February 2024

2024-02-11 10:32:47

Residents in West Jackson’s Ward 3 and Ward 5 are voicing their opposition to a potential project aiming to build a 60-unit tiny home village for transitional housing for the homeless, located on Capers Avenue.

The village, called “Safe Place, Safe Space,” will be the first of it’s kind in Mississippi if approved. It was presented to members of the Jackson City Council during a Planning and Economic Development Committee meeting in January by Chloe Dotson, the director of Jackson’s Planning and Development Department. The City issued a request for proposals for the project last year.

“The idea is that we create a village where people can go and feel safe instead of being on sidewalks and living in parks and not having health facilities and proper bathroom facilities and proper hygiene and no access to resources to better themselves,” Dotson said. “We want to create this safe space, safe place in order for that to happen.”

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The Jackson Resource Center, a nonprofit that services the homeless, will be in-charge of development of the tiny-home village following responding to the RFP. The JRC owns the 18-acre site on Capers Avenue. Putalamus White, CEO of the JRC who spoke to council members during the meeting, said adequate security measures will be put in place at the village, with daily house checks and around-the-clock staff.

But residents, such as Shelia Harper and others in West Jackson, say the transitional housing project will negatively affect their neighborhood, which already has issues with the unsheltered.

Harper, along with others speaking at the Poindexter Apartments Wednesday evening, questioned why West Jackson seems to be ground zero for the city’s aid to the homeless. There are already a total of 19 facilities that service the homeless in the area, Harper said.

They also worry regarding how property values will be affected and public safety for the overall area, as well as the fact that the tiny-home village will not have to pay any property taxes due to being run by a nonprofit, which are exempt.

“We’re not once morest the homeless. We’re once morest the city bringing all this stuff and facilitating it to one area,” Harper said.

If the city wants economic development and to create sustainable neighborhoods in West Jackson, bringing another homeless facility to the area is not the answer, Harper said.

“To bring another [homeless] facility would only add fuel to the fire as far as bringing our property value down, as well as our standard of living,” said Arvester Smith, adding that he doesn’t think the city cares regarding the concerns the residents of West Jackson have. Smith resides and owns two businesses in West Jackson.

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Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley, who represents West Jackson, shared similar concerns. He questioned if the city followed proper protocol because “there was no reaching out to citizens in that area to get their input.”

“I am totally once morest this,” Hartley said. “I feel as though we have adequate services and if you build this you’re going to just invite further people from surrounding areas to come to Jackson to use this service…It’s being placed in the poorest and blackest part of town and we’re tired of folks dumping plans like this in West Jackson. We need to expand these types of services to other wards throughout the city.”

Instead, Hartley thinks the city needs to come up with a master plan to address the issue of homelessness in Jackson. He hopes the city will pause the project until adequate public comment from residents is heard.

“We have homeless people exposing themselves,” Harper said. “There’s so many dynamics. Homeless have mental health issues, drug addiction and all of that adds to the depreciation of our neighborhood. Businesses aren’t able to open either.”

Harper also emphasized she worries for the children of West Jackson and their interaction with the homeless population, which was already a concern for parents due to other nearby homeless facilities, such as The Opportunity Center.

If approved, Harper said the tiny-home village is near multiple following-school and daycare programs, such as the Boys and Girls Club of Central Mississippi

Tawanna Chapman, another West Jackson resident who spoke in opposition, also questioned if the city has the type of infrastructure put in place to handle the project.

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“Fire departments, police protection, all of these things, this infrastructure, that you have to bring in these areas to be more watchful, because you’re going to have different kinds of personalities like those with mental health issues and addictions,” Chapman said. “We don’t want to absorb all of this.”

“When I go out to cut my yard, I have to hire an armed guard to stand over me while I’m working. It’s just that bad over here,” Smith added.

The Poindexter Park Homeowners Association, the Pecan Tree Park Homeowners Association and other associations in West Jackson all oppose the JRC project.

The Jackson City Council has to give final approval, though it’s unclear if the project will be up for a vote at the council’s next meeting on Feb. 13.

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#West #Jackson #residents #dont #homeless #shelter #built

2024-02-11 03:55:19

After the lights were turned on in the Anping Lantern District of the Taiwan Lantern Festival on the 3rd, there was an influx of visitors yesterday on New Year’s Day. According to the Nan City Government, the number of visitors in a single day exceeded 400,000, setting a record since the launch. The peak of the crowd is expected today and tomorrow, and extra connections will be dispatched Car diversion. Tainan Mayor Huang Weizhe welcomes people from all over the country to come to Tainan for spring.

The Taiwan Lantern Festival’s Anping Lantern District saw a large number of visitors on the 10th, the first day of the Lunar New Year. The Tainan City Government counted more than 400,000 visitors in a single day, setting a record since its inception. (Photo/Provided by Tainan City Government)

Huang Weizhe issued a press release today saying that the “2024 Taiwan Lantern Festival” Anping Lantern District was crowded with people on the first day of the Lunar New Year. The number of visitors exceeded 400,000 and hit a new high. The number of people taking the shuttle bus also hit the highest number since the opening. Last night, the three-in-one aerial display of drones, fireworks, lasers and light shows attracted the most crowds when it debuted. There will be exciting aerial displays for the next three consecutive days.

Huang Weizhe pointed out that last night’s performance had not yet been exposed, with the theme of Fucheng poetry and painting, and the focus of the story was Tainan’s unique cultural heritage. Through scenes such as ancient temples, it presented a rich cultural ecology and diverse symphonic styles. The following performances will be performed by already The three parts that have appeared on the stage will be performed in turn. People who have not enjoyed it should seize the opportunity.

According to information provided by the Tainan City Government, the number of visitors yesterday hit a record since the launch, and the peak number of visitors is expected today and tomorrow. The city’s Transportation Bureau has planned to increase the number of shuttle buses, including low-floor shuttle buses to facilitate strollers. , wheelchair users, people can make more use of the lantern festival’s free shuttle buses and public transportation vehicles. Those who drive or cycle by themselves must follow the traffic control guidance to avoid traffic congestion.

Huang Weizhe pointed out that the Taiwan Lantern Festival Anping Lantern District is the starting point of the “Tainan 400” activities, and will be followed by the “High-Speed ​​Rail Lantern District” starting from the Lantern Festival, as well as the “Taiwan International Orchid Exhibition”, “World Orchid Conference” and other activities to welcome People from all over the country come to Tainan to enjoy spring.

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◤Recommended travel items to welcome the Spring Festival◢
Suitcases of all sizes are available for 1,000 yuan.
Essential luggage storage bag, a great helper to save space
Shockproof and waterproof GoPro camera is on sale for a limited time
Buy 1 get 1 free for a portable large-capacity thermos bottle, a great deal

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#Taiwan #Lantern #Festivals #Anping #Lantern #District #visitors #day #year #high