Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Louisiana

I live in N Caddo Parish in Louisiana. There is a developer that has built a road and several houses by extending our street to the highway. His intent was to build the road and have the parish buy it from him which they have no intention of doing because it is not within the bounds of the law. This guy is one of those guys who thinks the rules don't apply to him and tries to get around them all the time. Well, he then decided he just wanted the parish to take it over, but they won't because it failed inspection in three places and this guy refuses to fix it. He expects the parish to fix his shoddy workmanship and they expect him to fix it before they'll take it over. Because of this he has decided no one can use the road except for those on it and has blocked the end of our neighborhood with an eyesore of a gate.

My question is, is do the people on that road have the right to sue him to make him fix the road as it is substandard right now per the parish? It has actually washed out a couple of driveways due to drainage issues. He employees lawyers at a little business he has set up, so I'm not sure how easy it would be to sue him unless I could get the other neighbors to go in on a lawyer and do it class action style.

The reason I ask is that if he fixes the road, the parish will take it over, he will have to remove the ugly gate and we will have quicker access to our highway. I am wary of putting anymore of my personal info because by describing this situation, anyone in this area reading this will know exactly what street I live on. I am just so fed up, I had to ask someone.


Asked on 9/27/10, 12:25 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Nick Pizzolatto, Jr. Pizzolatto Law Office

The people on the road can probably force him to fix the road, but unless the road is directly causing you or your property damage then there is probably nothing you can do. This not a class action style situation. However, several people can sue and consolidate the suits. If the ugly gate some how is a nuisance or illegal, you might be able to get him to change it, but not to give you the use of the road. Seems rather illogical for people to buy new homes on a private road that is hazardous.

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Answered on 10/02/10, 2:25 pm


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