Week of: October 22, 2026
The latest from tsdmemphis.com
Memphis Safe Task Force isn’t going anywhere soon — Page 7 NEWS
NEWS
GRIEVING THE LOST FUTURES OF FIVE YOUNG MEMPHIANS AGES 17-21
MEMPHIS NEEDS MORE HOUSING, BUT BUILDING IT IS ONLY HALF THE BATTLE.
Beyond the car crash in Hickory Hill that claimed them are stories of friendship, family and lives taking shape. — Page 6
Rising prices, aging homes and stagnant incomes complicate mayor’s push for 10,000 new or rehabilitated housing units by 2030. — Page 8
Volume 75, Issue 42
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TRI-STATE DEFENDER
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Memphis schools state takeover paused again “Hopefully this will be resolved soon so all of us can get together and improve our school system.” — Billy Orgel
Bri Hatch Chalkbeat
President Calvin Anderson
Editor Stephanie R. Jones
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Week of: October 22, 2026
The state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools has once again been temporarily blocked, this time by a local judge on Monday, Oct. 19. That decision came minutes before the state-appointed oversight board was set to meet for the second time this month, oversight board Chair Billy Orgel said. The ruling throws control of the district back into uncertainty, returning full authority to the local school board only days after a federal judge reinstated the oversight board’s authority. The federal case over whether the takeover is constitutional remains ongoing. But MSCS and Shelby County leaders filed a separate lawsuit against the takeover law in chancery court on Oct. 7. As of Monday afternoon, the court order was not available on the Shelby County Chancery Court website. But in a request for a temporary block filed Sunday, district leaders amended their complaint to remove allegations that the state takeover law violates the Tennessee Constitution, a key argument in their federal case. Instead, the plaintiffs argue that the takeover was ordered without evidence that the district qualified for it and that the takeover will irreparably harm district operations. Orgel said Monday’s meeting had been canceled around 12:50 p.m., 10 minutes before it was scheduled to begin virtually. “Hopefully this will be resolved soon so all of us can get together and improve our school system,” Orgel said in a statement to Chalkbeat. At its first meeting in months earlier this month, the nine-member oversight
board fast-tracked approval of key policies and processes to prove it was ready to begin its work. That included a draft approval process for contracts over $50,000. The draft plan, along with job descriptions for an executive director
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and oversight board procedures, came from Florida-based consulting group MGT. The firm, which had also advised the state takeover of Houston schools in 2023, was hired by local philanthropists including longtime state takeover supporter Seeding Success. Editor’s note: This is an ongoing story and will be updated as it develops. Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org. This story was originally published by Chalkbeat.
TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
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Mississippi AG says officer’s force was justified during shoplifting call in which boy was killed Attorney, Mississippi Congressional Black Caucus call for release of shooting video By Sophie Bates and Jack Brook Associated Press
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi’s attorney general says a Senatobia officer was justified in using force when he responded to a shoplifting call and fired at a moving vehicle that investigators said was driving toward police, killing a 1-year-old boy who was inside the car. The conclusion of the state’s investigation into the shooting death of Kohen Wiley follows months of mourning and calls for justice, both nationally and in the small town where the shooting took place, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Memphis. The shooting occurred in mid-June as Senatobia officers responded to a shoplifting call at a Walmart, where they saw Vellesiya Wiley, Kohen’s mother, carrying her son as she and a friend left the store, got into a car and began driving away. Wiley and her friend are both Black. Police believed they stole diapers and baby clothes. Kohen’s mother has denied she or her friend stole anything, and neither of them have been charged with shoplifting or any other counts, according to online state and county court records. According to a statement released shortly after the shooting by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the car drove toward law enforcement, prompting an officer to fire into the car, striking Kohen and his mother’s friend. Martin Zummach, an attorney who represents the officer who fired the shot that killed Kohen, says the attorney general’s findings cleared his client of criminal wrongdoing. He said the driver of the vehicle “tried to kill” his client and other officers who were present. “He had no choice but to fire his Week of: October 22, 2026
weapon,” Zummach told The Associated Press. In a video released days after the shooting, Vellesiya Wiley disputed that her friend, who was driving, headed toward the officers.
Lawyer calls for release of bodyworn camera footage Ben Crump, the nationally renowned civil rights attorney who is representing Kohen’s family, has said results of a preliminary independent autopsy indicate Kohen was shot from the side of the car, not the front, contradicting officers’ claims that the car was heading toward them. Crump on Monday pointed out that authorities have yet to release video footage of the encounter to support the attorney general’s finding that the shooting was a justified use of force. “How can anyone accept that conclusion when Kohen’s family and the public still have not been allowed to see the body-camera footage?” Crump said in a statement. “If the footage supports the state’s decision, release it. We will not stop fighting until this family gets the truth.” A photo of the car after the shooting shows that the passenger window was shattered and an apparent bullet hole pierced the windshield on the passenger side. The other woman in the car was badly wounded, authorities said. John P. Gross, an expert on police use of force on moving vehicles, said that if the vehicle had been moving toward officers, the best practice would have been for them to get out of the way. “This shooting was almost certainly unjustified,” Gross told the AP. “In terms of both officer safety, the safety of the occupants of the vehicle and
general public safety, you don’t shoot vehicles.” Charles “Joe” Key, a firearms and ballistics expert and former Baltimore police lieutenant who typically testifies in defense of police, said the image of the vehicle after the shooting suggests that the officer fired from the side. “That indicates that the officer who did the shooting was not personally at risk at the time he shot,” Key said. “The only way it would have been justified is if officers had been in the path of a car driving directly at them.” “The body-worn camera’s going to have to tell if anybody was in danger,” he added. Marquell Bridges, an activist who has been working with Kohen Wiley’s family, called for the release of video footage of the shooting in a statement. “His family deserves the truth. The public deserves transparency,” Bridges said. “We will not be silent. We will not look away. And we will not allow the life of a Black child to be treated as though it means nothing.” The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus condemned the ruling and also called for Attorney General Fitch to release evidence supporting that decision. “Kohen Wiley was a baby. He posed no threat. He deserved protection, and he deserved a future. His family is owed more than a conclusion. They are owed the evidence, the explanation and the truth,” MLBC Chairman Rep. Kabir Karriem said in a statement Tuesday. “Release the video. Explain what the evidence shows about the officer’s position, the vehicle’s movement and the circumstances of each shot. Explain how your office evaluated the danger to Kohen and the other occupants. Address the questions raised by his family and their attorneys,” Karriem contin-
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Kohen Wiley, a 1-year-old boy, was fatally shot in June when a Senatobia, Mississippi, police officer fired at a moving vehicle during a response to a shoplifting call at Walmart. The Mississippi attorney general later ruled the officer’s use of force was justified, a finding that Kohen’s family and civil rights advocates have challenged while calling for the release of body-camera footage. (Ben Crump Law)
ued. “A declaration of justification is not a substitute for accountability.”
Child’s death stokes simmering tensions The shooting is the latest in a string of incidents that has eroded trust between the Senatobia police department and the city’s Black residents. Last year, a Senatobia officer threatened a Black woman with a Taser, pulling her from her car and onto the ground and arresting her during a confrontation over an accessible parking space in the same Walmart lot where Kohen was shot. Two years earlier, a Senatobia police officer was fired for arresting a Black 10-year-old for urinating in public. More recently, former Senatobia Police Chief Harold Vanderford was fired by the city’s board of aldermen, after reporting by The New York Times, Mississippi Today and Verite News alleged he routinely used racist slurs in private text messages. — Brook reported from New Orleans. The Tri-State Defender contributed. TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
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Shelby County assessor makes the case for data centers amid tax base concerns As elected officials weigh restrictions, county assessor says technology investment could ease homeowners’ tax burden By Lee Eric Smith
TSD Contributing Writer
Shelby County Assessor of Property Javier Bailey Sr. has a simple message for local leaders debating whether to welcome more data centers or halt their expansion: The county can’t afford to ignore the money. “You either got to slow down spending, or you got to expand the tax base,” Bailey said Wednesday in an interview with the Tri-State Defender. “It’s that elementary.” As Shelby County grapples with population loss, empty Downtown office buildings and billions in future government spending commitments, Bailey believes the growing artificial intelligence industry offers an opportunity Memphis cannot afford to squander. That doesn’t mean data centers should get a free pass, he said. It means regulating them, protecting surrounding communities and making sure local governments collect their share of the industry’s economic benefits. “We can regulate them, right? I’m good with regulation,” Bailey said. “They need to be regulated. Everything else gets regulated. Hospitals are regulated. Restaurants get regulated.” But his position puts him at odds with advocates calling for a pause on new data centers amid concerns about air pollution, water consumption and electricity demands. The Shelby County Commission is now exploring a moratorium. Memphis Mayor Paul Young has authorized a study on data centers and their impacts. Memphis City Council approved new data center zoning standards on Week of: October 22, 2026
first reading Oct. 8 and expects a final vote Oct. 20 on a proposed 12-month moratorium. “I don’t support moratoriums and banning data centers,” he said. “I’m for regulating this activity, but I’m also for capturing their money, their tax dollars. That’s what I was elected to do.”
How Shelby County makes money, explained Local officials set property tax rates, and Bailey’s office determines property values that form the basis for taxation. And for all the complicated language surrounding assessments and tax rates, Bailey says the underlying math is pretty simple. “All government operations are financed off taxes and fees,” he explained. “There’s no other revenue worth talking about.” The tax base shrinks when businesses close and commercial properties lose value, causing tax revenues to decline and potentially leaving homeowners to carry a heavier tax burden, Bailey said. “These people, the residential sector, have to make up the difference because the cost of government ain’t going down,” he said. “We ain’t firing firefighters and police officers. The potholes still got to be filled. The sewer lines still got to work.” That doesn’t mean homeowners automatically face higher tax bills when commercial values decline as a result of shuttered businesses. But without new revenue or spending cuts, Bailey warns, local leaders could face difficult choices about tax rates and public services. “What I’m trying to do is say, ‘Hey, look, let’s do something now before the
Shelby County Assessor of Property Javier Bailey Sr. says data centers could help strengthen the county’s tax base and generate revenue for local government as officials weigh how to regulate the facilities.
homeowners are having to cover all of this burden,’” he said. “Because it’s obvious that we’re losing business.”
Why Bailey is sounding the alarm Bailey’s concern stems from a sixpage report, “The State of Shelby County’s Tax Base,” released Sept. 28. The report warns that the county’s commercial property tax base is stagnant and could continue to weaken as businesses close, office buildings lose tenants and residents move away. The warning comes as local governments contemplate major spending commitments, including a new jail and schools. Other projects, such as a new Regional One Medical Center expected to cost more than $1 billion, have already been announced. “What brought it to my attention was they were talking about building
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a hospital, a jail, some new schools,” Bailey said. “I said, ‘OK, we better start looking at whether or not the money’s going to be there because that’s a lot of commitments.” Although the county’s tax base is relatively strong, he believes the warning signs are unmistakable. Property values increased nearly 25% between the 2017 and 2021 reappraisals, followed by approximately 34% growth between 2021 and 2025, according to Bailey. He attributed much of the latter increase to the post-pandemic surge in property sales. Now, he said, his office projects substantially slower growth — roughly 4% — heading toward the next reappraisal in 2029. Meanwhile, Downtown Memphis has become a troubling symbol of the changing economy with its vacant and TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS “What brought it to my attention was they were talking about building a hospital, a jail, some new schools. I said, ‘OK, we better start looking at whether or not the money’s going to be there because that’s a lot of commitments.” — Javier Bailey Sr. underused office buildings, such as 100 North Main, the former Morgan Keegan tower and the Sterick Building, exacerbating the problem. Memphis has also lost major tourism events and conferences once held Downtown. The Beale Street Music Festival? Gone. The once-reliable hotel tax revenue from the COGIC Holy Convocation in November? Not returning. It all adds up. “Those economic indicators suggest that the valuations of those properties
Week of: October 22, 2026
are going to go down,” Bailey said. “It’ll be 2029 when you really see the effect of all those closed businesses. That’s when it’s going to show up.”
What data centers bring to the region For Bailey, the economic argument for data centers begins with the Colossus supercomputer facility owned by SpaceXAI at the former Electrolux plant in Southwest Memphis. “Once they got going, first year out the gate: $16 million to the county, $12 million to the city,” Bailey said. “That’s $28 million worth of tax revenue that came in year one.” Those figures have not been independently verified. But they demonstrate the potential value of data center investments, he said, particularly the expensive computing equipment that can generate substantial property tax revenue. “It made up for a lot of losses,” he continued. “But we spend that money as quickly as it comes in.” Bailey acknowledged data centers fail to create many permanent jobs after initial construction is completed, although he sees a potentially bigger
payoff from technology companies and suppliers that could follow. In December 2024, the Greater Memphis Chamber announced that Nvidia, Dell and Supermicro planned to establish operations in Memphis as part of SpaceXAI’s expansion. Dell subsequently said it had no plans to set up any new local sites, although the company remains part of the technology supply chain serving the region’s growing AI industry. Attracting more companies — and the jobs that might come with them — is another reason to welcome the industry, Bailey said. More jobs could make Memphis a more attractive place to live. More residents buying homes and spending money with local businesses could, in turn, strengthen the tax base. But if Memphis makes it too difficult for data centers to operate, Bailey warns, the opportunity and its accompanying tax revenue will go elsewhere. “They’ll just go a half mile away to DeSoto County,” Bailey said. “Half a mile. You’re still gonna breathe the same air. Tap the same water. Be on the same grid. But without any economic benefit to Memphis or Shelby County.
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“Why don’t we regulate it and keep them here?” he said.
A summit — and a larger challenge Bailey is convening a tax base summit Nov. 18, bringing together city and county officials, business leaders and homeowners to examine data centers and ways to revive or repurpose Downtown office buildings that no longer attract traditional tenants. He has discussed the county’s tax base report with both mayors and received no disagreement, he said, although he believes its findings surprised them. Data centers may offer a new source of revenue, but they are unable to solve challenges related to population loss, declining tourism, empty commercial buildings or the difficulty of attracting young professionals and businesses. When local leaders gather next month for the summit, they must determine ways to make the county more economically competitive while ensuring government can afford the services residents expect, Bailey said. “We’re bringing them all in one room,” he said, “and we’re going to hold a productive meeting, leaving our egos at the door.”
TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS Grieving the lost futures of five young Memphians ages 17-21 Beyond the car crash in Hickory Hill that claimed them are stories of friendship, family and lives taking shape By Judith Black Moore TSD Contributing Writer
The day after her birthday, Syria Fifer sent a text to her grandfather, the Rev. James Fifer. “Granddaddy, how ya’ doing?” she wrote, along with a thumbsup emoji, according to television news reports. It was the last time the two communicated with each other. Fifer was among the five young people killed after a Memphis police cruiser collided with their vehicle at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at the intersection of Hickory Hill and East Raines roads. The officers were responding to a call. Television news outlets also report a sixth passenger from the civilian car remains hospitalized in critical condition. The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating. This week, families across the city are still holding on to moments like Fifer’s text message, mourning the tragic loss. Fifer was attending school to earn a degree. Her cousin Carlesha Fifer would have turned 20 in a month. Messiah Lee had become a certified nursing assistant more than a year earlier. And Rodney McNeal Jr. was known as the cousin who showed up for everyone. The family of the fifth crash victim, who was a minor, has asked that all identifying details remain private. “Let the family grieve,” said Samantha Week of: October 22, 2026
Dowden, Carlesha’s aunt. What matters now for those who loved the five young people whose lives were cut short is the memory of who they were. Syria Fifer, 21 Described by her family as a beautiful soul and an angel on Earth, Fifer was known for bringing happiness into any room and making others feel loved. Her grandfather, who has spent decades as a pastor at Acacia Baptist Church and Christian Center, often comforts other families through loss. “When it comes my time, it’s different,” he told WREG News Channel 3. Carlesha Fifer, 19 Carlesha was “one of the funniest, happiest, goofiest kids you would ever meet,” said her mother, Shoneke Williams, who shared with WMC Action News 5 that her daughter always told the truth and loved color for her hair, nails and shoes. She was a homebody who enjoyed watching TV and spending time on her phone and computer, Williams said. She had finally decided to go out — never knowing it would be the last time. Williams said she grieves milestones such as driving a first car that her daughter will never reach. Messiah Lee, 20 Lee, who completed the certified nursing assistant program in July 2025 at Professional Allied Health, a health-
Clockwise from top left: Rodney McNeal Jr., Messiah Lee, Carlesha Fifer and Syria Fifer.
care career training school, was a bright young woman with “a beautiful spirit and a promising future ahead of her,” according to a post on the school’s Facebook account. “Although her time with us was far too short, Messiah will forever hold a special place in our hearts and will always be a part of the PAH family,” the post continued. Rodney McNeal Jr., 20 At Hamilton High School, McNeal found a second family in coach Cory Robinson, who told WMC Action News 5 that he watched “Lil Rodney” grow up, always smiling and laughing, able to make others laugh. A cousin told WREG she had never once seen him sad and that he could be counted on to show up no matter what. Ta’Nia Davis, a friend who had known him since 9th grade, said at the memorial site that those mourning him should come together and “spread the love like he did,” FOX13 reported.
Gathering to remember On consecutive nights after the fatal
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collision, relatives and friends gathered with candles and balloons near the crash site. Pink, purple and red balloons — representing each girl’s favorite color — were released during an Oct. 13 vigil for Messiah, Syria and Carlesha. The students, cousins, teammates and friends were just getting started. Although the full stories of their lives will never be known, loved ones say they are determined to ensure these five young people are remembered. Funeral services for Syria and Carlesha Fifer will be Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1 p.m., New Bethel M.B. Church, 7768 Poplar Pike in Germantown, according to a Facebook post on the account for their grandfather’s church. Lee’s service is also scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24, at 12 p.m. at Travelers Rest Baptist Church, 1641 Sydney St., Memphis. NcNeal’s funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3,1 at Greater New Liberty Baptist Church, 250 E. Raines Road, Memphis.
TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
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Memphis Safe Task Force isn’t going anywhere soon By James Coleman
TSD Contributing Writer
Federal and state law enforcement personnel may be here to stay, after it was announced the ongoing Memphis Safe Task Force will remain in the city indefinitely. News of a lasting presence was revealed Friday, Oct. 16, during a roundtable led by Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) in Memphis to mark the one year anniversary of the task force. “We are not saying we are packing up and going home. To the contrary, we are saying we have invested in this city and we are not cashing out our investment,” said Blanche. “We are actually going to continue to pay into this city and pay into this investment with manpower and funds and working together… .” Since the task force’s arrival, the crime rate has dropped precipitously across every metric. This includes violent crimes and property crimes alike. Over, 13,500 arrests have been made too, including over 1,500 gang members, according to Blanche. “We should always talk about where we were two years ago. Memphis was at some to the highest rates of violent crime, per capita, including some of the highest rates of murder, rape, assault, property crime, buglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft in the entire country. Right here, in Memphis,” said Blanche. President Donald Trump deployed an alphabet soup of federal law enforcement agency personnel, along with National Guard troops, to Memphis at the request of Gov. Bill Lee. They joined state law enforcement counterparts as a force multiplier to curb the city’s crime rate. The effort was largely coordinated by the Memphis Police Department. “There was no playbook for such an operation, such a model as we’ve been able to operationalize here in the city of Memphis. However, the results have been positive,” said Chief “C.J.” Davis, the lone city official at the gathering. Prior to the roundtable, the Tennessee Highway Patrol was the only outside agency mentioned as a continuous presence by Davis. Week of: October 22, 2026
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis and U.S. Attorney Mike Dunavant participate in the Memphis Safe Task Force discussion on Friday, Oct. 16. (Photos: Gary S.Whitlow/Tri-State Defender) ON THE COVER: Attorney General Todd Blanche, flanked by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces Serralta, leads a roundtable session on the Memphis Safe Task Force in the city.
Cities across the nation also have experienced historic drops in crime statistics. They too reached peaks during the COVID lockdowns in 2022. Memphis was also one of the leaders in crime prior to the pandemic. However, the city had seen a significant downward trend in crime in the two years prior to the task force’s arrival. One statistic highlighted during the discussion was the effort to locate missing and endangered children. “While we are arresting and clearing Memphis’ streets of the worst of the worst, we are also bringing much needed happiness to families of this great city. To date, the Memphis Safe Task Force has located 196 missing and endangered children and returned them to safety,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces S. Serralta. The impact to public health has also been noticed in at least one of the city’s emergency rooms. Dr. Andrew Sloas, a Baptist Memorial Hospital physician, said it was immediate there. Page 7
Prior to the task force, Sloas said, an average of between 6-10 gunshot victims were treated during a 12 hour shift. “When the task force arrived, that went down to one – not a day, but every three to four shifts,” he said. The roundtable also served as a campaign stop for Blackburn, who is currently running against Memphis City Council member Jerri Green for the open governor’s seat. The fate of the task force could likely depend on the winner. According to the latest polling, Blackburn retains a strong lead. However, the difference is now within single digits. A TargetSmart poll released on Sept. 18 showed the senator with a 45-36 lead. A month earlier, Green trailed by 21 points. Blackburn is a staunch ally of Trump and supporter of the task force. Green has criticized the effort as an unconstitutional overreach. Blackburn also faces a challenge from the right, by independent candidate David Hatley. The hot tub manufacturer from Elizabethton currently polls at 10. State Sen. Brent Taylor and U.S. Rep. David Kustoff, both Republicans, were also at the event. Taylor is squaring off against Democratic State Rep. Justin Pearson for the open U.S. House District 9 contest. Kustoff will go against Democrat Hiedi Kuhn, former Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk, in District 8. Longtime Democratic incumbent Steve Cohen announced his retirement after the Republican-led Tennessee legislature radically redrew district lines. The gerrymandering effort is largely seen as an attempt by Republicans to maintain control of the U.S. House. Taylor announced his candidacy immediately after its passage. In once safe states and districts, Republican candidates are on defense as President Trump’s popularity continues to nosedive. Surveys reflect Trump’s failing marks on the Iran War, fuel prices, inflation and immigration. Despite an approval rating at or below 30%, the increasingly unpopular president has vowed to make the election a referendum on his job performance. Allegations of corruption have also dogged Trump throughout his second term. TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
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Memphis needs more housing, but building it is only half the battle. By Lee Eric Smith
TSD Contributing Writer
The apartments were falling apart. The residents were fighting to stay. That’s what Mayor Paul Young remembers most about Tillman Cove, a 97-unit Memphis apartment complex where residents faced eviction shortly after he became the city’s housing director in 2016. “They were in terrible shape. Terrible shape,” Young recalled Thursday, Oct. 15,, at the Memphis Housing Summit, held at the Memphis Botanic Garden. “But they were crying to be there, because they had nowhere else to go.” It was a painful introduction to the complexities of Memphis’ housing crisis: Even substandard housing can be too precious to lose when the alternatives are few — or unaffordable. “That was 2016,” Young said. “It’s happening in 2026. And the question that’s before us is, ‘what are we gonna do?’” But as the summit made clear, building more homes is only part of the equation. Making them affordable — to build, buy, rent and maintain — is another challenge altogether.
The numbers behind the crisis The numbers presented Thursday help explain why the desperation Young witnessed at Tillman Cove remains familiar a decade later. According to findings from the forthcoming 2026 State of Memphis Housing Report presented by Jessica Lotz of Innovate Memphis, approximately 37,000 households earning no more than 30% of area median income are competing for just 8,500 housing units that are affordable and available to them. And the affordability gap is widenWeek of: October 22, 2026
ing. Between 2019 and 2024, Memphis home values climbed 81% and rents rose 37%, while household incomes increased just 20%, according to the report. Meanwhile, even though Memphis has lost roughly 35,000 residents since 2010, the number of households has grown. More people are living alone or in smaller households, changing the kinds of housing the city needs. The existing housing stock presents another challenge: Nearly 80% of Memphis’ single-family homes are at least 50 years old, creating costly maintenance and rehabilitation needs for homeowners who may already be struggling to make ends meet. Taken together, the findings suggest that Memphis faces more than a housing shortage. It needs homes that match residents’ incomes, household sizes and neighborhoods — while preserving the housing people already have.
Closing the gap For Young, the answer begins with a goal: 10,000 housing units built or rehabilitated by December 2030. That includes affordable and market-rate housing, single-family homes and multifamily developments across the city. At Thursday’s summit, Young reported that 3,339 units — including newly constructed and rehabilitated housing across price ranges — have been completed since January 2024, leaving 6,661 to go. “I’ve heard the criticism online,” Young said. “’The mayor put out this 10,000 housing unit (goal), but they didn’t have a plan.’ Yes, we do. We do have a plan.” Young outlined a three-part strategy: • Streamlining policies and development regulations that make housing difficult to build;
• Expanding financing tools, including the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund and incentives for middle-income housing; and • Developing the local contractors and developers needed to get the work done. The city is also working to put publicly owned land back into productive use, including approximately 200 parcels in Hyde Park that Shelby County is transferring to Memphis for housing development. But even with land, financing and willing builders, the numbers don’t always work. Ralph Perrey, executive director of the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, described a problem familiar to developers working in some Memphis neighborhoods: A newly constructed house can cost substantially more to build than its eventual appraised value. “We recognize that there are parts of town where what it costs you to build a new home is more than the finished product is going to appraise for,” Perrey said. To address that problem, THDA has launched a development-gap pilot in Memphis, offering to cover the difference between construction costs and appraised values for qualifying projects. “Build that home, sell it for what it appraises for, and if you’re $50,000, $60,000, $70,000 short, we will make up the difference,” Perrey said. Perrey also outlined additional state support, including tax-credit awards expected to generate more than $30 million in equity for Memphis housing developments and eight tax-exempt bond awards associated with another $112 million in affordable housing construction and rehabilitation. For prospective homebuyers, THDA
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Memphis Mayor Paul Young touted progress toward his administration’s goal of building or rehabilitating 10,000 housing units by 2030, reporting 3,339 completed since January 2024. (Lee Eric Smith/ Tri-State Defender)
recently added a down payment assistance option of up to $25,000 for newly built homes. A separate $20 million statewide workforce housing pilot is expected to launch in early 2027. Still, Perrey warned that financial incentives alone cannot overcome local restrictions that limit what developers can build. Zoning, permitting and neighborhood opposition, he argued, can make it difficult, sometimes impossible, to create the kinds of housing communities need. “We can only help you build what your community allows to be built. Happy people don’t go to public hearings,” he said, drawing knowing laughter from the audience.
Lessons from Philadelphia Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker knows the challenges of ambitious housing goals. Her city’s H.O.M.E. initiative aims to create or preserve 30,000 housing units, confronting many of the same problems facing Memphis: aging homes, rising costs and the threat of displacement. In an onstage conversation with Young, Parker emphasized that buildTRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
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$7M boost aims to jumpstart housing development in South Memphis
Mayor announces new funding to help turn vacant lots into homes, support repairs and revive long-stalled projects By Lee Eric Smith
TSD Contributing Writer
BelleMont, a cottage court development near Crosstown Concourse and the Medical District, offers an example of new housing construction in Memphis as city leaders work to expand housing options and address affordability challenges. (Lee Eric Smith/ Tri-State Defender)
ing new housing is only part of the solution. “The most affordable house you have is the one you currently live in,” she said. That means helping longtime homeowners afford repairs, including seniors on fixed incomes and working families who earn too much to qualify for traditional assistance but not enough to maintain their homes. Parker also emphasized the need to preserve existing neighborhoods as cities pursue new development. She praised Young for setting a measurable housing goal, even though publicly committing to a number creates an opportunity for critics to judge the administration’s progress.
Former HUD Secretary Fudge: ‘Just get louder’ Former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge offered both encouragement and a challenge. “We cannot continue to build our grandparents’ houses,” she said. “We just don’t live in that kinda country anymore.” Fudge was urging housing advocates to embrace new construction methods Week of: October 22, 2026
and adapt to changing housing needs. But her argument for affordable housing was also deeply personal. Growing up in Cleveland, she said, her family didn’t have much money. What they did have was a place where relatives could always find shelter. “I grew up as a kid that didn’t even know I was poor. Let me tell you why: ‘Cause I had a house. I had a roof over my head,” Fudge said. “I lived in this big house, this two-family house, and on one side was my great-grandparents, my aunt and uncle, their six kids, my grandmother’s brother and whoever came from the South. “On my side was my grandparents, my mother, my brother and I, my aunt, her three children and whoever came from the South. Anybody that came and needed help could stay at our house. And I never went a day without food. Every day I came home, I felt safe,” Fudge continued. “And that is what we need to do for every child in this country — is to make sure when they come home, they feel safe.”
For years, South Memphis has had a tool designed to generate money for neighborhood redevelopment. The problem? There wasn’t enough development happening to generate the money. Now, Memphis Mayor Paul Young says a proposed $7 million investment could change that. Young announced the funding Thursday, Oct. 15, during the Memphis Housing Summit, outlining a partnership between the Memphis Health, Educational and Housing Facilities Board and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to inject new resources into the existing South Memphis/Soulsville tax increment financing district, or TIF. “The challenge that we’ve had with the South Memphis TIF is that there hasn’t been enough new development to create money in that bucket,” Young told summit attendees. A TIF captures additional property tax revenue generated by development within a designated area and reinvests it in neighborhood improvements. But without new development, there is little additional revenue to capture. “We put the TIF in place. No money,” said Andrew Murray, speaking on behalf of the CRA. He credited the Soulsville TIF Community Advisory Committee for continuing to push for the resources necessary to implement the neighborhood’s redevelopment plan. “The mechanism wasn’t working,” Murray said. “So we said, ‘Okay, well, let’s go find some money.’”
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Young said the $7 million would come from fees collected over the past 15 to 20 years from projects that received development incentives. He said the proposal also includes additional support from the city, Memphis Light, Gas and Water and philanthropic partners. The investment would allow the city’s Essential Housing Program, already operating in Uptown and Klondike-Smokey City, to expand into South Memphis. The program works with local developers to transform vacant lots into housing. Young said the funding could also support home repairs and commercial redevelopment, including potentially helping move forward long-discussed plans for the Metro Shopping Plaza at 394 E. E.H. Crump Blvd. One major obstacle, he explained, is that building a new home in neighborhoods with lower property values can cost more than the finished home is worth. “You don’t get a lot of people to take that investment opportunity unless you have another incentive,” Young said. “It brings another incentive to allow those projects to now have cash flow.” The announcement comes as Memphis pursues Young’s goal of creating 10,000 new housing units by 2030. Young said most of the necessary approvals for the proposed investment have been completed and expects the funding to become available within approximately a month. “This is the kind of investment that can help define the future of an entire neighborhood,” Young told the audience, “and become the model for how we change the course of our city.”
TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS
Council approves data center ordinance; moratorium falls short By James Coleman
TSD Contributing Writer
Despite intense public pressure, Memphis City Council members rejected an 18-month moratorium on new data center construction in favor of a drawing up regulations for the controversial tech facilities during a security-laden Tuesday, Oct. 20 meeting. The council approved an ordinance that includes a 135-day pause on new data center applications. Council members Jeff Warren and Rhonda Logan introduced the substitute measure during the afternoon committee meetings. In addition to a shortened pause, it combines elements of another more business-friendly proposal. The ordinance includes much of Warren’s original proposal, which requires investments in closed-loop water cooling systems and a progressive use of renewable energy sources — including the phasing out of carbon-based electricity — to meet data center resource demands. It also aligns with a 90-day executive order by Mayor Paul Young to study the various impacts of data centers. The item was approved in a third and final reading. Voting in favor were Philip Spinosa, Chase Carlisle, Ford Canale, Janika White, Edmond Ford Sr., Logan and Warren. Those opposed were JB Smiley, Jerri Green, Michalyn Easter-Thomas, Jana Swearengen-Washington and Pearl Walker. “Now you start the process of writing regulations, which can control these data centers and control what they are doing,” said Warren. “We are also doing this at the advice of people who know what’s going on.” Still, passage was a disappointment to Week of: October 22, 2026
many city residents in attendance. Most were in favor of a 12-month moratorium. Although outbursts occurred from time to time, the meeting was more peaceful than the last. After a previous delay on a moratorium vote on Oct. 6, the crowd grew angry. Six people banned from future meetings, including State Rep. Justin Pearson. The Democratic nominee for the 9th congressional district was included with the outcasts after leading chants with a bullhorn. However, a judge issued a temporary restraining order halting the ban earlier in the day. A motion to move the vote on Warren’s offering to the next meeting was rejected 4-7. Prior to the tally, Smiley defended the need for a moratorium. He explained that his proposal was for more than a “pause” on new construction. “The moratorium calls for meaningful community engagement. It also requires the council to go into the community and have conversations with people who are approximate to the data centers,” said Smiley. He was joined by Green, who also criticized the acceptance of the last-minute replacement. Like Smiley, she wanted to afford the assembled audience time to read the proposal. “When we do things fast, we get things wrong,” said Green. “They want to be able to read it and give input. What they want is a moratorium so that we can talk to the community. That is what they have been asking for for over a year.” Green is the Democratic Party’s nominee for Tennessee governor to replace the outgoing Bill Lee. During her statewide campaign peregrinations, she has noted an intense backlash to data centers that span the political divide.
State Rep. Justin Pearson holds a news conference outside city hall before the Memphis City Council meeting Tuesday, Oct. 20. The council had banned Pearson and others from the meetings following a raucous previous meeting, but a judge overruled its order. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender)
The moratorium fell one vote short of passage, 6-6. Voting in favor of the pause were Smiley, Green, Easter-Thomas, Swearengen-Washington, Walker and Logan. Voting against the moratorium were Warren, Spinosa, White, Carlisle, Canale and Ford. A recent Beacon Center poll reflected 61% opposition to tax breaks for data centers in the typically business-friendly state. A further 70% support laws requiring large-scale demand facilities to cover their own power costs and necessary grid expansion. Locally, concerns about data centers have swelled since the introduction of the Space XAI data center in 2024. Elon Musk purchased the former Electrolux plant in Southwest Memphis, to house the facility. It uses 15 gas turbines to power tens of thousands of Nvidia GPUs used for AI chatbots. An estimated 800,000 to 1.3 million gallons of water are drawn from the Memphis Sand Aquifer each day to cool the hardware. And that is just the known impact on area resources. Residents who live near the facility
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have also complained about negative impacts to air quality and noise and traffic congestion. A recent Shelby County Health Department report ranked XAI as the 28th industry polluter in the county. Part of the distrust is likely due to the owner too. Musk, the world’s wealthiest man, is also an ally of Republican President Donald Trump. At the start of his second term, Trump appointed Musk to lead DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), which eventually cut numerous government programs and funding that benefit minorities and the poor. The job was largely seen as a return on an estimated $291 million Musk contributed to campaign spending in 2024. Then there is the technology itself. Earlier in the year, Musk estimated a 10% to 20% chance that AI could pose catastrophic dangers. He isn’t alone. Many tech leaders who are currently developing AI models concede that artificial intelligence could pose a threat to mankind. “With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon,” said Musk. TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ COMMUNITY Museum, Democracy in Action to host Trick or Vote on Halloween and Election Day Hub Eddie Glaude Jr.
Scholar, author Eddie Glaude Jr. to speak at Rhodes College’s Constitution Day TSD News Room Nationally renowned scholar, bestselling author and media commentator Eddie Glaude Jr. will deliver the Constitution Day lecture, “America at 250,” Friday, Oct. 23, at Rhodes College. The annual event commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787 and aims to reflect on the role and function of government, along with American citizens’ liberties and obligations. Constitution Day, which is observed on Sept. 17, launches the yearly period when federal agencies and federally funded organizations are required to offer educational programs about the country’s founding documents. For its part, the liberal arts college’s Barret Library is displaying a framed copy of the U.S. Constitution, related books and written works by Glaude in anticipation of his guest appearance. Glaude is the author of “We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For” Week of: October 22, 2026
and The New York Times bestseller “Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own.” His new book, “America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries,” released this year, explores the country’s milestone celebrations of freedom and its denial of freedom to many of its citizens through a variety of voices, including W.E.B. DuBois, John Dos Passos, Herman Melville and Martin Luther King Jr. Glaude holds a Ph.D. in religion from Princeton University and currently serves as the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at the Ivy League institution. Glaude’s lecture is set for 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at McNeill Concert Hall, 2000 N. Parkway, at Rhodes College. It is free and open to the public. All attendees must preregister using this link: https://fs22.formsite.com/ webmanagerrhodesedu/udvfen0iot/ index Page 11
Guests are invited to dress as civil rights heroes TSD Newswire With early voting under way and Election Day less than two weeks off, the National Civil Rights Museum and its Democracy In Action partners, Votes for All/Memphis for All, MICAH (Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope), Shelby County Voter Alliance, and Stand for Children-Tennessee, will host two free community events at the museum: Trick or Vote and a full-day Election Day Hub. Both events are nonpartisan and designed to help local citizens create a voting plan, know their rights at the polls, and find answers before and on Election Day. Trick or Vote — Saturday, Oct. 31, from 5-7 p.m., Families can trick-or-treat at the Museum and leave with a voting plan for Election Day. Every guest receives candy, voter resources, and other giveaways. The event will feature children’s activities, a DJ, and an onsite food truck. Guests are invited to dress as a civil rights hero or someone who fought for the right to vote and share the story behind their costume. Partner volunteers will help adults confirm their registration status and polling place and walk families through what to know and expect. The theme is “Vote like
your life depends on it!” Register to attend on the museum’s website. Election Day Hub — Tuesday, Nov. 3, 8 a.m. to 6. p.m., is a free help center for voters. Trained volunteers will answer questions about voting access in local precincts, direct people to their polling places, connect voters with election authorities, and support anyone who has issues exercising their voting rights at the polls. The Hub also features a photo/video wall where voters share why they vote, recall their first time voting, or encourage others, without naming candidates or parties. Walkins are welcome at the Election Day Hub. Key voting dates for Nov. 3 general election • Early voting: Underway now through Oct. 29, at any available early voting site in Shelby County. Locations and hours are at shelbyvote.com. • Absentee by mail: Requests for an absentee ballot are due Oct. 24 for voters who qualify. Voted ballots must reach the Election Commission by the close of polls on Election Day. • Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls in Shelby County close at 7 p.m. Voters in line by closing time may vote.
TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ ENTERTAINMENT
‘For Customers Only’ exposes the surprising history of bathrooms and inequality Book review By Terri Schlichenmeyer That fourth cup of coffee this morning was a really bad idea. It smelled great and tasted even better. But now, two hours later, you have regrets. You’ll need to deal with that liquid, and there are facilities for that somewhere nearby. But as you’ll see in “For Customers Only” by Bryant Simon, getting to such facilities wasn’t always a “go.” Ever since America’s first public restroom was built in the mid-1800s, someone has tried to use restrooms for power grabs. Before then, says Simon, relieving one’s self was a matter of finding a place outdoors. As cities grew, however, elimination as such was perceived as uncouth so taverns, bars, and places men might frequent added rooms for bodily functions. Women, conversely, were often out of luck until a few decades later when stores that catered to ladies established formal restrooms. By then, women had more freedom to leave their homes and to shop alone. And that was what public restrooms were all about: freedom. But because of racial laws then, Black citizens, shoppers or travelers were not free to use public facilities. Men who were perceived to be effeminate also also policed, lest they use a restroom for something it wasn’t intended for. At various times in history, in fact, having someone monitoring a restroom was common, and sometimes humiliating. Post-World War II, Black travelers Week of: October 22, 2026
literally needed a book to find permissible restrooms, especially in the South, and they “mapped” where facilities open to them could be found, which was more humiliation. Bryant Simon Simon quotes singer Smokey Robinson as saying, “They (white people) would just as soon kill us as let us use a bathroom.” The Civil Rights Movement saw some headway on the issue, but in many instances, sneaking into a “Whites Only” restroom was the only viable (and dangerous) solution. And as time passed, doing the same with a gender-specific restroom could be similarly dangerous for transgender users, personally and, in modern times, politically. Chances are, the only time you think of a toilet is when you need to use one or clean one. You probably even know the closest one right now, but you’ll see it differently when you read “For Customers Only,” a unique history of freedom and facilities. While it’s true that this book may sometimes make you cringe with harsh language and there are anecdotes that you’ll agree are very definitely in the Absolutely-Didn’tNeed-to-Know-That zone, author Bryant Simon peers through decades and into stalls and outhouses to bring readers a mostly fascinating peek at the politics of potties. Those who walk into bathrooms blithely and without
a thought today will be astounded at what they’ll find here. Some facts presented are frustrating. Readers who pay attention may be even more angry that bathroom issues are far from over in modern America. Just be warned about the profanity in this book, and prepare to be uncomfortable sometimes. If you steel yourself for it, “For Customers Only” is an intriguing book that niche-history lovers will want to read.
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“For Customers Only: Public Bathrooms and the Making of American Inequality” by Bryant Simon c.2026, University of Chicago Press $32.50 376 pages
TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
PUBLIC NOTICES / CLASSIFIEDS NOTICE TO BIDDER(S) Sealed bids will be received by the Shelby County Government in the Department of Housing online until 9:30 a.m. on Friday, November 6, 2026, as shown below: MULTIPLE AND ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION AND REHABILITATION JOBS ARE CONTAINED IN THIS BID NOTICE. BIDDER(S) MAY ELECT TO BID ON ANY OR ALL OF THE JOBS IN THE NOTICE. SEALED BID 20271050 DUE ONLINE AT 9:30 a.m. Friday, November 6, 2026 1. Rehabilitation of Owner-Occupied Housing Units throughout Shelby County some of which may require the use of lead-safe work practices and techniques, and 2. Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Jobs. Detailed specifications for the items above may be obtained through the Neighborly Portal beginning Friday, October 23, 2026. All bids will be opened and publicly read by the Shelby County Government at the time mentioned above at the Department of Housing, 6465 Mullins Station Road Memphis, TN 38134, (901) 222-7600; TTY Number (901) 222-2301; or for information in Spanish 901-222-7601. Award recommendations will be posted at the following website https://www.develop901.com/ housing upon review of the bid opening results. As a condition precedent to bidding, each bidder must apply and qualify for a Vendor
Week of: October 22, 2026
Number and Business Registration Number (BRN) prior to submitting your response. We have now transitioned to conducting bids online through Neighborly. If you have not already signed up, you can do so at https:// portal.neighborlysoftware.com/SHELBYCOUNTYTN/contractor. All documents submitted must be current and uploaded into your Neighborly account. Bids submitted without all required documentation will be unacceptable. Paisley Pogue (Paisley.Pogue@shelbycountytn. gov or 901-222-7611) will be assisting with any questions you may have regarding uploading the documents. All new contractors will need to register with the Neighborly portal in order for their bids to be accepted on projects. Interested contractors not currently on the contractor list should contact the Department of Housing in order to schedule a meeting with the Housing Site Inspector. Paper copies of bids are no longer available. The Department of Housing encourages participation from WBE, MBE, LOSB, and Section 3 Contractors under these rehabilitation programs. The Shelby County Government reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informalities therein. By order of Mickell M. Lowery, MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Scott Walkup, Administrator
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■■ ENTERTAINMENT
Collage Dance celebrates Memphis culture, soul with ‘Origins’ Season 17 opens with contemporary ballet performance and soulful soundtrack featuring Black music icons By Candace A. Gray
TSD Contributing Writer
Collage Dance, one of the 50 largest ballet companies in the nation, will perform “Origins,” at Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, Oct 23-25, opening the 17th repertory season for the pre-eminent, Black-led performing arts organization. Company artists will bring four contemporary ballets to the stage for three weekend performances that honor Black culture and history, featuring songs by music icons Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway and musicians with ties to Memphis. “With ‘Origins,’ we have been very intentional about integrating Memphis music and the overall Black cultural experience,” said artistic director Kevin Thomas. “It’s a tribute to our own stories, our history, our community.” Since founding Collage in 2006, Thomas and executive director Marcellus Harper have sought to create a dance center where students and professionals of color are embraced and celebrated. Today, more than 1,000 students attend classes every week in one of five studios at the dance center’s campus in Binghamton at 505 Tillman St., along with 11 professional dancers who have found a home in Memphis — arriving from Florida, Brazil, Colombia and Uganda. Others, including Maya Hawkins, are city natives. Hawkins, who studied at the dance center in high school, joined the
Week of: October 22, 2026
Collage Dance Collective artists include, from left, Diyah Gonzalez, Rickey Flagg II, Maya Hawkins, Summer McNeill, Emma Jennings and Jakobe Geddes.
“We know historically we’ve been left out of the classical art. When I started dancing, I was the only dancer of color until I joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem and was reminded of how beautiful I am. That’s why we created Collage.” — Kevin Thomas company six years ago before heading to Philadelphia and then Washington, D.C., for additional training. The best part about her job is getting to dance every day, she said. “I joined the company in 2020 as a
guest during a virtual season, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then in 2022 I auditioned and I’ve been here ever since,” Hawkins said. “I love being able to express myself and tell great stories. And working with such great
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choreographers to bring these stories to life through dance is really fun.” People of color are central to every project and performance undertaken by the dance center’s leaders. One example is its 22,500-square-foot facility, developed at the height of the global pandemic, which features studio floors in varying shades of brown and ceilings dressed to convey a daytime sky for young dancers and a nighttime mood for adult students. And oversized windows that flood each room with natural light allow passersby to peer inside. During recent rehearsals in front of a small audience, company dancers performed a synergistic pairing of contemporary and classical ballet styles that seemed natural — yet also groundbreaking — and anchored by Memphis culture and the Black experience. “We know historically we’ve been left out of the classical art,” said Thomas, who hails from Canada. “When I started dancing, I was the only dancer of color until I joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem and was reminded of how beautiful I am. That’s why we created Collage.” Following “Origins,” the dance center will produce a new holiday show, “Amazing Grace,” in December, its signature show, “Rise,” in February and other works in spring 2027. “Kevin has a great vision and he sees something special in all of us,” Hawkins said. “He believes in us and we want to grow and achieve. It’s really special to have someone see you in that way.” For more information, class schedules and tickets, visit https://collagedance.org/.
TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com