Jackson Planning and Economic Development Committee Meeting - August 6, 2026
Jackson Planning and Economic Development Committee Meeting - August 6, 2026
The Planning and Economic Development Committee of the City of Jackson met on August 6, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. to discuss code enforcement reorganization, blight remediation, the unhoused population, and apartment conditions. The meeting was chaired by the committee chair, with Councilmembers Parkinson, Hartley, and others participating, along with Chief Brackney (JPD), Planning Director Angela Brown, Code Enforcement Manager Robert Brunson, and City Attorney Peter Taberson.
Discussion Items
Proposal to Move Code Enforcement from Planning to JPD
- Councilman Stokes had proposed an ordinance to move code enforcement to the Jackson Police Department. Councilman Parkinson opposed the wholesale move, stating it was a "blunt instrument" and that the issue required a careful scalpel. He noted that the city's convoluted process and state law constraints are major obstacles. Councilman Hartley echoed the need for state support and suggested the issue be referred to the legislative committee. Chief Brackney expressed willingness to explore areas of overlap but cautioned against moving the entire planning and economic development department. He noted that code enforcement was previously under JPD and that certain overlaps (e.g., vehicle removal) could be streamlined. The committee agreed to keep the item in committee and directed Director Brown and Chief Brackney to produce a list of overlapping functions and necessary ordinance changes within one month.
Blight and Abandoned Properties
- Director Brown presented data: nearly 3,000 new blight cases, over 6,000 active cases, over 800 taken to court. The city spent $900,000 to demolish 40 properties (average residential cost $17,000–$20,000; commercial up to $1 million) and collected only $12,000 in revenue. Additional $1 million is allocated for 20 more properties. Councilmembers emphasized the need for massive funding, noting the state owns 1,900 properties in Jackson and has not addressed them. Councilman Hartley outlined the Blight Task Force, including new equipment (excavators, skid steers, trucks) and 20 additional personnel slots. The plan is to target each ward monthly, starting with safety hazards. Councilman Hartley also mentioned a HUD grant application draft due next week. The committee discussed the need for strong enforcement and collection of liens.
Unhoused Population and Clutch Program
- Director Brown described the Clutch program, a housing-first model contracted to house 300 individuals quickly, with rental assistance, case management, and mental health services. The contract is signed by Clutch but pending the mayor's signature. A community meeting is set for September 1, implementation planning for September 15. Councilman Parkinson expressed strong support, noting the model provides both compassion and enforcement. Councilman Hartley raised concerns about the potential for clients to return to the streets and about enforcement of no-camping rules. The committee discussed the need for better communication to counter misinformation.
Apartment Conditions (Addison Place)
- Code Enforcement Manager Robert Brunson reported that at Addison Place, 45 units lack water, the owner owes over $300,000 to the water utility, and the manager is not providing adequate services. Councilman Hartley asked about legal options. Attorney Peter Taberson stated that the legal system is not designed for quick resolutions, especially for absentee landlords. The committee discussed requiring bonds for apartment complexes and using ordinance changes to hold owners accountable. Councilman Hartley requested that Director Brown attend the planning meeting to address this humanitarian issue. The committee also discussed the role of private equity firms in property deterioration and the need to identify and pursue them.
Key Outcomes
- Directive: Director Brown and Chief Brackney to produce a list of overlapping code enforcement functions and recommended ordinance changes within one month.
- Directive: Director Brown to provide a draft HUD grant application by next week.
- Action: The committee will keep the code enforcement reorganization proposal in committee for further study.
- Action: A community meeting on the Clutch program is scheduled for September 1, 2026.
- Referral: The issue of state law constraints on blight remediation will be referred to the legislative committee, and the city's lobbyist will be engaged to seek streamlined state processes.
- Follow-up: The committee will explore ordinance changes to require bonds from out-of-state property owners and to strengthen the vacant property registry.
- No votes were taken on any of the discussed items.
Meeting Transcript
I'd like to call to order this meeting of the planning uh and economic economic development meeting um committee meeting of the city of Jackson set for 2 30 uh p.m. on August the 6th. Appreciate everybody being here, the folks that are here, and the ones that aren't here, shame on them. Okay. So let's move forward here. I've got an agenda that I just scribbled out with um the um supervision of uh council president Harley. So um first thing I've gotten written down here is the um proposal by councilman Stokes uh to um move code enforcement from planning over to JPD. So I we don't have do we have somebody from we don't have anybody we got Mr. Brunson here for code enforcement and we got um the um Angela here from planning but we don't have anybody from JPD and Mr. Stokes isn't here to defend himself. Anybody you do my my uh my council members want to weigh in on that or offer any any points one way or the other. Mr. Parkinson. Sure, thank you, Mr. Chairperson. Um I can uh appreciate the effort that uh Mr. Stokes has presented, and and I've been working with the planning department since I started because code enforcement has it, I think it's something that we all want to see smoother. And so I can appreciate the spirit with which he was presented it. I I think uh our citizens can feel like there's a lot of bureaucracy, and in part that's because there is a little bit of redundancy or inefficiency in the system, uh, but in part it's because uh people are entitled to do process rights, and there's a lengthy process we have to follow. Um and so you know, I think there's valid efforts to to try to smooth that out and get that as as smooth as it can be. Um but I think what I fear is that we have taken uh a very blunt instrument to a situation that needs a real careful scalpel, and to just uh eliminate the planning department in an attempt to address inefficiencies in the code enforcement process, I personally feel is that is is not the best way to approach it. I I think that's a big big thing, and and if it were to be done, it would need a lot more consideration and a in a very careful strategic plan before we move forward with it. So um, so I I don't support the item as it was initially presented, but I am uh excited to work with Mr. Stokes and with the entire department to try to see as we have been how we can uh smooth the process. Uh can I say one other thing too? Is um the there's 20 neighborhoods in Ward 7, and once per quarter, uh leaders from all 20 neighborhoods get together. And in May, uh the neighborhood meeting that we had was specifically devoted to this topic, specifically designed around code enforcement. And at that, and and Mr. Hartley graciously's not by other others came as well. We attempted to present from the very first time a resident notices a problem with a house or an issue until it's absolutely completely resolved. We we attempted to go step by step by step by step by step, jumping around from you know, Mr. Boone gets the 311 call, he sends it over to planning, planning does their work, they send it over to legal, legal sends us to us, we vote. I mean, I mean it's just an extremely convoluted process. And we easily spent an hour and a half, if not two hours attempting to go through the steps, just explaining the steps. And um, and so it is a cumbersome process, and I think we're trying to find where in those steps can we remove, but some of it is just what the state of Mississippi requires in order to give people due process rights. So it's a it is a convoluted process, and I I am I do think we can get clear on like when do we send environmental, when do we send to I mean there's processes in there that we can control um, but I just don't think eliminating the planning department in its entirety is is the way to do it. Okay, thank you, Mr. Hartley. Yes, uh I'd like to chime in on that as well. Uh at this juncture, the planning uh director and uh code enforcement there. We're going to be hitting uh Blythe. And uh I think right now uh I want to see what kind of mileage we can get out of this. Um I think I may have said it earlier uh about six years ago. Uh I was a uh volunteer with Jackson Association neighborhoods, and we did a study on code enforcement, and we visited other towns and we went through the entire process. What we found out at that time was that it was some of cases were taking up to three years. Uh we want to cut that down. Uh I do believe um uh uh clerk of council, if you would make a note that we need to uh bring this up as a legal issue to our legislative in our legislative committee. Okay, because um we need we need state support. Uh as uh council colleague said, um part of the uh what catches us up is state law, and we need to know if there's any other ways around that. But in the interim, we will be going out to the neighborhoods and starting uh some blight cleanup.
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