The Jackson Housing Authority and The City of Jackson, Miss., are constructing the state’s first solar-powered affordable-housing project that will provide energy-efficient homes to the city.
In Phase 1 of the project, 16 housing units will be built during 12 months of construction by CRG Residential, LLC, in the North Midtown neighborhood near downtown Jackson.
The units were designed by Duvall Decker Architects, P.A., along with the Jackson Housing Authority. Each 1,600 square foot, one and two story units come with environmentally friendly and sustainable amenities like Energy Star appliances and Smart Meters, and each unit will have a car port with solar powered roofs.
The goal of the project is to provide affordable housing while including sustainability, energy-efficiency, durability and livability improvements to the area.
“We’re very excited about this new housing development and its contribution to Jackson,” said Sheila Jackson, Executive Director of the Housing Authority. “In addition to providing needed durable, sustainable, affordable housing, we’re pleased that the project will also provide new jobs in Jackson. We’re also proud to be building the first solar powered housing development in the state.”
Jackson said Phase 1 of the project will also bring 100 jobs to the city and that the Jackson Housing Authority has already received 45 resumes from local residents applying for work on the housing project.
The $3.49 million project is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Planning for the project took four years and will include improvements to water and sewer lines.
Some of the other amenities of the North Midtown Neighborhood Master Plan include:
- DURABLE CONSTRUCTION
Deep Piling Foundations
Cementitious Siding
Tough Mississippi Brick Veneer
Painted Wood Wainscoting
External Serviced HVAC
Gutters and Downspouts
- ENERGY EFFICIENT / SUSTAINABLE
Thermal Aluminum Windows
Energy Star Appliances
Water-Conserving Fixtures
Solar Panel Energy Generation
Instant Gas Water Heaters
High Performance Walls and Attics
Insulated, Drained Crawl Spaces
Smart Meters provided by Entergy MS in partnership with Smart Synch
- ENHANCED SITE PLANNING
Family-Friendly and Social Sites
Front Off-Street Parking
Front and Rear Fenced Yards
Landscaping Buffers
Public Infrastructure Improvements
Secure Service Alleys
- LIVEABLE / FUNCTIONAL DESIGN
Open Flexible Floor Plans
Spacious Rooms
Eat In Kitchens
Roomy Front Porches
Natural Light and Ventilation