AUGUSTA, Ga. ()- Commissioner Jordan Johnson wants to hear from those who live in the Harrisburg neighborhood, so he’s holding a public meeting for feedback.

He believes the code enforcement for housing should be a more aggressive.

Also, that there should be strategic plans in place to help people live, work, and feel safe in Harrisburg.

Commissioner Johnson wants to turn your concerns into action to restore the historic neighborhood, and he talks about some concerns he’s already aware of.

“Just the need for infrastructure renewal, the need for housing, the fact that there is very little affordable housing in the neighborhood is very concerning to me. And then just the amount of slumlords that you have in the Harrisburg community. They own property here, they own houses here, but they live elsewhere. And they’re just absentee the way that they are requiring their their residents to live is just is ridiculous.”

He also says poverty is the main concern.

“But right now we have an issue with poverty. I think before we even move further into redevelopment or bringing new people in, we have to, you know, work on the issues that we have now. The fact that 80% of the neighborhood is somewhat living in poverty tells me that we have more work to do in the neighborhood.”

Tonight’s public meeting starts at 6pm at the ‘E.W. Hagler Boys & Girls Club’ located on Division Street.