CRA Welcomes Charia Jackson as Director of Neighborhood Planning and Essential Housing
May 8, 2025—The City of Memphis and Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is proud to announce Charia Jackson has been hired as the Director of Neighborhood Planning and Essential Housing. Charia brings a wealth of experience and expertise to support the CRA’s mission to provide affordable housing to the neighborhoods of Memphis and Shelby County.
Charia Jackson joins the CRA with over 20 years of experience in community development and affordable housing. She previously served in a wide variety of roles for the Frayser Community Development Corporation (FCDC), including that of Deputy Director, and as a Program Officer, Housing for LISC Memphis. A native Memphian, her professional and lived experience encompasses housing counseling, new home construction, home rehab, and community development projects.
This new position created by the CRA is pivotal for Memphis as the City and County are actively seeking to increase homeownership and grow new housing starts. The CRA recently launched the Essential Housing Program at Convergence Memphis’ Land Expo. The CRA is seeking local developers to construct affordable homes on 82 buildable lots in Binghampton and Uptown. The agency is particularly interested in partnering with emerging, minority-owned, and infill developers with a passion to reinvest in our neighborhoods by providing essential housing.
“Charia is a trained housing and community development practitioner, with a track record for getting things done,” said Andrew Murray, President of the CRA. “She brings an enthusiasm, depth of experience, and a warm smile to the work of restoring, reconnecting, and reinvesting in our neighborhoods.”
Charia holds a Master’s of City and Regional Planning from the University of Memphis and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Urban Affairs from the University of Memphis. She has achieved professional certifications as a Housing and Urban Development certified Housing Counselor, a graduate of the Urban Land Institute Real Estate Diversity Initiative, and a CoStarter Training Facilitator.