A community coping with blight

BY F/ BENJAMIN SR. SPECIAL TO UPW

Augusta

Mira Hobbs took on the task of heading the Turpin Hill Neighborhood Association about a year ago and since then a new mayor and District 2 Commissioner have moved into the picture. UPW visited with Hobbs to get an update about the prospects for progress. Her responses were a mix of apprehension and hope for imminent and swift change.

“So far we have made an effort just to have those in the government recognize that our area has been neglected in many ways. I have personally had conversations with members of the new administration, including the mayor, and I believe that as we continue to let our voices be heard that our concerns will be addressed,” Hobbs told UPW. “We would like to see some of the issues with vacant/blighted houses and right-of-way maintenance brought to the forefront, as empty houses and trash-filled overgrown lots invite unwanted crime into our community.”

The Turpin Hill neighborhood is close to downtown and is mainly residential with plenty of aging structures and is the site of Camp Dyer, a training ground for African-American troops in the SpanishAmerican War. Hobbs is moving to get the site the historical recognition that it deserves.

“We did have Mr. Erick Montgomery, Executive Director of Historic Augusta come and speak to our association about the history of Turpin Hill and discussed the process for obtaining a marker. Our first goal is to get a historical marker from the state of Georgia, but that is going to require quite a bit of research on our part, so it may be some time before we are able to get that done,” Hobbs said. “Leon Maben from the Lucy C. Laney Museum has also been very helpful in this effort.”

Hobbs is looking forward to working with the new members of the adminis - tration.

“Hopefully, some strong, creative solutions will be made available in this area by this new administration,” Hobbs said. “Commissioner [Stacy] Pulliam has continued to keep in contact with our association and attends our meetings as her schedule permits. Her first campaign promise was to sponsor a quarterly Community Breakfast for the members of District 2 which she fulfilled in January. She invited various members of the government, including Mayor Johnson, DA Jared Williams, Interim Administrator Douse, and most of the major department heads, to speak about the activities and plans that affect our community in general.”

Hobbs also had kind things to say about Commissioner Francine Scott (Superdistrict 9). “Our at-large commissioner, has also been very responsive to our needs and attends our meetings, as well. I spoke with her and Comm. Pulliam regarding the overgrowth at the rear of the Carrie J. Mays Community Center and Oates Creek and both of those issues were resolved with their assistance. So, I believe that we now have representatives for our area that are concerned and willing to make sure that our needs are being addressed properly,” she said.

Mira Hobbs, president of the Turpin Hill Neighborhood Association, was elected in January 2022. She is working to bring attention to neighborhood issues and concerns affecting the