BILOXI, Miss. – The Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ) is partnering with the City of Biloxi to present information about MCJ’s free legal services for organizations looking to transform abandoned and blighted properties into affordable housing. The presentation is on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, starting at 3:00 p.m. at the Biloxi Community Development Auditorium, 676 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd., Biloxi, MS. Agencies interested in attending are asked to register by emailing housing@mscenterforjustice.org.
The presentation will educate nonprofits, municipalities, and community organizations about MCJ’s direct legal services, which include title searches and deed preparation, purchase agreements and real estate closings, resolution of complex title issues, and legal guidance throughout the transformation of blighted properties. This statewide initiative helps stabilize low-income communities by providing comprehensive legal support to reclaim neglected properties.
Mississippi faces a significant shortage of affordable, stable housing, with thousands of abandoned homes across the state. In Jackson alone, nearly 12,000 homes remain unoccupied, creating burdens that reduce tax revenues, increase crime, and hinder economic mobility.
“We’re seeing communities across Mississippi struggle with both a shortage of affordable housing and an abundance of abandoned properties,” said MCJ’s Housing Law Campaign Director, Attorney Ashley Richardson. “This program addresses both challenges by helping transform blighted properties into safe, affordable homes for families who need them most.”
The Mississippi Bar Foundation Bank of America Foreclosure Prevention & Community Redevelopment Grant Program makes this statewide program possible. It allows MCJ to continue making a difference, helping to ensure that neglected properties become opportunities for revitalization, growth, and stability.
Organizations interested in revitalizing properties in their neighborhoods or hosting a presentation can contact MCJ at 228-435-7284 (option 5 for housing) or email housing@mscenterforjustice.org.
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The Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ) is a nonprofit law firm that advances racial and economic justice through litigation, policy advocacy, and community education. Through partnerships and direct legal services, MCJ works to ensure that all Mississippians have access to justice and opportunity.
Media Contact:
Tara Y. Wren, Ph.D.
Director of Communications
Mississippi Center for Justice
601-487-7504
twren@mscenterforjustice.org