JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Living beside one abandoned and neglected house is bad enough, but one Jackson resident is surrounded by them and a vacant lot on Sagamore Street, to boot. He has tried to keep it clean by himself, but now he needs assistance, so he called 3 On Your Side to help him take back his neighborhood.
When Reverend Charles Brown walks out of his front door, he sees an abandoned house across the street, next door and an empty lot on the other side.
Brown said, "We need help."
Brown said all of the properties looked like jungles.
"Rats, raccoons and possums and everything is living in there; dogs, stray dogs and everything and it's just a eyesore; it's a nuisance," he said.
Until he and his dad took it upon themselves to do something about it. After all, there are children in the neighborhood.
"Me and my dad has cleaned these properties up and we keeping it maintained around here to keep our neighborhood; taking back our neighborhood," said Brown.
They've been doing it for 13 years now with their own resources on property that doesn't even belong to them. But Brown says he's getting fed up. He says he has called the Mayor's Action Line and city workers did respond.
"I thank the city for coming out. They did as we can see, they boarded up 4121 and 4129, but still we have 312 Broadview. It's still open here and that has becoming a boys and girls club. They're playing in there," said Brown.
And that's not a good thing, said Brown. He's praying for someone, anyone to step and up and help him take back his neighborhood.
Brown said, "Metro Coalition, we all need help."
3 On Your Side will contact city officials to see if anything more can be done to help Reverend Brown and we will let you know the outcome.
Let us help you take back your neighborhood. Just send an email to hballou@wlbt.com or contact me on Facebook or Twitter.
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