COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

CONTACT INFORMATION

Located at Hattiesburg City Hall, the office is open Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

200 Forrest Street
Post Office Box 1898
Hattiesburg, MS 39403-1898
601-554-1006

Community Development Division Staff
Petra Wingo, Division Manager
Dequandra Johnson, Housing Coordinator
Kassy McMillin, Housing Coordinator
Sir Jarrick Pizzferro, Housing Inspector
Demetria Farve, LeadSAFE Hattiesburg Program Manager
Sharon Newsom, Office Manager

PUBLIC NOTICES

December 1, 2023 | ATTENTION: RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF HATTIESBURG AND INTERESTED PARTIES

Due to technical issues, the 2023-2027 Consolidated Plan/2023 Annual Action Plan is not currently available for viewing.

Please contact 601-554-1006 to leave your contact information and the plan will be mailed/emailed to you when it becomes available.


For a current list of all public notices, please visit https://www.hattiesburgms.com/public-notices/.

The Community Development Division administers the annual grant programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as well as other grant opportunities that may complement such efforts. Primarily, this division manages projects funded through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Grant (HOME). Both of these programs are intended to benefit low- to moderate-income (LMI) individuals and households.  Administration of the programs is guided by the City’s 5-year Consolidated Plan and each year’s Action Plan.

LeadSAFE HATTIESBURG

The LeadSAFE Hattiesburg program is a lead hazard reduction program for income-eligible residents who live within the city limits of Hattiesburg. The program aims to protect children and families from lead-based paint (LBP) hazards by using LBP hazard safety training, as well as interim controls and abatement. To learn more about the program offerings, visit the LeadSAFE Hattiesburg page.

HOME

The HOME Program focuses on Affordable Housing. The City offers Down Payment Assistance awards to income-eligible first-time home buyers; oversees a rehabilitation program for homeowner-occupied dwellings; and partners with non-profit organizations for the purpose of constructing or rehabilitating houses to be sold or rented as affordable units.

CDBG

The CDBG Program allows for activities that benefit LMI individuals, LMI households, areas of the community that are majority LMI, or serve to create jobs available to LMI persons.  CDBG Programs undertaken by the City include Homeowner-occupied rehabilitation and Emergency Repairs, Downtown Facade Improvement, various Public Services through non-profits, Microenterprise Assistance, Public Facility Improvement, and Infrastructure Improvement.

Programs with ongoing application periods:

  • HOME Downpayment Assistant for First Time Homebuyers
  • CDBG Facade Improvement Assistance
  • CDBG Emergency Housing Repair (homeowner-occupied)

Programs with limited application periods:

  • CDBG & HOME Substantial Housing Rehabilitation (homeowner-occupied)
  • CDBG Public Service Awards for Non-Profits
  • CDBG Microenterprise Assistance

Individuals interested in programs with time-limited application periods are encouraged to call the Community Development Division at (601) 554-1006 for more information. Notices of Funding Availability or Requests for applications/proposals will be advertised in the Pine Belt News when funding is available. Whether or not funding is available will depend on the amount of funding made available in the City’s annual grant awards and what priority level is assigned to these program areas in comparison with others.

Emergency Roof Repair Initiative

The Community Development Division will be accepting 50 pre-applications on a first-come, first-served basis for the Emergency Roof Repair Initiative. Pre-applications are available at the Community Development Office (located at 200 Forrest Street). Pre-applications will only be accepted on Thursday, December 15, 2022, beginning at 9:00 a.m.  For questions, please contact Community Development at 601-554-1006.

Prospective applicants must answer the following questions and meet HUD standards prior to application and housing feasibility inspection.

  1. Are you the sole owner of the property?
  2. Are all homeowners listed on the deed currently living in the household?
  3. Have you lived at this address for more than 1 year?
  4. Can you provide a 12-month utility bill/statement for services in your name?
  5. Do you live within the City limits of Hattiesburg, Forrest County?
  6. Do you have current Homeowners Insurance on the property? *Mandatory homeowners insurance requirements have been waived for homeowners as of March 2022. However, if you reside in a Flood Zone, flood insurance is required.
  7. Are your property taxes paid for the previous year or exempt?
  8. Can you provide income verification for everyone in the household?
  9. What is the yearly household income?
  10. Do you have an immediate family member employed with the City of Hattiesburg’s Urban Development Department?
  11. How many people live in your household? *This program is income based and will require proof of income
  12. Do you have a Mortgage on your home? If yes, how much?