Memphis Mayor Paul Young recently took his town hall approach to Reddit, engaging directly with residents on February 24, during an Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) session. The AMA, hosted on the Memphis subreddit which boasts around 94,000 members, allowed Young to address pressing community concerns on various subjects ranging from crime to housing and even the local barbecue scene.
During the session, Young fielded over 600 comments, responding to several top-voted questions. His proactive initiative aimed to bolster transparency and communication with Memphians who sought direct answers about city policies and progress. "One of the biggest problems we’ve seen is many of these neighborhoods weren’t built to be rental communities..." Young noted, shedding light on the housing market's challenges as investment groups increasingly outbid local families.
The mayor acknowledged the fact – starkly different from the national average of 64% – only 46% of homes within Memphis are occupied by their owners. This shift, he explained, undermines wealth-building opportunities for many residents. To tackle these rising issues, Young’s administration has been working on introducing incentives for affordable housing development, along with reassessing the tax structure for housing investment companies.
Young elaborated on his Affordable Housing Trust Fund, established back in 2019, as one of the tools the city uses to assist renters striving for homeownership. His team is also pursuing modifications to how investment firms are taxed, advocating for these companies to be taxed commercially at 40%, compared to the residential rate of 25%.
Young's Reddit discussions didn’t shy away from technology either. Responding to apprehensions about the company xAI, which has set up operations in Memphis, he emphasized the importance of protecting the city’s environment. "I know people have raised environmental concerns, and those were my first questions when I sat down with xAI..." Young assured residents of his vigilance over the water usage during discussions with the company. To counter these worries, xAI is investing $80 million to build a gray water facility aimed at recycling wastewater and reducing dependency on the local aquifer by 9%.
Car break-ins have been another major topic of concern for Memphis residents. Young expressed his commitment to reducing these incidents by enhancing police visibility and integrating technological tools to monitor high-traffic areas. "The reality is...a small number of individuals are causing the most damage, and we’re focused on cracking down on them," stated Young, providing some reassurance as recent statistics reflected progress. The motor vehicle theft rate dropped substantially from 2,565.3 thefts per 100,000 people last year to 1,607.3 this year, showcasing approximately 37.3% decrease.
Aside from discussing pressing civic issues, Young's AMA included moments of light-heartedness, particularly when it came to one of Memphis' important cultural staples – barbecue. When asked about his favorite local barbecue spots, he candidly shared, "The spaghetti from BBQ Shop and the smoked chicken wings from Central are amazing..." This not only reflects his engagement with the culture but also softens the serious nature of local governance, bringing him closer to the constituents he serves.
The session also touched on improvements for the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA). Young mentioned the priority of upgrading the old fleet and tackling systemic issues related to bus frequency. His team aims to provide timely updates about bus schedules and make routes more reliable, especially considering neighborhoods where full-sized city buses may not be necessary.
Young’s outlines plans to beautify main access points to the city. Responding to concerns about the aesthetics along travel routes from Memphis International Airport, he mentioned redesigning Plough Blvd and enhancing green spaces. Plans include community clean-up efforts to present visitors with welcoming first impressions of the city.
Finally, the mayor acknowledged issues around illegal drive-out tags appearing around Memphis. He noted the police have been trained to spot these fraudulent tags and are working to identify perpetrators printing them. His administration appears committed to tackling this problem, alongside various initiatives discussed during the Reddit session.
Mayor Young's AMA reflects not only his commitment to transparency and accessibility but also displays the diverse array of pressing issues faced by Memphis today. His multifaceted approach to governing—from public safety and housing issues to local culture—marks his earnest attempt to engage with the citizens and shape the future of Memphis.