Dean Boudreaux

ABBEVILLE, La. – A proposed Abbeville ordinance intended to make homes safer has been tabled after drawing criticism from landlords who claim its inspection rules are being enforced before the law has been approved.

The Minimum Standards of Living Conditions ordinance would give city officials the power to deny or suspend water, sewer, and electrical service to any property deemed unsafe or unsanitary. Supporters view it as a tool to protect public health, while critics argue it could disproportionately affect low-income residents.

Local real estate investor Jay Cassidy said at the Oct. 7 committee meeting that two of his rental houses were refused power connection, with city staff citing inspection requirements from the proposed ordinance.

“We called to connect power at two of our houses, and they told us over the phone we now have to go through inspections,” Cassidy said. He claims the city is demanding repairs that are not safety issues and that the demands contradict state law, which states disconnection or reconnection of power has specific legal requirements and protections for residents.

The city maintains that the inspection requirements have been law for decades, though they have only recently been enforced.

Cassidy also described the potential economic consequences, citing a single mother facing $1,400 in repairs who had her electricity turned off. “She can’t afford it, so she’s out of her home right now with her children,” he said.

Under the proposed law, homeowners could face fines of up to $500 per day per violation. 

Kathy Faulk, Abbeville’s secretary-treasurer, said any revenue from fines would go to the city court, not city hall. She added that the city has a system to connect residents who struggle to pay bills with local aid organizations.

“If you have an organization like the Christian Service Center that wants to help, we’ll push people in that direction,” Faulk said. “We can’t just waive bills, but we can connect residents with available help.”

The appeals section the statute, which allows utilities to be cut off before a hearing, could raise due process concerns, which Cassidy claimed are already happening informally.

“We were told verbally, not in writing,” he said. “How do you appeal something that doesn’t officially exist?”

The ordinance was tabled, and according to Faulk, the council could revisit it in the future or drop it entirely. Mayor Roslyn White, who introduced the ordinance, has not responded to multiple requests for comment.