The City of Shreveport’s Block by Block Initiative has wrapped its first phase with stunning results-proof that when citizens, city departments, community leaders, and volunteers come together, real change happens.
Over the course of eleven clean sweeps across Shreveport neighborhoods, the city removed a staggering 810.9 tons of litter-equal to nearly 1.8 million pounds of waste and collected 3,035 discarded tires. More than 312 registered volunteers took part, with many more joining in on-site to lend a hand.
Firefighters from the Shreveport Fire Department also went door to door throughout the targeted neighborhoods, installing 50 smoke detectors for free and inspecting hundreds more to ensure residents safety.
“Block by Block is more than a cleanup t’s a community comeback,” said Mayor Tom Arceneaux. “What started as a bold idea to fight blight has become a citywide movement powered by pride, service, and collaboration. I’m incredibly proud of what our team and citizens have accomplished together. And we’re not done yet.”
THE IMPACT
From June through September, volunteers and city crews tackled litter, debris, overgrowth, and illegal dumping in the following eleven neighborhoods: Cedar Grove, Queensborough, Mooretown, Ingleside, Broadmoor, Southern Hills, Highland, Allendale, Lakeside, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cherokee Park.
Together, these sweeps:
Removed 810.9 tons (1,787,728.48 pounds) of litter and debris
Collected 3,035 tires
Installed 50 free smoke detectors
Inspected hundreds more homes for fire safety
Engaged 312 registered volunteers, with many additional on-site helpers
BACKROUND
Launched in 2024, Block by Block is the result of Mayor Tom Arceneaux’s participation in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, which helps cities design and implement bold, data-driven programs. The Arceneaux administration brought together a task force of city leaders and community partners to combat blight and revitalize neighborhoods through concentrated, recurring sweeps-cleaning, restoring, and investing in one area at a time.
The initiative has since become a model for civic collaboration, combining the efforts of Public Works, Property Standards, SPAR, the Shreveport Fire Department, SPORTRAN, Shreveport Green, the Shreveport City Council, leaders from Caddo Parish, and dozens of community organizations and volunteers.
WHAT’S NEXT
Phase I of Block by Block is already in development and will be announced soon, bringing expanded focus, deeper community engagement, and continued investment in neighborhood renewal.
“The numbers tell the story,” Mayor Arceneaux said, “But the real success is in the pride residents feel when they see their neighborhoods cared for and their city working alongside them. That’s the future we’re buildingblock by block.”
ABOUT BLOCK BY BLOCK
Block by Block is Shreveport’s neighborhood-based blight-fighting initiative focused on concentrated cleanups, community engagement, and long-term revitalization. Through the collaboration of city departments, residents, and volunteers, the program targets areas most in need and delivers visible, measurable change across the city.