JACKSON, Mich. — The Jackson Housing Commission and city officials will be hosting two community meetings this week to discuss its Downtown Jackson Choice Neighborhood Plan.
The Jackson Housing Commission was awarded $450,000 from a Housing and Urban Development Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant for a downtown Jackson neighborhood.
Jackson was one of eight cities nationwide to receive this grant.
The plan calls for the replacement of all 292 low-income housing units in Reed Manor with units spread across new mixed-income developments within the neighborhood and elsewhere.
According to documents, Reed Manor is in severely distressed physical condition and requires significant rehabilitation. Close to 300 residents call Reed Manor home.
“What they will do is relocate the residents, they will build, and then they will place them back into units, and then we locate another section, and then they will build, so the idea is to make sure they have somewhere to stay while the building is in progress,” Jackson Housing Commission Case Manager Supervisor and Community Events Coordinator Anthony Gittens said.
But, before they make any decisions about what the neighborhood should look like, they’re asking for residents’ help.
The community meetings are meant to provide an opportunity to give feedback on the project and how you can be involved in making it a success, according to officials.
“It’s important for the community to give input because they understand exactly what they need,” Gittens said. “It seems like there is people that put in place resources, but they don’t truly understand how to give the resources to the residents. So, they’ll get funding for a Section 8, they’ll get food funding, but without the boots on the ground and know-how to distribute it, to know how to get it to the people in a timely fashion, it’s kind of a waste so that’s why it’s so important to get the people involved because they know exactly what they need.”
The first meeting is Thursday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Reed Manor patio by Building C on 301 Steward Ave. The second is Friday at the Grand River Farmers Market next to the parking lot of Grand River Brewery near Pearl and Mechanic streets from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Officials say there will be food, drinks, activities and prizes.
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