Residents oppose Ocean Springs development plan that would threaten historic Black community
One resident after another stood at a public hearing Monday night to say Ocean Springs city leaders had “disrespected” them with an unexpected Urban Renewal Plan, which targets properties in a historically Black neighborhood for blight, potential redevelopment or both.
The Urban Renewal Plan, released about six weeks ago, includes six areas throughout the city where Mayor Kenny Holloway says homes and businesses would qualify for grants and loans for property improvements and redevelopment. He and other members of the administration say Coast cities with urban renewal plans are receiving millions of dollars while Ocean Springs misses out.
He now acknowledges the administration should have talked with residents about the plan before moving toward its adoption. Instead of voting on the plan as anticipated, the city has put it on pause to hear from residents.
And residents had plenty to say.
The main area in contention is a neighborhood downtown where Black residents have handed down property for generations. The Urban Renewal Plan has come along at a time when high-end housing, a boutique hotel, restaurants and bars are being built downtown.
Hundreds of residents filled the chairs and lined the back wall at the civic center, with many signing up to speak. One member of the seven-member board, Rickey Authement, recused himself from the conversation because he owns property in the downtown area. Authement, who also represents the downtown area, then left the room.
Ocean Springs residents united in opposition to plan
While at least a dozen Black residents spoke during the meeting, many white residents also spoke out against the plan.
“This is not an economic development plan,” said resident Lori Carter. “It’s a developer’s plan. By endorsing this plan, you’ve made it very easy for developers to take houses for no good reason.”
Residents clearly said they want to keep the fabric of their community.
“That neighborhood means everything to us,” said Cynthia Fisher, whose family has owned residential property downtown since 1920. Her family has gatherings in the neighborhood and grew up playing there.
“That’s where we lived our lives,” she said. “Before those bars came in down there, y’all didn’t even think about that property.”
Rana Oliver, who said she owns the historic Carter-Calloway House downtown, was one of the residents who said they were being “disrespected.”
“We’re you’re fellow citizens,” she told the aldermen seated onstage. “I want to ask you, as my fellow citizens, where is your humanity?”
Urban Renewal Plan moving forward
An attorney from the Institute for Justice in Arlington, Virginia, Suranjan Sen, said the city’s plan is legally deficient. He said it includes language that is too vague when describing plans for properties. He also said notice to residents was lacking. The institute fights unfair eminent domain cases around the country at no charge.
Esther Payton, who said she is a sixth-generation property owner downtown, told the mayor and aldermen: “Transparency: Your citizens should know what’ going on.
“Doing things underhanded, sweeping stuff under the rug, that’s not good. Be open. Be honest. Be up front.”
Retired attorney Bob Smith said city leaders are losing residents’ trust, which will be hard to regain.
One resident said the Urban Renewal Plan should be scrapped.
After the meeting, which lasted almost two hours, Holloway told the Sun Herald: “We’re not going to stop the plan. We’re going to try to find some common ground and move forward.”
This story was originally published October 2, 2023 at 8:54 PM.
