and possibly make arrangements to demolish themselves. 

“You guys have been dealing with this for a long time, we just want to do our part,” Jacqueline Reedom said.