JHA receives $2.3 million in grant funding

For the second time in less than a month, Jackson Housing Authority is celebrating a large grant.

This time, The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Jackson $2.3 million that will be used to make improvements at Lincoln Courts, one of the primary housing developments by JHA.

“Lincoln Courts has 215 units, and as of right now, 212 are filled,” said Mark Reid, the director of JHA. “More than 74% of those living at Lincoln Courts are without wages.”

Representatives from the City, Madison County, State Senator Ed Jackson, and representatives from HUD’s offices in Memphis and Nashville were on hand for the announcement.

“I’m so glad to be in Jackson for another celebration, especially one of this magnitude,” said Walter Perry, the HUD field representative in Memphis. “There were only 14 municipalities in the country that received this grant, and Jackson is one of them.

“And that’s a testament to the work Mark and his crew here with Jackson Housing Authority have done, are doing and plan to do in the future.”

While the grant was to fund the construction of a building, Jackson Mayor Scott Conger said the effect of the building on the people living in it shouldn’t be overlooked.

“Grants are usually for buildings at the macro level, but buildings are filled with people,” Conger said. “And this grant will go toward helping people and the residents of Lincoln Courts to empower them to work themselves to move out and lead successful lives of their own.”

Madison County Mayor A.J. Massey said the grant will hopefully affect more than the people it helps directly.

“Generational wealth has to begin somewhere,” Massey said. “And hopefully this will be the opening to pathways that helps families get to that level eventually.

“But Jackson Housing Authority is to be commended because they beat somebody and earned this grant. It’s not a handout. So congratulations to you on that.”

The group has received more than $3 million in grants in the past month after they received a check in August for a little more than $750,000 to go toward new housing development near Allenton Heights in Midtown Jackson.

Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news