The process of addressing dilapidated properties within Yazoo City seems to have returned to the city’s operation after several months of inaction.
Public hearings on three parcels were held during Monday’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting. Last week’s hearings mark the first time in several months that the city has started the resolution process for dilapidated and unkempt properties within Yazoo City.
With the arrival of Arnold Woods, the city’s new building inspector and code enforcement officer, earlier this year, the often-lengthy process of addressing unkempt properties appears to have returned.
Last Monday’s public hearings included:
• 277 First Street; owner Nikki Barnes of Yazoo City
• 130 Charles Street; owner Carlos Remon Jones of Jackson
• 134 Charles Street; owner JA V Land of Benton
All three parcels contained dilapidated buildings, junk cars and debris for the last five years, according to Woods’ reports. No one was present to speak on behalf of the parcels. Through the city’s resolution process, the owners now have 30 days to bring the parcels up to code. If they fail to do so within that time frame, the city may clean the property, adding penalties against the property’s taxes.
City leaders welcome the return on the resolution process, which was put on hold for several months. The building department was not fully staffed beginning in April of 2024, following the resignation of Danny Neely as code enforcement officer. Richard Patterson also resigned from his post as building inspector shortly afterwards.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved to hire Peter Gower as the interim building inspector and code enforcer in August of 2024. He would also later resign from his post.
Based on the city board minutes, the resolution process did not appear before the city board on any unkempt properties from August of 2024 until now. The three parcels on First Street and Charles Street mark the first resolution process in several months.
Alderman Charlie Jenkins said he is ready for the city to return to its unkempt property procedures.
“If we have to start working on these houses, we need to bring these (properties) back to where they look better,” Jenkins said. “We have got to get our properties back on the tax base, and I think that we should go to the zoning board to see what options there are. Our city is based on property taxes. And we are not receiving a whole lot of property taxes, according to our records. We need to do the necessary things. It is a fact that businesses come to clean cities.”
