[Jackson] Lambuth Area Neighborhood Association pushing city to help clean up neighborhood

[Rural King]

The Jackson Sun has an article detailing the Lambuth Area Neighbohood Association's (LANA) efforts to get the city of Jackson, and its new administration under Mayor Jerry Gist, to take notice and action in regards to what they deem as pressing concerns in relations to crime, code violations, and property upkeep. The group is very vocal and has used e-mail campaigns to city officials to try to get their concerns addressed more timely and effectively as is outlined in the story.

The "Lambuth Area" is in Midtown Jackson around Lambuth University and is a residential area consisting of roughly 1,500 houses (according the article). Its a very historic neighborhood filled with great housing stock, but like many older neighborhoods its faces issues with keeping decay and neglect of properties from bringing in crime and further blight- thus increasingly the likelihood of further decline.

I think groups like this are definitely doing the right thing in trying to keep their neighborhoods safe, clean, and attractive for future generations. Urban blight is a hard thing to stop unless folks are pro-active, and clearly LANA is being very pro-active. Now I am sure some members may get over-zealous about minor things like grass height , which is a tad much and annoying, but its that sort of passion for neighborhoods that keep them places people want to move to, stay, and raise their families. I can't see how thats a bad thing.

Hopefully LANA will continue be pro-active and be a model for other neighborhoods in Jackson and elsewhere.

Discussion Point: What do other forumers think about neighborhood associations like LANA and their efforts within their neighborhoods and communities? Is there anything such groups should be focusing on to be more effective in their message and efforts?

[qwertycc]

Does this area have Historic District designation?

As for the discussion points, these types of associations are almost vital to maintain older neighborhoods in the face of ever-strong suburban flight. In Memphis, Evergreen and Cooper-Young have associations that have been very successful. One thing that Cooper-Young has been involved in that is possibly as important as maintaing the neighborhood is maintaining and redeveloping the neighborhoods surrounding it.

[Rural King]

Does this area have Historic District designation?