Allison Cox of Jackson is the executive director of the Jackson Housing Authority. After completing her degree in social work at the University of Mississippi, she has dedicated her adult life to working in various aspects of affordable housing.
She began her career in Georgia in 1996 administering grants in housing to help families and children with issues related to education and drug prevention. In 2001, she returned to her home state of Mississippi as the executive director of the Louisville Housing Authority. In 2003, she accepted a position with the Jackson Housing Authority to develop a previously non-existent Section 8 Program (Housing Choice Voucher Program). In 2015, she accepted the role of executive director at JHA.
She and her husband, Trey Cox, are parents of two sons, ages 13 and 15.
When was the Jackson Housing Authority (JHA) established?
“The Housing Authority of the city of Jackson was established in 1969 by a resolution of the city government. The authority is federally funded. A five-member board is appointed by the Jackson City Council.”
What does JHA do?
“JHA is responsible for administering 1,062 Housing Choice Vouchers, 382 of these are used to house previously homeless veterans. JHA has 34 units of public housing and a newly designated HUD Envision Center.”
How does the Housing Choice Voucher Program work?
“The Housing Choice Voucher Program provides eligible low-income households with opportunities to reside in housing owned by private sector landlords. JHA pays the difference between the contracted rent and the participant’s portion of the contracted rent in the form of a housing assistance payment to the landlord on behalf of the participant. We determine if the requested rent is reasonable and comparable to other rents in the neighborhood for unassisted units.”
Does JHA have any public housing it is responsible for?
“JHA has some family units that were part of the revitalization of the North Midtown neighborhood in Jackson. There are 12 cottages and are known as the Midtown Cottage development. It is a federally subsidized scattered site of single-family homes owned by JHA. The homes consist of three or four bedrooms, two baths, a spacious living room, a kitchen and a large front porch.
“The Midtown Homes development is also federally subsidized scattered site of 22 single-family duplexes owned by JHA. Each duplex consists of three bedrooms, two baths, a spacious living room, a kitchen and a covered porch area.”
“The Golden Key Apartments at 3430 Albermarle Road are federally subsidized apartments for the elderly, mobility impaired persons and persons with disabilities. In the last few years, we received a funding set aside through the tax credit program and other grants and allocations to renovate Golden Key. We just finished about a multi-million rehab of it.
“Golden Key has a total of 152 one-bedroom apartments. We also remodeled the community center next to it that serves about seven neighborhood associations.
“The community center at Golden Key Apartments is designated as an Envision Center by the HUD secretary. The center is one of just two in Mississippi with that designation. You apply for that, and it’s based on the number of partnerships and resources you’re able to bring into the community.
“I was able to use that designation, go to another agency and ask them to partner with us and get some funding that way. We will now have a fully funded service coordinator for that site.
“The community center is also designated as a historic site by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. It was a meeting place for organizers during the civil rights movement.”
Is all of the public housing that JHA handles located in Midtown?
“Yes. We were able to acquire 80 duplexes in Midtown that could be demolished and new housing could be built in that area. It was exciting to get to be part of that. It made a really big impact in that community, and we’re continuing to coordinate with Midtown Partners since we finished that development. Midtown Partners has done another development similar and adjacent to our property.
“North Midtown has experienced a revitalization and the residents in that community are very involved. They’ve been at the table throughout the revitalization, are extremely supportive and have provided lots of input.”
How easy is it for an individual to secure public housing?
“It could take more than a year to work into public housing after you apply for it. It’s like that across the country, especially in metropolitan areas. Our resources are limited.”
Is there is a waiting list for public housing in Jackson?
“Yes. Last year, we opened our waiting list for the Housing Choice Vouchers Program, which is funded by the federal government. That was the first time since 2008. When we open the list, we’ll get thousands of applications.
“Due to the number of applicants and the length of time an applicant must wait to reach the top of the waiting list, the waiting list is closed. Should we receive additional funding, the waiting list will reopen, and the application process will be posted on the JHA website and publicly advertised.”
Are there public housing programs in Jackson with availability?
“Yes. We have availability in a program that provides housing vouchers for veterans who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. The veteran goes through the Veterans Administration and the VA refers them to us. Anyone who is possibly eligible should call the VA at 601-362-4471 extension 51691.”
How is rent determined for public housing?
“It is income based. Individuals pay 30 percent of their monthly adjusted income.”
“Someone who’s working two full-time minimum wages jobs will have a hard time paying rent and utilities for a modest unit. We bridge the gap. There’s a real need.”
Do individuals prefer to receive housing choice vouchers or to live in public housing?
“I would say if you were to ask our participants they would tell you they would certainly choose a voucher over a complex. A housing voucher allows someone to choose where they live, the school district they want to live in and a location near family.”
How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect what you do?
“We were extremely concerned about the residents at Golden Key Apartments getting COVID. They are all elderly or have secondary issues that would put them in a high-risk group.”
“We partnered with the Good Samaritan Center to deliver groceries to the residents each week. When the vaccine came out, I immediately started reaching out to organizations to arrange vaccinations. The residents take the bus, don’t have cars and lack ways to get to vaccination sites.
“Golden Key was one of two off-site vaccination sites for Walmart in the entire country. Walmart vaccinated about 2,000 people at Golden Key. Almost all of the residents at Golden Key were vaccinated, just very few elected not to get vaccinated. It was a huge relief for that group to get vaccinated.”
Does JHA work with any partners?
“Yes. We have worked with Midtown Partners, the Walker Foundation and some other groups to complete a master plan in the North Midtown neighborhood of Jackson. We also partner with Good Samaritan to provide resources and services for our residents. In order to complete high level deals we often partner with developers. Most recently we worked with Wishrock out of Maine to achieve funding in order to do a significant rehab at Golden Key.”
“Just as important as our partners are our employees. We are lucky to have a team of dedicated employees who care about our residents.”
How do you know what partners to ask for support?
“It depends upon the needs. I’m not afraid to ask organizations to partner with JHA. Any time you’re working in this field, you have to be creative and find solutions. Never in a million years did I think Walmart would be the one to give COVID vaccinations but it quickly stepped up after we asked.”
Did partners provide water for residents when the city of Jackson was recently under a boil water notice?
“We did distribute water. Most of our water came from New Horizon Church. We would get pallets of water from them to distribute to the residents.”
How did you come to work in the field of public housing?
“I earned a degree in social work and I knew that was what I wanted to do but I didn’t know what area of social work I wanted to work in. When I graduated from college, I took a job doing a grant program for education and prevention in public housing and just fell in love with it.
“No day is the same. There’s always a lot to be done. I really liked it, just stayed in it and quickly ended up in administration.”
What do like about your job?
“My children ask me all the time, ‘Mom, if you could do anything, what would you do?’
“I tell them I’m doing it. I’m not going to say it’s all perfect but the good we’re able to do certainly outweighs the bad and that’s very rewarding.”
What is challenging about your work?
“There are never enough resources. You always have to problem solve but it tends to work out.”
