Shreveport’s Block by Block Initiative Brings Change You Can See

Life After the Cleanup: Shreveport’s Block by Block Brings Change You Can See

Before the city crews arrived, neighbors in parts of Shreveport say they had grown used to the view, old tires stacked behind fences, trash lining the street, vacant lots overgrown and forgotten. Now, after Mayor Tom Arceneaux’s Block by Block initiative swept through, those same streets are looking cleaner, safer, and more alive.

READ MORE: See the Cleanup Effort in the Highland Neighborhood

Launched in June, Block by Block is a hands-on cleanup and revitalization push that targets one neighborhood at a time. It’s more than picking up litter. City departments, parish agencies, nonprofits, and local volunteers team up for property standards enforcement, street repairs, towing abandoned vehicles, animal welfare checks, and fire safety visits.

The Difference on the Ground

In just six sweeps, the program has removed 1,936 tons of litter and debris, nearly 3.9 million pounds, and hauled away 2,758 tires that once sat in yards, alleys, and empty lots.

The results by neighborhood:

• Ingleside – 6 tons, 238 tires
• Highland – 1,600 tons, 25 tires
• Queensborough – 103 tons, 1,085 tires
• MLK – 69 tons, 480 tires
• Cedar Grove – 89 tons, 450 tires
• Allendale – 69 tons, 480 tires

Mayor Arceneaux told KEEL News the cleanup is only part of the story. “What we’ve seen over these past two months is nothing short of inspiring. From our city departments to our neighborhood volunteers, everyone is leaning in to make their communities cleaner, safer, and stronger."

Momentum Keeps Building

The next sweep happens Saturday, August 16, in West Shreveport. Volunteers can meet at Bill Cockrell Park (4109 Pines Road) at 7:45 a.m. Tools and supplies will be provided.

Remaining sweeps:

• August 23 – Stoner Hill
• September 6 – Southern Hills
• September 13 – Mooretown
• September 20 – Broadmoor

This feels like the first time in a long time the city and the neighborhoods are  working side by side. It gives us all hope that this isn’t just a one-time thing.