On March 19, Mayor John Horhn of Jackson, Mississippi, announced that the capital city would adopt a new approach to tackle its longstanding homelessness issue.
Horhn has signed an agreement with a Houston-based consulting group, Clutch, and together has established a system-wide plan to reduce the city’s unhoused population and find permanent solutions for those facing housing insecurity. This news marks a hopeful shift in Jackson’s community narrative.
Jackson residents have faced years of frustration regarding homelessness. Former mayor Chokwe Lumumba proposed and failed to follow through on his infamous “tiny homes” plan, which involved building a village of 60 small homes for homeless people. According to the Clarion Ledger, the plan sparked extreme controversy, including shouting matches and heated debates, before $2.9 million was approved in 2024.
Residents were angry with this decision because they felt that their voices were unheard. Even though residents repeatedly made it clear that they felt their community was overwhelmed by homelessness services that were ineffective, the concept was pushed forward despite the absence of a definitive plan or strategy.
They felt that their communities were already filled with homeless-related facilities, and Lumumba’s plan would only add more. They also felt that a decision so significant to their community, economy and safety should take more input from residents.
Shante Crockett, a resident of Jackson, explained to the Clarion Ledger in an article outlining residents’ frustration with the effects that the high concentration of homelessness facilities has on her life, wishing she had more control over something that affects her property value, insurance rates, and quality of life. Heather Logan, another Jackson resident, expressed her desire to be included in the decisions made about her city.
According to the Clarion Ledger in an article explaining the rescission of the tiny homes funds, Councilman Vernon Hartley expressed that the lack of planning foreshadowed definite failure. As suspected, nothing came of this plan over the remaining year Lumumba spent in office.
Two years later, with John Horhn as mayor, the funds for the tiny homes plan were officially rescinded. Horhn has shifted the city’s approach to tackling this issue by consulting with a group that has already had success in reducing the homeless population in Houston, Texas. In an article from the Clarion Ledger outlining this shift towards the Houston model, Horhn indicated his confidence that if this problem can be solved in Houston, it can be solved in Jackson.
The plan focuses on coordinating and unifying resources for homelessness that currently operate independently, addressing the root causes of housing insecurity and supporting people as they overcome these challenges. It would create a network using the individual services that currently exist, creating clearer roles and streamlining outreach. This will help optimize the way federal funds are spent on this issue. Officials from the consulting group have already visited the city to assess the situation and have begun shaping initiatives that could help reduce the number of unhoused people in Jackson.
This shift holds great promise for the capital. After years of residents feeling unheard and frustrated, this new approach brings a clear plan of action, unlike previous efforts. Along with it, the discussions sparked by this plan have brought a newfound awareness of the homelessness crisis in Mississippi.
While Horhn’s plan focuses on eliminating the root causes of homelessness, House Bills 1197 and 1203, passed just last year, offer a stricter, more enforcement-driven approach to tackling the issue. According to the Clarion Ledger, Horhn told lawmakers that he believes these laws are a good effort, but believes a different approach should be taken.
The recent bills outlaw sleeping on public property and require a $ 25-per-day permit for people to panhandle in Mississippi. This adds up to a monthly cost of around $750, comparable to the rent for most apartments. This expense is unlikely to be affordable for homeless people. For those who can afford this cost, it leaves little money left over to work towards financial independence and a secure housing situation.
These laws fail to offer solutions to the homelessness crisis and instead only create punishment and danger for those who are already in a difficult situation. The laws lack sympathy and fail to help those facing housing insecurity, and instead only create punishments that are often unavoidable for homeless people.
Furthermore, they open doors to police brutality and constitutional violations as law enforcement upholds these new laws. An article from the Clarion Ledger notes the potential for law enforcement to restrict freedom of speech as they try to prevent people from soliciting donations in public spaces.
Though these issues are unfolding two hours south of the city of Starkville, homelessness is a prevalent issue in every city. In a college town, often a transient community of students that tends to be subject to hidden forms of homelessness, it is important to acknowledge the state’s approach to homelessness and recognize the rights of the unhoused.
A recent Instagram post from Starkville Strong, a local organization dedicated to supporting those facing housing insecurity in Starkville, reminds people that homelessness is not always visible, but that does not mean it is nonexistent.
Amidst changing legislation addressing the homelessness crisis, legislators and citizens alike should look to Horhn’s model of organized planning and sympathy towards root causes to address this issue in every city, including Starkville. It is important to remember that the homeless community represents the most vulnerable members of our society, and they are people who should be cared for by those around them, not punished for a situation they may or may not be able to control. To place them in a situation where their constitutional rights may be compromised strips away a level of humanity that no one should have to live without.
Although it is still in its early stages, Horhn’s model holds promise for a city that has long sought refuge from this issue. If his plan succeeds in the long run, it could serve as a model for cities across the state to provide much-needed help and support to those who need it most.
