Byram Apartments

The city of Byram currently has a temporary ban on new apartment complexes and leaders are considering extending that ban. The newly formed city would be wise to extend it and keep it in place as long they can.

Except in certain cases, apartment complexes have negative affects on communities. They would lower property value, and bring in new residents who generally have a lack of concern for their neighborhood as they have nothing invested in it. Less than desirable business soon follows. It’s a trend we have seen in many places.

You can look at the Old Canton Road area of Ridgeland for an example of what apartment complexes do to an area.

Certain places in the metro area have done just fine with apartments. Flowood and Brandon have a number of apartment complexes- both new and old- and those areas have not seen a negative effect on the communities. Of course, in most cases the prices of their apartments are so high that it is the equivalent of a mortgage payment.

Further, it doesn’t make business sense right now. One property manager at a Byram apartment complex said they are struggling to keep it at 93 percent capacity. New complexes mean more competition which means lower prices.

However, to Hinds County Supervisor Doug Anderson this issue is all about race. He told the Clarion-Ledger that it undermines black residents. In reality, this is about a new city that wants to set its own path forward and doesn’t see apartment complexes as a way of growing or adding anything to it.