JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Multiple prominent voices in the community spoke out outside of City Hall on Thursday to demand that historically black neighborhoods remain off-limits for Jacksonville’s new jail.
On the steps of City Hall were Councilman Jimmy Peluso of District 4, Congressional Candidate LaShonda Holloway, Pastor Dr. RL Gundy, local activists Bobbie O’ Connor, Wells Todd, and Lydia Bell, and other community members.
Together, they argue that placing the jail in one of these red-lined neighborhoods would perpetuate the idea that institutionalized racism still exists in these areas.
“A jail says to a young person that look, ‘this community is for containment, not a community that’s worthy of entertainment,’” Holloway said.
A resolution by Peluso will be presented before the city council this upcoming Tuesday. By the will of the council, Resolution 2026-0356 would prevent the jail from being placed in these neighborhoods.
Last week, the resolution failed to pass both the Finance and Rules Committees.
“All I’m saying is these communities should be off limits,” Peluso said. “They’ve been hurt enough.”
Peluso says he believes the resolution may not have passed because some other city council members, including Jail Committee Liaison Will Lahnen, want to “let the process play out.”
“I respect him very much as a council member,” Peluso said. “All I’m saying is, if everyone agrees it’s not going to be built in one of these areas, what are we so afraid of?”
O’Connor says she thinks these committees may not understand red-lining.
“If they do, then I don’t think they care,” O’Connor said. “Underneath those perfectly logical explanations is racism, pure and simple.”
The upcoming jail is projected to cost one billion dollars and is said to be composed of two-story structures across nearly 500 acres.
Potential sites for the jail will be discussed in public town hall meetings this upcoming fall. By early 2027, the site is expected to be narrowed down to three locations.
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