Ribbon cutting for Hickman Heights development

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday for a new housing facility in south Jackson named for a man hailed as a champion of affordable housing in the capital city and the state of Mississippi.

A host of dignitaries were on hand for the ceremony launching Hickman Heights, a development named for Dr. Hickman Johnson, who has more than 40 years of public housing experience. Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba presented Dr. Johnson with a plaque honoring his service.

Hickman Heights is part of a 9-site Tax Exempt Bond Project that leveraged public and private funding. The project is a new construction component of the Mississippi Region VI Rental Assistance Demonstration Program or RAD conversion efforts. The facility consists of 100 rent-subsidized units.

Dr. Hickman Johnson said, “It’s designed to meet the needs of persons who are 55 years and older. It is not technically a senior development, but it does serve a put a really needed population. We are excited, very excited about this. We look forward to not only this but other developments as we attempt to increase both the supply and the affordability of housing within the city of Jackson.”

Dr. Johnson continued, “Not everyone will own a home. There is a real need for standard rental housing, and I mean housing that meets what we call minimum HUD, HUD standards housing quality standards. We have over 200 Jacksonians who have section eight vouchers today who are searching because they cannot find housing, adequate housing. So there’s a real need within the city of Jackson. There’s a real need within our nine-county service area.”

The four-story building has a mix of 80 one-bedrooms and 20 two-bedrooms.

In addition to Hickman Heights, the co-owners rehabilitated 138 existing housing units and expanded its portfolio to include 120 additional units in six central Mississippi counties.

Dr. Johnson was one of the first members appointed to the board of commissioners City of Jackson Housing Authority. He served as Executive Director for three public housing agencies in Mississippi: Jackson Housing Authority, Tupelo Housing Authority, and the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority No. VI.

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