JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In Durkeeville, 37 lots owned by the Jacksonville Housing Authority sit empty.
The city of Jacksonville wants to change that as it's set aside $200,000 in city money towards future revitalization efforts in Durkeeville.
The money is for a study where a private contractor is going to collect data and feedback from neighbors and business owners about what should be done to improve the neighborhood. The study will focus on the 37 empty lots.
“They were supposed to be transformed into affordable housing,” Temisha Hill said.
Hill grew up in Durkeeville and is the president of Unified Community Investors, an organization dedicated to unifying communities in the urban core.
She remembers Hope VI, a federal program created in the early 90s to revitalize public housing projects in the United States, including Durkeeville.
“It allowed us to tear down old Durkeeville, build a brand new Durkeeville complex with a senior citizens area and then housing for the families," Durkeeville resident Hallie Williams-Bay, said.
Williams-Bay was part of the revitalization efforts, until he said promised funds stopped coming.
“Under Bill Clinton, a lot of stuff happened. But, then when [George W.] Bush came in a lot of stuff [went] on the backburner,” he said.
Williams-Bay said it set the neighborhood back, but two decades later hope is off the backburner after city council members approved $200,000 for a contractor to gather data and feedback from neighbors.
“We're getting funding to revitalize that project so that we can fulfill old promises,” Hill said.
Hope is back for Hill, Williams-Bay and other neighbors in Durkeeville who will have say in the future of the 37 lots and finish will have what was already started.
“The community needs to be permitted to work together and do things the way we know to do them without being dictated to by investors that don't listen to community residents,” Hill said.
The first community meeting for input on the future of Durkeeville will be held May 16 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the True Church of the Living God at 1405 State St.
Anthony Brown of Red Alliance for Justice will be a speaker.
"The first portion of it is to educate, talk about everything that's going on in the city, talk about upcoming events and talk about different people from a collaborative perspective. The other part is to talk about next steps, what we're going to do, and of course, the last step is to get people more civically engaged and involved," Brown said.
The Jacksonville Housing Authority said it is looking forward to working with neighbors and the city.
“JHA is committed to bringing more affordable housing to the citizens of Jacksonville and we welcome any opportunity to partner with the City of Jacksonville to resolve this housing crisis. The feedback we receive from the Durkeeville community will help us as we move forward to meet Jacksonville’s housing needs," Vanessa Dunn, JHA's Acting CEO and President, said.