Woman Fights to Save Her Family Home From Adding to City's Blight

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The deteriorating condition of a Jackson resident's childhood home is causing her great distress.

She attempted to persist with her efforts, yet lacks the financial means. Her quest for viable solutions hasn’t yielded anything fruitful, and she is determined not to let it turn into another derelict building adding to the urban decay.

My mother passed away in this house," said Mary Russell. "That's why I absolutely don't want to let it go since it's the only thing I have left from her.

The person from Jackson was raised in the pink house on Huron Street and is finding it hard to keep up with maintenance.

She almost lost the inherited property due to unpaid taxes, but managed to clear the debt and transfer ownership into her own name. Around four years back, Russell employed someone to carry out the necessary renovations.

“When I initially returned to pick it up, he was still working on it for me and did an excellent job. But suddenly, he passed away,” stated Russell. “Afterward, I couldn’t find anyone within my budget who would be willing to assist me with finishing it. Now, things have spiraled out of control.”

Now she has to deal with homeless people.

“The vehicle has dual rear doors, which were initially covered with boards; however, they removed those boards,” stated the property owner. “Therefore, I will need someone to reinstall them.”

Russell has conducted Google searches but cannot locate any resources to assist him.

"I'd like to see it renovated and I wouldn't mind living there, but currently, I lack the financial means to make it happen. I'm not looking for charity; I simply need assistance," Russell explained.

The Planning and Development Department of Jackson offers an HUD grant through their Limited Repair Program designed for small home maintenance tasks. This initiative assists low to moderate-income property owners in making necessary fixes to create a safer living space for kids regarding potential lead hazards.

The Housing Rehabilitation Program is supported through funding from HUD as both a loan and grant option. For eligibility, the homeowner needs to reside in the property for twelve months. Currently, available funds have been exhausted, so application submissions are paused. However, interested parties can join a waitlist.

A resident of Jackson is one of numerous individuals in the city facing a comparable predicament, striving to maintain ownership of familial property while also covering expenses within their respective homes.

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