Louisiana Revised Statutes Tit. 33, § 4755. Statement of purpose

It is hereby found and declared that the city of New Orleans contains a great number of vacant substandard buildings which have become unsightly, unsafe, and a liability to the community. Such structures give rise to the spread of disease and crime, impair the economic value of property upon which they are situated, and necessitate excessive and disproportionate expenditures for crime prevention, public health, welfare and safety programs, fire and accident protection, and other services. It is further found that the present system utilized by the city of New Orleans to address this problem of vacant substandard structures in the city is inadequate and that some alternative mechanism is needed to enforce the ordinances and regulations of the city applicable to such properties, including but not limited to the city's building, fire, and zoning codes.