BATON ROUGE - One woman who lives feet from I-110 has reached out to 2 On Your Side several times about the condition of properties surrounding her. Several of the houses are boarded up, and others are in various stages of blight. 

One of the properties, on Sherwood Street, has the attention of Emily Boykins. She says it's sat vacant for decades.

"It just attracts bad company," Boykins said.

Most of the property is boarded up, except for an open window and back door. People have dumped tires and other debris on the property. Boykins says she's seen people come and go during all hours of the day. 

According to the City of Baton Rouge, the house was condemned in February but the council rescinded it soon after. The city says the owner is preparing for the closing process with the Louisiana Housing Corporation as part of the LA Rental Restoration and Development Program. According to the website, RRDP helps eligible borrowers to repair, reconstruct, or build new affordable rental units in areas affected by a recent hurricane or the May 2021 flood. When asked for more information, RRDP said it's unable to provide confidential information regarding recipients of the program.

The city confirms there's an application for a permit but it has not been paid for.

"There are a lot of boarded-up houses and, like I said, she needs to address this immediately," Boykins said.

The properties on Sherwood, Dayton, and Tuscarora streets that have Boykins' attention are in the 70805 zip code within Metro Councilmember Carolyn Coleman's district. 

"She needs to come out here and see what's going on," Boykins said.

The house across from the one on Sherwood Street is being remodeled, according to what the city's permit paperwork says. A large dumpster sits at the corner full of trash, old tires, broken glass, exposed nails, and furniture are piled nearby.

For years, Boykins says she's contacted 311 about a property on Dayton Street. In February 2024, it and another structure next door caught fire. It's sat as a charred, overgrown mess ever since. Before the fire, it was recommended for demolition. The city says it's working to clear the lot but it's taking longer than expected.

"We need to look into why the houses are still standing after so many complaints filed," Boykins said.

Her fear is that another decade will pass and the area where she grew up will only get worse. 

"You know, there's enough blight in North Baton Rouge and we don't need to contribute anymore," she said.

A request for comment from Coleman was not returned.