Jackson councilman praised for cleaning overgrown houses in the Alta Woods neighborhood

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A Jackson metropolis councilman received significant praise Saturday for cleansing up a number of dilapidated attributes in the Alta Woods neighborhood.

Saturday, Vernon Hartley was noticed clearing brush and other overgrown vegetation at numerous houses together Mockingbird Lane.

Hartley, who was recently elected to the Ward 5 submit, experienced gotten many issues about the houses from citizens.

“We simply cannot just wait around for decades and observe our residence values go down, watch criminal offense go up, and see the houses increase up,” he said. “It affects the complete road.”

Hartley said he was motivated by Vanessa Paige-Pittman, who lives across the street from just one of the dilapidated properties.

“A neighbor stepped up and began cleansing. The the very least we could do, as an elected official, is meet them halfway,” he claimed. “With these properties, we have community overall health hazards. We have a opportunity location for crime to come about… Homeless folks going for walks into properties location them on hearth.”

Paige-Pittman, who lives across the street from a single dwelling Hartley was cleaning, experienced taken it on herself to mow many overgrown yards.

“My residence is paid out for, so why would I not care about the surroundings exactly where I’m at?” she questioned. “It doesn’t choose an act of Congress to pitch in and make a change. It requires smaller exertion and a massive heart.”

It also requires a backhoe and a very little sweat fairness. Hartley had rented a backhoe, at his have cost, to get to some of the denser undergrowth he was dealing with Saturday.

He nevertheless experienced get the job done to two at two other residences that afternoon.

“We have a ton of unique challenges if the property and the assets are not held up,” he claimed. “And it impacts the residence values of individuals like Mr. Berry below, who just would like a respectable community to live in.”

Robert Berry, who lives on Alta Woods Boulevard, across from a single of the properties the place Hartley was doing work, said he was grateful for what his councilman was doing.

“I’ve been listed here for 39 yrs, and I’ve witnessed it gone downhill. I imagine it is heading uphill now,” he explained. “You just do not see a councilman do this… at any time.”

Ruthania Hudson, who lives on Willow Way, reported a person home Hartley experienced cleaned up experienced been empty for eight several years.

“He did this devoid of payment and with no observe,” she reported. “We gave him our worries and his subsequent stage was to acquire action.”

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