Grant to Help Allenton Heights
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Allenton Heights is the oldest public housing complex in Jackson. Forty percent of the residents live in poverty. The crime, is twice the rate of the city as a whole. “We just need to get a new house, she say she tired of living here,” said 12 year old Kelvin Golden, he and his mother moved to the area five years ago. The city offers low income families a place to stay at a discount. LaTasha Holliday moved into Allenton Heights last year, with her three kids. She said poor living conditions, she can live with but she is more concerned about her children having a safe place to play. “We is some low income women trying to get on our feet, half of us got jobs, the other half don’t, but we still trying to make it,” said Holliday. According to Jackson Mayor Jerry Gist, help is on the way. $167,000 from HUD. “It’ll go beyond smaller repairs to rebuilding apartments for sure.” Mayor Gist said the apartments suffer from several problems such as molding inadequate electrical service, lack of insulation and broken sidewalks. “For those who cant afford a higher level of apartments, still need to be safe and neat and well maintained.” “We need this, you don’t want to keep this looking like the ghetto. this is not the ghetto, we don’t live like the ghetto,” said Latasha Holliday.
