Jacksonville City Council members declined to endorse a resolution to keep a replacement for the city jail out of urban and historically Black neighborhoods.
Council voted 12-5 on May 26 against Resolution 2026-0356, with members Matt Carlucci, Tyrona Clark-Murray, Reggie Gaffney Jr., Rahman Johnson and Jimmy Peluso voting in the minority.
The resolution would have expressed support for keeping a detention facility out of neighborhoods that include Brooklyn, Durkeeville, the Eastside, LaVilla, Longbranch, Mixon Town, Moncrief, New Town, Philips, Robinson’s Addition and Sugar Hill.
The vote came after Mike Weinstein, the city’s chief administrative officer, said a new detention facility would likely be close to 500 acres, meaning it would likely be too large for a residential neighborhood.
Introduced by Council member Jimmy Peluso, the resolution called for a recommendation that the jail not be located in historically redlined areas. Redlining is financial services discrimination of neighborhoods with minority or low-income populations.
Many Council members said they did not expect the issue to come up in a site selection process. Peluso introduced his resolution as the city and a consultant begin the process to find the next location for the jail. Council approved a contract for nearly $750,000 with the consultant.
“You heard this evening from a number of your constituents, and the people who come before this body very often, very concerned about where this jail might be placed,” Peluso said, referencing individuals who spoke during public comment in favor of the application.
“If it’s not the intention already, then let’s make sure we just pass this resolution and make it so.”
'Bad policy'
Council member Ron Salem said he did not want to debate sites for the jail until Council reviewed potential locations for the jail from the consultant, CGL Cos., a firm that focuses on the justice system.
“The firm we’ve hired will be having that debate within the community. That’s the time to have this debate,” Salem said.
Council member Ken Amaro called the bill premature and said it would do nothing to protect neighborhoods. He said he would not vote to place a jail in any largely Black community.
“Communities are looking for strong economic development and strong leadership,” he said. “They don’t need to have their hopes build up on a bad policy that doesn’t protect them.”
In identifying areas he wished to protect, Peluso used 1937-1940 Home Owners’ Loan Corp. residential security maps. Those maps, according to Peluso’s legislation, designated predominantly Black neighborhoods as “hazardous” investment areas.
Site size
Jacksonville’s John E. Goode Pre-trial Detention Facility, the Downtown jail’s official name, is aging, and the city expects to replace it with a facility outside Downtown. The cost of a new facility could exceed $1 billion.
While the current jail is six stories, the city expects the next facility to comprise two-story structures more spread out across a larger campus.
The Downtown jail along with the Police Memorial Building at 501 E. Bay St. is on 10.06 acres.
Weinstein said residents, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Mayor Donna Deegan would offer input on a potential new location, with Council making the final decision.