LAKE ARTHUR, La (KLFY)-- Blighted properties can be considered eyesores for anyone living near old homes that are abandoned and damaged. In Lake Arthur, the town's mayor said about 70 homes are abandoned, and because of this, the town has been awarded a $250,000 grant to demolish blighted properties.

Mayor Sampson "Poncho" LeJeune said getting approved for the Clearance Program grant to tear down blighted properties is something the town desperately needs.

"We came up with about 70 that needed attention," LeJeune said, referring to the number of blighted structures.

The Clearance Program is a grant providing funds for local governments looking to clear areas with blighted properties. LeJeune said the town applied for the grant as a way to improve Lake Arthur and was awarded the grant to tear down abandoned homes.

"With this grant, we go in, we clean your property up," Lejeune said. "They spread dirt to level the property off, and it's yours. You get a nice clean lot."

LeJeune said of the 70 blighted homes, 20 people agreed to let the town clear their property.

"From talking to different citizens, they all thought, 'Look, if I sign up for this, they're going to clean my lot up, the town is going to own my property.'"

LeJeune said property owners will be able to keep their property, but this is so they can get their lots cleared without paying the cost of demolition. He also said coming up with an estimate for each property will determine if they can add more to the list. He said receiving the grant is great, but there are still some details on what it will take to clear each property and when they can start.

"They haven't told us any details of how it has to be bided out," he said. "You know, do we build each home individually or do we have to build it all in a package? We don't have those details yet."

Planning for this project will begin once details are given.

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