JAN Board Recap: Innovation Team Shares Ideation Session Findings, Community Survey Still Open
On May 4, 2026, the Jackson Association of Neighborhoods held its monthly board meeting, marking the first public meeting of the year and an opportunity for Jackson's Innovation Team to share the results of last year's Ideation Sessions with community leaders.
Innovation Team Presents Ideation Findings
Jackson’s Innovation Team, comprised of Civic Designer Francine Sutton, PhD, and Data Analytics Manager Paris Smith, PhD, shared findings from a series of ideation sessions conducted last year, during which more than 385 residents, city staff and community stakeholders were engaged across listening sessions, community meetings, town halls, stakeholder interviews and a community survey.
If you were unable to attend the May 4 board meeting, a recording is available for viewing. Watch the recording here: https://shorturl.at/givWJ using the password: 7ti!U8×5.
The research surfaced four priority ideas that rose to the top as the most actionable and impactful for Jackson's neighborhoods:
Streamline the Permitting Process
Improve Communication with Residents
Neighborhood Beautification Pilots
Land Use and Zoning Updates
For a closer look at the findings and what's next for each idea, read through the full Ideation Summary here.
Community Survey Still Open
The Innovation Team emphasized that community input remains essential to shaping how resources are allocated. Jackson's Innovation Team wants to hear from you about neighborhood beautification in Jackson. Your feedback will help shape projects and prioritize improvements that matter most to the community, including cleaner lots, better lighting, sidewalk improvements, community spaces and other ideas.
The survey takes less than three minutes to complete and can be accessed here: https://shorturl.at/LgPJT
Next Meeting: June 1, 2026
Mark your calendars! JAN's next monthly board meeting will be held on June 1, 2026, which also happens to be 601 Day, a celebration of Jackson and everything that makes this city great.
We are excited to welcome guest speaker Immanuel Wiggins, a master's student in Jackson State University's Urban and Regional Planning program. Wiggins will be presenting 'Population: JXN,' a comprehensive plan that aims to create simple and effective solutions to address Jackson's steadily decreasing population.
The meeting will be held on Monday, June 1, 2026, at the Warren G. Hood Building, located at 2 South President Street in the Andrew Jackson Conference Room. A Zoom option will also be available for those unable to attend in person: https://shorturl.at/5tL6Y
