Urban Development Director Willie Horton

The Urban Development Department consists of the Planning and Zoning Division, the Code Enforcement Division, the Land Development Code Division, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Community Development Block Grant Program, the Mass Transit Division and the Neighborhood Improvement Program.
The department employs 42 people to carry out its various function. Programs such as Planning, Community Development, Zoning, and Land Development are aimed at facilitating continued economic growth while preserving the character and quality of the community. The department receives funding directly from HUD to engage in community and neighborhood revitalization. In addition, the department uses funding from the Federal Transit Administration to provide transportation services to the community.

The Director of Urban Development oversees the Implementation of various problems related to planning, zoning, building and inspection, and community and neighborhood development.

Just one example of the many Urban Development success stories

1. Planning and Zoning staff serve as staff to the Hattiesburg Planning Commission and provides consultation to citizens on zoning matters; also makes recommendations to the Administration with regard to land use and development. Other areas include Historic Conservation and Downtown Revitalization

2. Community Development Planning utilizes strategies and implements programs aimed at community revitalization and development City-wide or in target areas through its consolidated plan.

   The Community Development Division:

   • Administers the CDBG and HOME Federal Entitlement Grant Programs

   (Community Development Block Grant and Home Investments Partnership Programs) Grants) to fund programs that provide services to benefit low and moderate income citizens or low to moderate income areas of the City of Hattiesburg.

    

   • Programs and services are planned in a manner to attempt to provide services and programs that address the high priority needs of the community.  Increasing the supply of decent, safe and sanitary affordable housing continues to be one of the major high priority issues for the City of Hattiesburg, and is even greater today due to the advent of Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent population growth due to the influx evacuees and displaced families and individuals who have chosen to relocate to our great City.

   Funds are primarily used to:

   • Increase and improve the lot of affordable housing stock within the City by constructing new single-family dwelling units or by repair or rehabilitation of owner occupied units
   • Provide needed public services
   • Perform demolition of dilapidated housing and clearing of associated lots
   • Provide assistance for façade improvement projects to businesses located in the Central Business District
   • Provide funding of projects to improve the City’s infrastructure in low and moderate income areas  
   • Up to 20% of CDBG funds may be used for Administration & Planning
   • Up to 15% of CDBG funds may be used to fund Public Service Programs
   • Up to 10% of HOME funds may be used for Administration & Planning
   • 15% of HOME funds must be reserved to support CHDO (Community Housing Development Organizations) efforts to increase the supply of available affordable housing and promote homeownership
   • Prepares the 5-Year Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan (the Plan) that set forth the activities funded by these dollars and provides certifications of consistency with the Plan.

    The City received approximately 1.07 million dollars in total CDBG and HOME grant dollars for Program Year 2005

    

3. The Neighborhood Improvement Program facilitates the development of, and supports the activities of, neighborhood associations geared toward maintaining safe, clean neighborhoods

Comprehensive Plan The City of Hattiesburg is in the process of updating the Comprehensive Plan, the long-range city plan that guides growth and development. Previous updates of this plan named neighborhood planning as a key element in the process, but this year marks the first time the process has started with neighborhood planning and then moved toward the long-range, citywide plan.

The Neighborhood Improvement Program has recently begun a new neighborhood planning program called Neighborhoods Building Hattiesburg's Future. Neighborhood planning endorses a planning process that is community driven and outlines how the City will work with its neighborhoods. Neighborhoods participating in the planning are asked to make sure that citywide needs are considered to understand that not all neighborhood goals will be fundable by the City. Neighborhoods are asked to recognize that some of their most important work is identifying what a neighborhood can do for itself without government dollars.

If you are interested in more information about neighborhood planning, or if you would like to know how to organize a neighborhood association, call the Neighborhood Improvement Coordinator at 554-1005.

The Metropolitan Organization develops long and short range transportation improvement plans for the Hattiesburg, Petal, Forrest, and Lamar Urbanized area. The Metropolitan Planning Organization consists of representatives from the City of Hattiesburg, the City of Petal, Forrest County and Lamar County.

Land Development Division represents another major functional area and includes all functions related to buildings and enforcement of ordinances related to trash and liter, abandoned vehicles, and buildings

The Building Inspections Division issues all building permits. approves all building site plans (commercial and residential) and performs plumbing, electrical, and general building inspections to ensure that development is in accordance with the land development code and other adopted building codes.

The Code Enforcement Division involves the ongoing inspection of property for a range of violations including abandoned vehicles, abandoned buildings, dilapidated buildings, overgrown lots, and trash and litter. A newly implement municipal offense ticketing process; provides the needed leverage with which to enforce these various ordinances

The Mass Transit Division, or the Hattiesburg Area Readi Transit (H.A.R.T.) operates both fixed routes and demand-response services. There are three fixed routes, which are the Dabbs Street route, the Hardy Street route, and the Mobile Street route. The demand-response service is strictly for citizens with special needs, and operates n a twenty four-hour advance notice system. People with special needs are identified as anyone who is not physically able to reach a designated bus stop on one of the fixed routes. Individuals requesting this service should call 545-4671 to schedule a time to be picked up. Anyone using this service will be transported to the requested destination and returned home at the requested time.

City of Hattiesburg Action Center
                 545-4500
Your direct line to city services.

The City of Hattiesburg's Action Center began operation on May 4, 1998. Citizens are encouraged to call the Action Center to receive information regarding neighborhood information, general Hattiesburg information and a calendar of City events. Citizens can also use the Action Line 545-4500, to register a complaint, make a suggestion or report litter concerns. Calling the Action Line is a more efficient method for the City of Hattiesburg to ensure quality service to all of its citizens