Jackson Housing Commission cites safety, leasing gains; Reed Manor repairs and RAD modernization discussed

Arturo Buckrin, executive director of the Jackson Housing Commission, presented the commission’s annual report at the April 15 Jackson City Council meeting, saying the agency has increased leasing and made security and physical-condition improvements across its properties.

Buckrin told the council the housing authority is “85% leased up,” and said the commission installed nine license-plate-reading cameras and upgraded surveillance at its developments. He said an on-site Jackson Police Department officer at Reed Manor last summer and lighting and lock upgrades have reduced after‑hours incidents. Buckrin said, “In 2024, 9-1-1 emergency response calls were cut in half from 2023, which was about 30 less than 2022,” as an indicator of improved safety.

The report also detailed capital needs and repairs. On Reed Manor, Buckrin described a mix of offline units and repair work: “The capacity at Reed Manor is a 15 actual units, but there's 20 that are offline due to mold damage, and another 23 that are offline due to fire damage.” He said HUD capital repairs have been obligated for those buildings and that returning the two buildings to service could add about 45…