VIDEO: Improving Residential Living In The Friendly City

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Its no secret there’s a high demand for residential development in Columbus.

As a result city leaders are trying to find a solution.

During Tuesday’s budget hearing, city leaders agreed on a one mill tax increase for a $3.2 million Urban Renewal Bond.

The funding will allow the Columbus Redevelopment Authority Board to purchase properties and clean up blighted areas.

Mayor Robert Smith said Burns Bottom is just one of the areas that’ll receive a makeover.

Once everything is complete, Columbus Redevelopment Authority will sell the properties to private developers, generating tax revenue for the city.

“We’re trying to create one trac of land that we can market to developers as one whole piece rather than them having to come in and individually put it together, we’re basically putting it together for them,” said John Acker, president of the Columbus Redevelopment Authority Board.

“That’s the purpose. That’s the vision, to bring developers in to where they can develop and then once they develop this property, then that will increase the tax base,” said Mayor Robert Smith.

A public hearing is set to take place before any construction work begins on the projects.