Jackson Jambalaya

This is ridiculous and has to be stopped. I'd expect as much from outsiders but I suppose the greed of the Stephens is blinding them.

Apparently restrictions based on square footage can keep these folks out. Time for the city council to step up.

This house on Northside Drive is five houses from the house on Trawick Drive, where George Bell - just home from a drug rehab - murdered his girlfriend at his mother's home. Forgive us in the neighborhood if we don't want to have seven men like this (on a rotating basis...)around our homes and our young children.

Before this turns into a "Jackson thing," note that they can do this in Ridgeland and Mafison as long as he neighborhood covenants don't prohibit it.

Saw this moments ago on NextDoor:

It doesn't take advanced search skills to determine that these houses are riddled with problems nationwide including the housing of sex offenders who do not disclose their convictions. The Oxford House autonomous model lets Oxford House off the hook and the landlord with a too easy excuse path to explain away problem house residents while the surrounding neighborhood gets left dealing with the ongoing problems.

It is my understanding that the former JA coach Ronnie Rogers had no idea that the Stephens were planning on turning the house into a halfway house. Let's not throw him under the bus!

Story below: Oxford house resident in Dallas kills roommate and himself. Here's an idea: let the Stephens open one in their own neighborhood.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Man-Evicted-From-Recovery-House-Shoots-Resident-Kills-Self-Police-222143501.html

The house @ 2230 is 1800 sq. ft and 3 bedrooms. The Forest Park house is even smaller. The plan is to place 7 adult males of unknown criminal backgrounds in each of these half-way houses? If Ashby Foote and Tony Yarber don't get all over this they you can kiss their NE Jackson cash cow goodbye and without NE Jackson's tax base there is nothing stopping Jackson from bankruptcy. City leaders better wake up in a hurry because this is the final straw that will crash property values.

My understanding is you can email the petitions to Mr. Foote.

FOLLOW THE MONEY ---- The MS Department of Mental Health is fully and completely supporting this insanity using OUR tax payer dollars. This is a STATE agency that has declared war on residential neighborhoods in the State of Mississippi.

Follow this link and look at page 2 --- They even brag about how they're using Oxford House (with a no bid GRANT process) to increase halfway houses in the state. There are no controls or stipulations on how the money will be spent. Who wins -- the Stephens family and Oxford House (who spends OUR MONEY to defend any litigation against either party).

MS Department of Mental Health: http://www.dmh.ms.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Progress-Update-Flyer.pdf

This is all funneled to Oxford House by the State of Mississippi from FEDERAL GRANTS (CABHI):http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/sm-15-010

Oxford House receives no bid, no stipulation, no requirement grants to destroy our neighborhood. Fiscal Year 2014 Annual report also shows how almost 90% of their expenditures were for salary, fringe, and travel. They like ro state they spend 96% of their funds on projects however, it is not apparent that they do anything but travel, have robust salaries, good benefits, all at our expense through the grant process which supports ALL of their income, with the exception of a minor percentage.

Oxford House Link to Annual Report:http://www.oxfordhouse.org/userfiles/file/doc/ar2014.pdf

We can either STAND TOGETHER OR FALL ALONE and this includes Madison and Rankin Counties -- you're next as a "nicer" neighborhood area!!!

I'd suggest we have a meeting soon in the neighborhood. Enough is enough of the political correctness run amok.

The Texas shooting is just one example of undeclared sex offenders living in an Oxford House.

In December of 2012, a Maryland-based non-for-profit organization called Oxford House purchased a home at 628 Chilton Ave., in the heart of the historic district Dyster worked so hard to create. An impressive Victorian with a turret and six bedrooms, Oxford House picked it up for $40,000. It had been converted into a two unit apartment at some time in it’s more recent past, but the not for profit wasn’t interested in restoring it.

The real estate listing described it as a "stately two family in an Historic District with all the original character intact. Front and rear porches that you can hear the mighty Niagara Falls roar."

The listing also described some of the advantages of buying a house in Dyster’s historic district.

“Historic preservation district gives 20 percent tax credit for owner occupants, 40 percent for investors,” the listing read. “These are move-in ready units for owner occupants or rentals. Demand rental area with bus station and shopping at the end of the street.”

Oxford House claims that its purpose is to provide housing for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts, but the fact that many of these have recently been released from prison, often for sex offenses, is not mentioned in their literature.

Not for profit agencies helped fill the house for the sex offenders.

“There were Housing Authority trucks there every day, bringing in beds, television sets and furniture,” Jane said. “They made it real nice for them.”

One of the recovering drunk/dope fiends is Lawrence Lipford, 48, a happy go lucky sort who, in 1997, attempted to rape a seven--year-old girl.

Hey -- There's a house on Heatherton for sale right behind the Stephens family -- maybe we setup a GO FUND ME PAGE and buy that one, and setup our own halfway house in THEIR backyard. It's got 4 bedrooms --- 10-12 people can live there, and we'll have a block party every month with an open bar and just see how dedicated the residents really are to this recovery model. The Stephens can chaperone.

I think JA parents need to make voices known to the school. The school would most certainly get involved if Ms. Stephens was advocating a position contrary to their image in the public arena. JA could play a role behind-the-scenes in resolving this. BTW: maybe a boycott of Dr. Fiser's practice would make a point as well.

I too would prefer that one of these houses not be close to where I live. However, isn't it reasonable to speculate there are many other unknown homes throughout Jackson and all surrounding suburbs whose residents are addicts, criminals, sex offenders, etc - some recovering and striving to become better citizens, and some not. Not saying Oxford House should be able to skirt city codes and ordinances - and although undersirable - remember that most everyone deserves a second chance.

I don't want them coming to my neighborhood, so I get the outrage.

However- where are they supposed to go? I don't know the specifics but wasn't the Dpt of Mental Health's budget cut pretty drastically the past few years? It's obviously cheaper for DMH to pay for other people to house these folks than to build facilities themselves to do it.

Is it just local people that are being housed around here, or is it out of towners that are being brought to the state by this Oxford House group?

i just wish we had strong conservative leadership to put this to an end. wait a minute, republicans control both state houses and the governor's office.

my bad

There's just something completely apropos about drug rehab houses being named Oxford House. And funny thing is that hamsters are allowed pets in them, too.

12:36 pm - I'll tell you where they can go, Newland Street/Heatherton next door to the Stephens. And also next door to wherever Dr. and Mrs. Fiser live...since they're so clearly only concerned about the well-being of these addicts/criminals and are only doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. And maybe one right across the street from JA, since they are currently not taking a position on this issue and distancing themselves from it...

There is a reason why these Oxford houses get set up in a highly clandestine secretive manner. Because each house churns through residents, the residents have significant problems and criminal records, and the houses inevitably generate trouble in the neighborhoods in which they are located.

RE: @12:13 PM above. Jackson will never, NEVER, repopulate its neighborhoods w/ young families w/ children if the threat exists that those families will wake up one morning to find that a halfway house has been set up next door, across the street or around the corner to their home and there is nothing they can do about it except to sell their home and leave.

Once that message gets out it will be OVER for NEJ home values because the buyers will disappear.

What we have here is a pack of sot heads planted in fashionable northeast jackson. Between the crumbling streets, thugs and sot heads....you fine folks will be stuck. Property values will continue to fall.

I am more interested in the "for profit" use in an R1a zone. A special exceeption is the least they should require. What type of permit has already been issued for the renovation underway? Same for other sites in Jackson? While alcoholics may be a protected class, I do not believe they are disabled in the government's lexicon. If they are alcoholic/durg addicts they are dually addicted. If they are sex offenders, that is a whole different catagory. None of these classes of people are entitled to receive disability payments to my knowledge. As far as rent assistance, I am not sure. Are any of these locations on the J-Tran system? Do these "residents" have their own vehicles? If so, how poor are they? It all smells of manipulation and refusal to comply with local ordinance. The "not in my backyard" cry should be enforced equally to all R1a areas of the city. Single family zoning means single family rental, not group rental. No owner is entitled to "do as they please" with their property. If the subdivision covenants have played out, then city zoning should be fairly restrictive.

all the license plates are from out-of-state.

If anyone wants to write the Stephens to express their concerns:

Neal and Anna Stephens
1025 Newland Street
Jackson, MS 39211

...next door to wherever Dr. and Mrs. Fiser live ...

Do you think Neal and Anna will propose an Oxford House next door to her folks' place? Heck, there is enough room to build a big bunk house for 15-20 and really help out those recovering and downtrodden.

Why do you have quotation marks in the article around "recovering addicts," as if that's not such a thing, or as if it's not a tremendous problem in Jackson, in Mississippi, and throughout the U.S., and as if it's not a medically diagnosable disease, per the AMA, which defined alcoholism as a disease as far back as 1956? So why wouldn't it fall under the ADA and why wouldn't addicts have "rights"?

It is articles like this that perpetuates the stigma of alcoholism and drug addiction.

12:36
The City of Jackson has a huge amount of vacant land and vacant houses that could be used instead of a house in the middle of one of Jackson's best neighborhoods.

She's the damn volleyball coach. Complain enough to JA and they'll just fire her. The only reason she got the job anyway was because of family connections. She never played volleyball.

People in recovery should not be treated as leapers. Do we really want recovering people to fail? Is that the solution? Should we ship them off to live in a foreign country? The ignorance of some very educated people is astounding. I dare say that not one person in the city is without a friend or family member in recovery and/or suffering from addiction. To that end, I live and work amongst every one of you. I have been sober for 20+ years. Should I also be forced to move out of your neighborhood? My kids go to JA. Should I be forced to move them out of there too? The ironic thing is that some of the people I know behind this movement have some alcohol problems. God forbid they ever finally seek help and not have help. All this place is a sober living house. If an addict relapses -- they have to move out. The whole purpose is to help those that are helping themselves have a safe place to live and change their life. I just lost an old friend to the disease of addition this week. I have lost countless others. In the spirit of whomever your God may be, I challenge you to find it in your heart to practice love and tolerance and allow those that are seeking to live a life free of addition a better chance.

JA can't distance itself from this controversy. Not successfully.

12:54PM - It will be difficult to put an "Oxford House" next door to Dr. & Mrs. Fiser since they have conveniently insulated themselves on 11+ acres of lake front property in Madison County. (I'll refrain from posting their address, but a quick search of the land roll and it's quite easy to find.) I don't fault them for enjoying their success or for being entrepreneurial, but I don't appreciate them exploiting the system and further lining their pockets to the detriment of others.

@1:20, what's your address? I'd like to put a halfway house across the street. Thanks.

11:55; your post (that follows below in quotation marks) is bullshit. It does NOT take subdivision protective covenants to prohibit this sort of use. Every city in America would prohibit this unless municipal zoning ordinances and city regulations allow it.

"Before this turns into a "Jackson thing," note that they can do this in Ridgeland and Mafison as long as he neighborhood covenants don't prohibit it."

The electricity, gas and water wouldn't be turned on before Madison would be all over this.

Local attorneys please read:

The Fair Housing Act, Oxford House, and the Limits of Local Control Over the Regulation of Group Homes for Recovering Addicts

JA conveniently has their coaches' directory online:

http://jacksonacademy.org/athletics/coach-directory/

Mrs. Stephens can be emailed here:

astephens@jacksonacademy.org

Anna Stephens just took a big crap on JA's neighbors…. I wonder if "Dr" Pat Taylor and the others in the head shed have the stones to make her back down. I guess the new "All for One" motto doesn't apply to the JA families nearby.

Is this Joseph Neal and Anna Fiser Stephens' gouge?

Ask people who live near the rent house at 101 Plaza Drive just off Markham west of the Park Plaza Shopping Center that Godfrey and his roommates share what Oxford House is and they'll say it's an organization whose representatives were abrasive and told them only four men lived in the 1,780-square-foot house, which was not true. That they believe the men are being taken advantage of, since the six are paying $100 a week to live in a house that rents for $1,200 a month, twice as much as the rental fee and more if additional men move in. That their attempt to negotiate limits on the number of residents per house and houses per neighborhood was refused.

The hell with writing letters. I'm going to knock on the door.

The downfall of black middle class neighborhoods are most likely caused by the next generation of unsuccessful children moving back in with hard working mom and pop. Parolees, addicts, abusers move into to grandmas house and there goes the neighborhood...

I live 1 house away from the Stephens' half way house for recovering drug addicts on East Northside. We were given no notice of any kind by the Stephens. In my opinion this appears to be a planned, direct, intentional assault on our home values. OH has advertised to put 7 or more recovering addicts in an approx. 1800 s.ft. house, which would require a use permit. I understand the Stephens have neither applied for nor obtained a use permit.
Ashby is helping us deal with this. Please download, print off and sign the Petition, and scan and email it to: afoote@jacksonms.gov
Understand this can happen to you. For 6 or less recovering addicts, OH does not even need to ask for a use permit under the FHA. Please sign and email it. Thank you. Robert P. Wise, 4621 Trawick Drive

@1:38, you must not read so well.

Under federal law, recovering addicts are a protected class. Ordinances that disparately impact them are pre-empted by federal law:

http://www.agclawfirm-alerts.com/files/Sober_Living_Homes_and_the_Fair_Housing_Act_060111_.pdf

If the City of Madison enacted an ordinance that restricted halfway houses, they would be sued when they tried to enforce it. See the many cases cited in the above article.

The only way to restrict them is by enacted tough resident per sq ft requirements. That's not easy to do without causing a lot of headaches for others.

Let's organize a 24-hr protest in front of Anna's house, her parents house, and her dad's practice. Streets are public! They are making our lives hell, let's show them some reciprocation.

Since when do people who have committed a crime have more rights than people who have not? What about the rights of the children next door to have a reasonable expectation of safety and security?

The Stephens are making 500$ per person (tax free) that lives in each of these houses. They can make way more money doing this than they can renting or flipping houses.
This should scare the hell out of anyone that owns property anywhere. They can put one of these houses anywhere - addicts are considered disabled by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Housing that is covered under these guidelines overrides any and all neighborhood covenants. Sorry Madison and Ridgeland. Y'all nor any other city will prevail against the federal government when it comes to the Am w/ Disbibilities Act. No where is safe...

Ashby Foote afoote@jacksonms.gov

It is true that Ronny Rogers knew nothing of Anna Stephens plans. She told him and the listing agent that she was going to rent the house to medical students. The paper trail proves she knew, when she bought the house , what she intended to do with it. She misrepresented herself to a friend and colleague. I do not know him, but I have heard that he is heartbroken that someone whom he considered a friend would purposely lie to him and create this situation for his friends and neighbors.
He and the agents were duped. The Furr Group has a successful business in NE Jackson... Why would they jeopardize property values by assisting Anna Stephens in wrecking this neighborhood.

@2:13 Block their streets, bring signs, the whole deal. Let's do it.

Just because federal law allows them to do this doesn't mean they should. I';d be happy if we went ahead and drove them out of Jackson entirely. Maybe Neal could go back to Harvard and learn some common sense.

Everyone needs to absolutely bombard Cliff Kling the JA headmaster, and the Stephens with emails (see JA website) and phone calls. Force JAs hand by hitting them where it hurts (their bank account). Notify them that you will not send your kid to school (or pull them out) there as long as it has employees setting up halfway houses in the neighborhood. While the Stephens have already ruined their name, plea with them to reconsider. Can we sue them and force them to spend money on attorneys? I'm sure there is some ground for being a property owner and knowingly operating a halfway house under a zoning infraction while profiting from it. We all need to be relentless and make it unbearable.

The Stephens and Fizors are towing that liberal hypocrisy: "Do as I say and not as I do"....otherwise they would be more open about their intentions and have the houses in their neighborhoods. What a bunch of phonies. If what they really care about is only making money from this, a boycott of their businesses, including JA and Dr. Fizor, would hurt their bottom line and put pressure on JA to act in the best interest of the surrounding neighborhood.

So who will be the next volleyball coach at JA? Surely she can't keep her job there with all of this?

2:05 -- WHAT are you talking about?

Doing some research -- Runsom, NJ had a similar problem ---- NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard). People died in the house of heroin overdoses, etc. No one knew until the ambulances started arriving, and it appears OH has an "attack" lawyer who is quite adept at battling NIMBYs (of which I guess we are all now called).

Court cases were filed by the CIty of Runsom and countersuits by OH however, I do not know the outcome. Still researching that (2014). Bottom line -- good overview of problems in NJ (and anywhere an OH house is located). Speaks to the lack of oversight but money making enterprise that OH appears to be.


http://www.northjersey.com/news/lack-of-oversight-stirs-doubts-about-n-j-s-drug-recovery-housing-1.1087436?page=all

There are plenty of attorneys that live in the neighborhood. Seems that a good course of action would be to request an injunction and file suit after suit. I'm sure these neighborhood attorneys would give their free time to fight this. It would make the Stephens/Fisors pay out of pocket just to keep up. Eventually they might lose the will to keep going. "Are you tired yet?"

A lot of anonymous tough guys posting where people work and live without posting their own names. Has anyone actually reached out to Anna or Neal or are we just going to string them up and ask questions later?

You people should be ashamed at judging others so harshly. Looking from the outside in on these individuals situations it is easy to point fingers and want them to be banned from your so called "nice" neighborhoods. However, if even one of you were to admit that you had a relative with a drinking or drug problem, then you would nothing more than a hypocrite. I think may this is a way for you guys to be more humble and possible learn the meaning of loving thy neighbor. It would be more remarkable if as a community you guys were able to embrace these individuals and offer them support during what is often the hardest part of recovery. It would also be remarkable if you took the time to do some real peer supported research on facilities such as the Oxford House and other Addiction Services facilities. It is often hard enough for individuals who suffer from addiction without being scorned in a place that is "supposed" to offer them a second chance at life.

Would JA sit idly by if an employee worked part time at a strip club? (It should be noted that a strip club is a legal business that can operate in the city). I think we all know the answer.

Anna and Neal Stephens should be ashamed at their greed. This is nothing more than greed. But they are adults, not teenagers. I hope they get what they deserve. I think the teenage boy who bit the head off the hamster has more dignity and class than the Stephens. His mistake did not affect the lives and safety of the entire neighborhood.

3:08 -- YES and it is my understand they were not receptive to anything. Course that was yesterday and the pressure certainly is building isn't it.

AND ........ do not forget who the enemy is here -- not us the homeowners......we were all caught totally unaware. Your "friends" chose to work under cloak of darkness, and sleight of hand. All we're doing is ensuring communication channels are open and flowing.

@3:11, what's your address? I'll forward it on to the Stephens.

3:11 ---and where do you live? We'd like nothing more than to make them "your neighbor". Then you can take on their rehabilitation single handedly . Easy to spout liberal ideology when it's not your neighborhood.

@3:08, yes people have reached out to them. Maybe you should ask them instead of speculating no one has talked to them.

@ 1:55
The link to the article in Little Rock gives a lot of information. Thanks for posting.
This one little part jumped out at me.

Some 75 to 80 percent of the residents of Oxford Houses have done jail time, Molloy said. More than half, 63 percent, are homeless when they enter. Some suffer from mental illness as well as addiction."

My idea of a half-way house means that someone has been through treatment, and is now looking to continue recovery. This article says that homeless people are entering the program. What are the requirements for being allowed to enter the program?

Scary to me, and I don't live in NE Jackson. Can't imagine how my Northside Drive friends are feeling.

Ready for an Oxford House next door to your own 3:11 PM?

Jeez people this isn't JA's fault you are misdirecting your anger. Anna was an employee of JA before she starting pulling these stunts; JA can't read the future. Whether they can terminate her now or not I do not know - your same liberal-ass laws that enable the halfway house in your nice neighborhood also make it more difficult to terminate someone's employment for being stupid. I feel certain the board at JA is scrambling trying to find a solution that works...but it's not their fault. The Fisers/Stephens are have duped everybody, including their employer.

http://www.dailypilot.com/news/tn-dpt-me-0124-sober-living-lawsuit-20150123,0,2563970.story

Being a protected class under ADA is not a free license to do whatever you want. Case dismissed.

@1:11 oh yes they are covered by ADA. You can get a check for being a porn addict. I get people SSID every week for a small love offering. Didn't know about this little mint scheme going on. My husband was in federal prison for SEC fraud and violations. He's now a disbarred lawyer who sends his time play golf and video games in Reunion. I guess the housewives would show up with torches if they knew of his past.

I live on Forest Park.

Myself and other residents on our street have been contacting the city since December about the property on our street, and so far have only gotten several e-mail about how they are "looking into it" - no action has been taken whatsoever. I want to continue supporting Jackson, but the inaction by the city is frustrating and the ambiguous responses aren't helping.

If the city is going to do something about it, they should do it. If they aren't, just go ahead and tell us so I can list my house now before property values fall through the floor.

See that Jimmie Gates has been busy reading JJ today.

Boy, this NE Jackson pissing contest escalated quickly.

I mean it really got out of hand fast.

Hey 3.11...Where do you live? Do you have young children?. You sound like such a great guy we can move them next to you. Thanks for volunteering.

Sic the abortion protesters on them.

3:08 pm - Yes, many of us have called and emailed Anna and Neal and Dr. and Mrs. Fiser; they have responded to none of us because they DON'T CARE what happens as long as they are making money and it's not in THEIR neighborhoods. We have also called and emailed JA's Headmaster and President, also with ZERO response. They are trying to stick their heads in the sand at JA and it is not going unnoticed by potential JA parents, current JA parents, JA Alumni, and JA monetary contributors.

Methinks there's folks in the city that are quite humored by the squeal coming from the "nicer areas"... aka NE Jxn...

ronnie sold his house to anna in late february. he only found out about all this on monday. JA found out about it Tuesday. ronnie is devastated that this is going on

The exact thing happened in my neighborhood 7 years ago. I drew up a Petition, went from house to house to get my neighbors' signatures and presented it to the Zoning Board along with several other neighbors. The African American couple who informed the Board that they resided in Madison, had already opened one house for girls from broken homes with one or both parents incarcerated on Manila Street off Kings Highway and Northside Drive unbeknown to me and my neighbors, although we had noticed Police at the residence quite often. It was not until the couple decided they wanted a second house next door to the first that they went through the proper channels with the Zoning Board hence the sign that was placed in the front yard of the second house notifying the community of a hearing on rezoning, it was not until then that we all became aware of what was taking place in our neighborhood. The Zoning Board has discretion and our efforts prevailed. Please take your Petition to the Zoning Board, the Mayor nor Mr. Foote is the proper channel, although it would not hurt to have Mr. Foote speak at the rezoning hearing. One month later the girls were gone and to this day both houses remain empty.

You know -- the Stephen's family must have never had a formalized course in camping, or been a part of a military organization. You learn early on that (1) you don't dig your slit trench by the dining facility, (2) one does not piss in their canteen cup, from which they will drink, and (3) don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining.

It's obvious that Harvard graduate, Mr. Stephens, has demonstrated as Jerry Clower's would say......."you can be educated beyond your intelligence", and his lack of judgment, demonstrates this in spades.

@3:45 if only it were that easy. Expect that case to be reversed on appeal. The articles others have posted list many, many, many more cases where ordinances that impact halfway houses are deemed unenforceable. That case, from a trial-level court in another state, won't be of much help.

Some examples of what I'm talking about: http://fairhousingnews.blogspot.com/2013/04/oxford-house-continues-to-fight-for.html

4:30 - I think that we NE Jxners will still be able to sleep ok knowing we aren't sharing our neighborhood with someone who uses "methinks" in a grown up conversation.

Good planning and good zoning stop this. I said good and you got to how address matters such as these.

@4:34 unfortunately this is a different situation entirely due to the nature of recovering addicts as a protected class under Federal Law

Yall have lost your minds and yes, we are laughing.

The only thing you can go after them for is the number of people in the house. That's it.
Fire the lady from JA? Well, she could sue the bricks off of that school, especially since there's so much evidence on this blog that she's being fired for something perfectly legal.

Welcome to reality. We hope you enjoy your stay.

The Stephen's are fools to think they could pull this shit and get away with it. Reciprocity comes in any manner of ways.

While I am all for giving those in recovery a second chance, when the statistics from Oxford House state that 78% have done jail time, that's a big difference than just someone in recovery. I've not found any evidence there is supervision assuring they don't relapse into drug or other addictions, so basically the Stephens are packing in unrelated people into tight spaces with no oversight. How's that going to turn out? There are also numerous reports of convicted sex offenders being housed and not reporting their status. If I had small children and were living next to such a house, I'd be horrified and afraid for my children.
The face that Furr Group, owned by JA parent and Sheffield resident is part of this transaction is also very disheartening. I know the family and would expect better. I also know the Stephens and am appalled at their lack of concern for the families they are subjecting this on, as well as their deceptive behavior, which includes duping a coworker. This needs to flood Facebook, homeowner association emails, and feedback to city officials. The fact that so many are in the area and no one knew until now is disturbing. People living near these houses have commented here an on other sites that they became aware of an Oxford House in their area by witnessing frequent police visits. cars parked in the grass, numerous cars bearing out of state tags at a house, and men hanging out on the front porch watching the neighborhood. Surely we can stop this as a community. There are other options for helping those truly wanting to recover, but moving them in mass into unchaperoned living in residential neighborhoods is not the answer.

Thank God you got the "girls from broken homes" kicked out. Property values mean more than children.

Relapse rates for those in half-way houses is high. When there is no one with authority in these houses to guide recovery, who is running the place? Sounds like the inmates are running the asylum. And, to the posting way back, certainly we all wish every alcoholic and drug addict could go through treatment, enter a good half-way house for a couple or three months and return to productive life. We all would give them this chance. But neighborhoods of single-family homes are not where group homes belong. It is like asking for decreased value and diminished quality of life. If this is happening in Jackson, it could happen anywhere.

Wow! It's not the new neighbor's a coach put in your midst you folks need to be speaking to ANY school about...kids are introduced to drugs at the age of 3...by friends and the media. It won't be someone in recovery who will corrupt your little darlings. PARENTS... the EDUCATION HAS TO COME FROM YOU!
Talk to your kids often about the harmful effects of alcohol and drugs.

(Drugs Sold at School) "Almost half of high school students (44 percent) know a student who sells drugs at their school. When asked what drugs are sold at their school: • 91 percent said marijuana; • 24 percent said prescription drugs; • 9 percent said cocaine; and • 7 percent said ecstasy." - See more at: http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/Adolescents#Data

4:33 --- None of us thought Coach Rogers had anything to do with this. He coached my son and was a good man. He got "had", just like the rest of us. Anger is strictly leveled against the Stephens.

the listing agents from the furr group and the seller of the home had no idea that this was happening....certainly JA had no idea either.....this is all on Anna Fiser.....this is all on Anna Fiser....anna Fiser.

5:37 -- These ain't "girls from broken homes" -- they're grown men with arrest records and addiction problems. GROW UP!

Who is Mrs Stephens agent? Or does she buy these houses without help? The Furr Group was not representing her!! Her agent should have known her plans.

2:07; Nothing in your little pissy link requires a municipality to allow the establishment of halfway houses in a town. Nice try. What you don't seem to understand is that IF (big ass IF) a municipality has areas zoned so as to allow such facilities, the town cannot discriminate against those who might want to drop a half-way house in the neighborhood, IF it meets the requirements of the ordinance.

But, and this might disappoint you, a city is not obligated to allow such places otherwise.

And for damned sure they cannot just out of the blue decide to set up a halfway house or similar facility in contradiction of municipal ordinances or without jumping through the hoops.

People actively using drugs drop from protection under ADA as they are not in recovery. Money grubber operators try to scam that by running piss farms with multiple charges for urinalysis. Lots of means to insure this racket is well regulated for the safety of these poor recovering addicts. Because clearly these folks would never be disorderly, live in overcrowded and unsafe conditions, nor engage in criminal activity, even to support a habit. We need to work closely with civil rights attorneys to keep the rights of these residents first and foremost intheir journey. By providing input from neighbors, oversight by zoning, code enforcement, and health and law professionals, Jackson and the metro area can offer these residents the best possible chance to complete their intensive and well regulated recovery programs. I would encourage all concerned persons to contact their neighborhood association, councilman, and legislator to help form a vigorous response to the pressing needs of these operators seeking to aid the disabled addicts. Some operators receive as little as 2,000 dollars a month for each patient. It must be very difficult to operate a program on that kind of margin. It's hard to explain the rapid growth of this business given the onerous government regulation.

Anna Stephens should apologize and cancel the deal and list the house for sale. Otherwise, they will need to leave town. They will be the social outcasts otherwise.

People should be ashamed of the comments they are posting and the hatred they are spewing on this topic. You should properly educate yourselves about Oxford House before going off on your ill-informed rants. It seems that all most of you care about is keeping up the appearances in your "community". Perhaps you should look at what the idea of community truly means. And stop attempting to persecute the Stephens, do you have any idea how damaging your hatred is? Surely people have other things to concern themselves with outside of a young, productive couple's informed decisions about their investment properties. It's people like you that give southerners such a poor reputation for hypocrisy and back-stabbing.

6:51, you would not have a problem with a half way house with almost zero supervision being next door to you??

Can we put a Oxford House next door to you 6:51 PM?

A young, productive couple's informed decision? LMAO

Let's see how Neal likes it when the pickets show up in front of Dore. Somehow I don't think his customers will appreciate hearing that he has set up halfway houses for adult male addicts and sex offenders in the middle of family neighborhoods.

6:51 pm I agree that some of the comments are reprehensible. But, the truth is that everyone will resent anything in their neighborhood that adversely affects property values.

For many, a home is still their biggest investment in life.

@6:51 hey mrs fiser! How are you? What's your address so we can move some people next to you? Anyone who has something good to say about the half way house needs to give their address so we can notify Oxford house of a new available street! Everyone else must flood the Stephens and JA and the city with emails and calls. Make it impossible to ignore.

The ADA Act does NOT protect people currently using drugs or who have been convicted of selling drugs.Phoenix, Gilbert and Peoria, Arizona prohibit sober houses in residential areas, according to municipal officials. Funny how it doesn't seem to be just Southerners that want to have well regulated and productive "sober houses" that flourish in a proper and structured environment.

UPDATE: Went out to dinner and........

1. Drove by 1025 Newland -- the Stephen's home and there were 6 cars there. Either a support group for YUPPIE POOR DECISION MAKING or someone trying to talk sense into them.

2. House is for sale down the street -- 912 Newland I believe --- Charlotte Smith has it. Anyone up to get a group to buy it? Then they can also have the pleasure of an "OXFORD HOME" in their neighborhood. Preferably something will come open right across the street soon.

3. Coming back to my house (made a slight detour down the street to check on 2230 E. Northside) -- and THEY HAVE MOVED IN!!!! I REPEAT THEY HAVE MOVED IN!!!! Window coverings are amazing (looks like blankets nailed into the walls inside), the lights are on and two cars are there.

4. Should we hold a block party for the new arrivals -- OPEN BAR!!!! WELCOME TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!!!

Why are people jumping on JA? They don't have a dog in this hunt.

6:51

What is your definition of community?

Is someone who buys up property in a family-oriented neighborhood with the intention of leasing it out to recovering drug addicts positively contributing to that community? This isn't some public good that the Stephens' are doing, it's a very profitable business (subsidized heavily by the tax paying "community").

And I don't give a damn about a young, productive couple's investments as long as they don't entail inviting a house full of largely unsupervised drug addicts to live a block away from my wife and child.

So what how does Dr. Gregory Fiser feel about what his daughter has done to Northside?

Appears the Stephens have themselves "CONTRACTUALLY BOUND" to Oxford House. To coin a phrase -- NO Way Out! May be wrong, but that's the news on the street.

Even if they wanted to get out (and it appears they don't) -- Oxford House has them in a contract for both houses. Oxford House seems to pride itself on fighting the neighborhoods, so we probably don't stand a snowballs chance, since they have no investment in our community.

Stephens -- when you sell your soul to the devil, you reap the whirlwind.

Sad -- they have singlehandedly instituted the demise of an entire community. When we look back -- their names will be irrevocably linked to the demise of this part of Jackson. THANKS! Wish we'd had a vote in this!

JA -- bet JP is getting lots of inquiries about placement for next year.

@6:37 if you still don't understand what a protected class is, or what disparate impact means you're probably never going to.

The zoning laws cannot restrict where they put halfway houses for recovering drug addicts. If they do, it conflicts with federal law and is pre-empted.

Is that simple enough for you to comprehend? If you seriously think I'm wrong go ask a lawyer.

The fact is these people are not doing this for anything but to make money. I have a hard time believing they will be charging fair market rent but instead collect twice that of what the house would normally rent for. There is no way anyone can argue that this will do nothing but hurt property values. Having read the Oxford House website this also sounds like a group with very little oversight and accountability which is quite scary no matter where these houses go. There are more than enough homes for sale closer to their home that they could purchase. The rumor is several people have already offered to purchase the home from the Stephens but they have not been interested. In regards to JA getting involved who could fault them for terminating Mrs.Stephens employment? If people quit donating or sending their children to school there that equals dollars and I doubt she is contributing more than what will be lost and JA is a business.

6:51 - "do you have any idea how damaging your hatred is?"

Do you have any idea how damaging the poor decisions of this young couple are to the values of the houses next door? It seems like they are the one who have failed to consider what "community" means.

Yup, first tenants have already moved in.

Wish we could really groupfund the Newland house. Might give them a birdseye view of what they are inflicting on other nearby neighborhoods. And, yes, DORE and the husband are equally in the mix, along with Dr. Fiser. Backlash for all of the people may help - emails, calls, scowls, whatever works. If they were renting at fair market value or below, then at least one could hope it was with pure, albeit misguided motives, but they are getting $3500 for a 3 bedroom on Forest Park and who knows how much for the rest. It's wrong for the neighborhood and wrong that our tax dollars pay for this travesty, while it brings down both property values and safety in otherwise solid neighborhoods. Way to go Fisers, DORE, and Stephens. Glad you can vacation at Turks this summer, hate it for the retired people and young couples having extremely sketchy people living on their street.
Oh, and 6:51, no one believes you are impartial.

6:51, whether you are a doctor or Harvard educated professional, it's "*almost not all most. And seriously "Surely people have other things to concern themselves with outside of a young, productive couple's informed decisions about their investment properties." Seriously??? And we're not to assume you are not involved.
I frankly don't have more to concern myself than a "young couple" choosing to establish housing for addicts with a major percentage of criminal history in our neighborhoods, by our aging parents or children. This increases crime in the neighborhood and deteriorates property values for those who can least afford to move. Nice job. Glad that "young couple" can make such savvy investment
s and pocket the proceeds.
And from this - "It's people like you that give southerners such a poor reputation for hypocrisy and back-stabbing." Spoken like a true non-Southerner. See down here we try to take care of those who have worked all their lives to find a little peace and security. Moving addicts next door? Not so much.

Here are some facts: Anna Fiser Stephens and Neal Stephens stand to make $3200 per month off these recovering addicts if they achieve their goal of 8 residents. This is very important: The rent is paid to the Stephens directly by the addicts, not Oxford House. By adding additional addicts they only increase their profits, since each resident pays 100 per WEEK regardless of how many residents inhabit the house. This information comes from Oxford House. It is unconcionable that the Stephens intend to stuff 8 men into this home and charge them nearly 3 times the fair market rental rate of this home. More facts: Anna Stephens didn't just deceive her friend Coach Rogers, she apparently deceived Oxford House as well. Per Oxford House rules, these houses must be within half a mile from access to public transportation. But the nearest JTRAN stop is 1.7 miles away at the corner of Old Canton and Ridgewood road. Another fact, if these homes are to house 8 people, as the Stephens desire per the Oxford House website, then Oxford House requires that the home have 4 bedrooms. Yet a previous post indicates that this is a 3 bedroom home. Final fact: this home is 1.2 miles from Spann Elementary School and 1.3 miles from JA. According to Oxford House annual report, 76% of its residents have been in prison with an average incarceration of 11 months. Given the prior criminal records as reported by Oxford House and the high recidivism rate among drug addicts, surely these homes should be located further from school zones.

I continue to be amazed that this couple did this so secretly and with such deception. It's shameful.

Why are people jumping on JA? They don't have a dog in this hunt.

I think doing business with the husband of an employee setting up halfway houses for addicts and sex offenders barely a mile away from your school means they do.

you know, I can't help but wonder if all of this is by design. First, the guvment wipes out about 1/2 of the real estate values nation wide by forcing banks and s&l's to make mortgage loans to those who had no prayer of paying the money back. Then, after the collapse, the guvment filled all of these vacant high dollar houses (now worth diddly-squat) with the same retards that caused this mess in the first place....hmmmmmm... now, those of us stuck with houses worth .50 cents on the dollar are being threatened by yet mo guvment mayhem by moving drug addicts into our midst.....I for one have had enough.

7:53 -- Nope, they just have a coach who has no problem undermining the property values in the neighborhood where their school sits.

HMMM -- I think they do have a dog in this hunt. Tenure there?? I think not, but correct me if I"m wrong. Contract renewal next year?? Again, I think not, if they have any loyalty to their parental base that sits within blocks of their school.

How are they going to practice their "cross country and track" runs in the neighborhood, etc.? I wouldn't want my child to run through this neighborhood now, with the risk that a pedophile, convicted felon, or at a minimum drug/alcohol addicted man was sitting in the yard, "enjoying the view" -- would you? I'd be concerned that the Stephens have purchased another house that we know nothing about, based on the HUGE money they're making off the two cash cows they own currently. Altruistic --- that's a joke!!! Investment portfolio -- yep, that fits.

JA better wake up before JP takes their students. Your choices in staff are a direct reflection of your ability to educate. In general, teachers are excellent at JA, however, they are at JP too, and JP doesn't have Anna Stephens.

If Stephens is coaching your daughter, I strongly encourage you to look into her past relationships. She better not come anywhere close to my daughter.

Just exactly how close is this house to JA?

My kids go there and I don't want a bunch of known addicts and or sex offenders living within walking distance of my children's school.

Why were the cops at the house earlier? Anyone know?

I continue to be amazed that this couple did this so secretly and with such deception. It's shameful.

GREED and a 2009 Harvard grad from Magee who is already convinced he's smarter than everyone else.

Oxford House estimated in 2010 that 19 percent of its population of 24,000 residents nationwide relapsed. That means at least 1.3 of these residents per house will be continually churning out to be replaced by more adult male addicts and offenders of unknown criminal backgrounds.

Do you think that Chipper was preaching about marital fidelity?

BTW -- there are 2 more "families" who have bought homes in NE Jackson and linked up with Oxford House. Landroll Queries can verify the following information:

Cary and Amber Bridges -- Madison, MS own 1365 E. Northside Drive (from the Oxford Website of available Homes in 39211).

Charles A and Patricia C. Jones -- Jackson, MS own 1354 Winterview Drive, and 5914 Medallion Drive (again from the Osford Website of available homes in 39211).

Perhaps we need to find out where they live also and move a halfway house close to them. Time to come out of the closet -- Oxford House beneficiary landlords :)

Trey Gueieri is the real estate broker that represented Anna and Neil Stephens to buy E Northside.

Despite what Anna, Neal and Paul Molloy may tell you -- and we know they'll be able to dupe Jimmie Gates -- this list from Austin, Texas littered with Oxford Houses that accept sex offenders.

Once established THERE IS NOTHING Anna and Neal can do to stop one an autonomous Oxford House they are renting to from accepting sex offenders.

How ya like them apples Jackson Academy?

These comments make me sick. People who live in glass houses... Life is about getting opportunities to start over, build a better life, be a better person, etc. Many of YOUR ancestors came to America on a boat with nothing to make a better life for themselves & their families. You probably wouldn't want THEM living next door to you either. I hope and pray that none of you ever have a loved one with an addiction problem. But, if you do, I hope they are treated differently than many of the posters on here. Happy Easter! Remember God have his ONLY son for YOU. The way you repay it is to not give someone a second chance at life. Nice.

This is a dark and sad situation for Sherwood Forest and the surrounding areas. Police showed up tonight as the proprietor of this fine establishment "felt threatened" by neighbors stopping by. Degradation has already begun.... Jackson is apparently determined run off the last of its tax base, either by design or by sheer apathy/stupidity. (That said, Councilman Foote and his office have been terrific thus far and on this from day one. They are organizing a response and all interested should contact his office.)

IF THIS STANDS, it will be the last straw. No choice left but to move. I walk my kids by this house every day. It's sickening that they did this clandestinely and intentionally. I would have expected much better from someone who was reared in THIS AREA!

How long would elected officials be silent about something this in Rankin or Madison Counties if there was the same public outrage? Where's the Mayor? Councilman Foot? Representative Denny? Senator Longwitz? (Even though they are state reps, they still can take a stance). They were elected to represent us and our values. Where are they now…especially when we really need LEADERSHIP?

The Oxford House Scam

All should understand that Oxford House and those local landlords that contract with them are operating a scam which has to this point gotten little attention though the problem is a national one, not just in MS. Oxford House assists local landlords in running unlicensed, unregulated, and unsupervised BOARDING HOUSES. These are purely a commercial operation and enrich landlords with 2 to 3 times the amount of rent they would receive in a normal rent/lease arrangement. Oxford House and the local landlords have ZERO investment in the neighborhood nor interest in the well being of anyone else, but their own. They use US TAXPAYER money to finance the ENTIRE scheme. Oxford House lives off federal no-bid grants and the local landlord in this case the Stephens (do not forget there are two other local families that also participate in this scam) get their money from MS Dept of Mental Health grants and payments to the house boarders usually in the form of disability payments or medical insurance. I doubt that lawsuits or civil action will succeed. This group has been perfecting the no notice move-in model and moving it through the federal courts for 30 years!. They are experts in this type of litigation. However, they are not experts in the politics of MS. And we do have a senior US Senator who happens to be head of the appropriations committee. The federal and by extension state grants are the life blood of these operations. Cut the money and you starve the cancer. We have an election coming up in MS. Let the Governor, LT Governor, Speaker of the House, Speaker Pro Tempore, House Rep and State Senator know that you are OUTRAGED by this abuse of taxpayer funding that destroys communities and endangers families

Cary and Amber Bridges -- Madison, MS own 1365 E. Northside Drive (from the Oxford Website of available Homes in 39211).

It is Casey. He and the Mrs. moved up to a brand spankin' new house in Gluckstadt where I'm sure they'll be setting up an Oxford House in Grayhawk any day.

Just exactly how close is this house to JA?

Both houses a tad over a mile away from the front door on Sheffield.

The oxford house website says to feel free to stop by and visit the men or women living in an Oxford House. We should do just that.

As for the " sex offenders" argument, there are already 4 registered sex offenders near Eastover Drive.

You act as if there aren't any at all over there, where as, there are. They're everywhere all over america, even in eastover.

Click link below:


http://www.familywatchdog.us/ShowMap.asp?frm=0

Hey Neill, Hey Anna, err I mean 6:51. How are y'all holding up through this sh$@storm you've unleashed upon yourselves? God have mercy on you.

9:23
If you lived as I do one door down from this dangerous nuisance the Neal and Anna Fiser Stephens have thrust upon us, damaging our safety, intentionally causing my family great anxiety, and foreseeably damaging my property values, perhaps you would be less self-righteous.

I feel bad for the recovering addicts, not the Stephens. I blame the Stephens, not the addicts. I think most people harbor no ill-will to the particular individuals living in the house.

I hope they recover and become productive members of society. I just hope that recovery happens in an appropriate location. Why not buy up a block of a borderline area and turn it around? Use the habitat model and revitalize areas instead of bringing the values in good areas down.

Ronnie knew full well what was going to happen to the house when he sold it. He even endorsed it, being the actual Christian man that he is.

Many posting come off as ignorant backwoods neophytes totally removed from the actual issue. Cream rises to the top because it's over stirred. The unrelated attacking and outright disinformation being spewed forth is doing nothing but smothering the real issue. By making it personal attacks on the individuals, their families, their businesses and their employers, you paint yourself worse than who you claim them to be and you devalue the whole argument. Doing so makes it much more difficult to get to a satisfactory point in this whole mess.

Focus, people and stay on point. It doesn't matter who it is, where they work, who they know, or where they sleep. What matters is the action that they took.

George Edward, I mean, Trey lives in Madison far away from the mess he help the Stephens create.

Dear 8:13, I have heard from reliable sources, that Dr Greg Fiser and his lovely wife have been bankrolling his daughter in these endeavors. How does a couple in their early 20's( one who is a private school coach and the other a worker for a gov't funded non-profit) amass over a million dollars worth of real estate??

I think the 6 cars that were spotted at the Stephens' house tonight are in full force posting on this board.

spann is closer to this home than JA is. JA is simply Anna's employer. They can not control what she does with her real estate purchases anymore than your employer can control yours. Leave JA alone. Focus on Zoning Laws. That is where the energy needs to be directed.

Only a Harvard grad from Magee would say "Many posting come off as ignorant backwoods neophytes..."

You get an extra 100$ per head for using the word "neophyte" on a blog. Had you used it correctly you could have doubled your money.

1. What is the maiden name of Mrs. Fiser?

2. Mr. Stephens never called back. I emailed questions to him as well with no response. I'll post them in a few days if he never responds.

10:12 -- I think they're outnumbered. Nothing or no one can defend these two idiots actions.

Rumor has it that they're telling friends and colleagues that this will "blow over" and they'll weather the storm.

Apparently the Stephens are building a house in bridgewater. They don't care about anyone other than themselves

10:22 -- Would this be the HOUSE THAT OXFORD HOUSE (AKA FOREST PARK AND NORTHSIDE DRIVE) BUILT? (based on their windfall from their current contractual relationship).

10:22, wonder how many drunks and crackheads will fit into that house? Could be a record breaker. Sardine style!

The grand ole Bible Belt. Crucifixion. 'Tis the season! What about 'do unto others as you would have done unto you' or the catchy 'WWJD' so many of you proudly wear around your wrist? Guess those aren't suitable for you Bible beating Christians right now. Convenient Christianity. Hypocrites.

Can anyone research if there is a Lein on the houses? What was the mode of financing?

Damn, where's Quentin when we really need him?

For the record, Mr. Stephens is the owner and director of the for profit Dore USA program, located on Lakeland Drive, and currently partnered with JA and several area schools. Check tge website. Big money. And lots of controversy in padt.

Kingfish -- you asked what Mrs. Fiser (I'm assuming Dr. Fiser's) wife's maiden name was --- it appears to be Vincent (Robin?)

See this article with a great breakdown of the Gangnum style breakout wedding dancing, done by the bride and groom after the Cracker Barrel wedding breakfast hosted by the grandmas. Names are outlined in the article.

http://issuu.com/northsidesun/docs/november_2013/75

Well put 9:07. The Federal government is the problem. HUD is the problem. Obama is running this country into the ground just like the German pilot ran that airplane into the Swiss alps. There were 7 babies aboard that plane. Do you Bennie Thompson would help? God help you'all in Jackson. It goes from bad to worse. Oxford house the liberals devil spawn. Yep the devil is a liberal democrat. You heard it hear 1st. on JJ! Lord please take me home.

The Stephens should own this scheme. Explain why you believe it's a good thing or ask for mercy and help in breaching the contract. The community would welcome them back. Instead they build a new house in ridgeland and send a stansill in distress to speak for them

The people in the halfway homes would fit right in with most all of you and in Northeast Jackson. *cough* hypocrites. Get over yourself and worry about your own problems inside your own home. No one honestly cares about what you have to say about the situation. Thank you though!

Alright. Which is the bigger pipe dream- getting something done about this house, or gating in all access streets to JA? I'm guessing both are impossible. But one of those two things has to happen.

I'm a homeowner in the neighborhood, and JA parent. Don't have much longer left at the school, but something has got to change. This is ridiculous.

I have nothing against recovering addicts trying to better themselves.

I have no problem in general with an outfit like Oxford assisting addicts. In general of course.

I have a HUGE problem with locals( metro) Stephens AND the Fisers buying a cheap house in one of the last decent neighborhoods in town to lease it out as a 1/2 way house to reap a profit at the neighborhoods expense.

Regardless of the legal issues its just wrong to do this in this fashion. And everyone knows it.

The attention should be focused squarely on the Stephens and their partner/financial backers the Fisers, specifically Dr Greg Fiser. Each time one of you see any of these business partners please state your mind to them. Make it personal bc the 1/2 way house planted in Sherwood Forest is very personal to all its residents. While Anna may not give a rip about her reputation I'm betting that Dr Fiser will. If he denies involvement press him. Ask him if he has A) any money ( including co signature or partnership) tied up in the deal, B) any chance to profit, C) any influence over his family and daughter concerning this , & D) ANY prior knowledge of this deal.

Dr Fiser should be reminded of referral patterns in the local medical community. There are choices when it comes to choosing a surgeon.

Anna should be reminded by tuition paying JA parents that this in unbecoming behavior for JA staff/coach. Parents have choices of where to send their kids to school and who their sports coaches are.

Each of the above don't have to be invited to parties, fund raisers, events around town, etc.

If you are a personal friend of the Fisers or Stephens please do them a favor and tell them "it's just not worth it". Look at all the comments, read the emails, ask around. It's obvious. They have made a mistake and underestimated the public outrage and response to their action. I imagine by now that they realize this. Therefore they need an out. I'm sure when/if they respond they will state that contracts have been signed and they can't legally do anything about it now. Their profitable business venture is set in stone completely out of their hands. Don't believe that for a moment. In fact there are numerous lawyers in Sherwood area that would be all to happy to assist them in closing this venture down with minimal if any financial loss to them.

In short make it very personal to them. Nobody enjoys being a persona non grata.

Vincent?

" It's people like you that give southerners such a poor reputation for hypocrisy and back-stabbing. "

Only a fool thinks this blowback is limited to southerners. In NJ this type of problem was dealt with first with bullets through the front door, then a mysterious fire burned the place down to the ground.

For the morons posting sanctimonious drivel - you obviously have no children, or are sociopaths. The most fundamental instinct is to protect one's kids. Sex offenders in a neighborhood? Definite chance of extreme reactions.

As for the fool quoting the AMA in 1956 declaring alcoholism a disease - isn't that when they also declared homosexuality a disease, along the American Psychiatric Association? Good luck using that "authority" as a source of guidance. Things have changed.

Neighbors of this place need to be very wary of possible violence in their neighborhood. I spent part of this evening with a bunch of JA parents who had not yet heard of this whole mess.

11:32...you are exactly correct. Dore is also involved as a business. Many parents enroll students through schools partnered with the program and independently. Pressure your school if it is a partner to speak with the Stephens, consider other alternatives and of you independently enroll, remember who you are dealing with. Research the program carefully. Controversy seems to follow these upstanding folks...

I've been told by numerous sources the Stephens have bought 2-3 houses in Belhaven in addition to the 2 houses being discussed here, which are included in their master plan to own 10 total of these houses throughout the area over the next 2 years. If that is true, and they fill all 10 houses with their desired 7-8 men who must pay $400-500 a month to them, then these greedy people will be making $2,800-$4,000 per month, per house, for a total of $336,00-$480,000 per year income to them.

Ok. so that's Belhaven and Sherwood/Audubon/Massena/Picnic Hill violated, wonder where the other houses are going to be? They're moving to Bridgewater, according to another poster, so they will have no qualms about putting a house or two in Heatherwood/Heatherton. Eastover?Don't think it's not possible. Where else? "Coming to a street near you" indeed.

You people can claim this is a Ridgeland problem and a Madison problem all you want, but it's not. There's no public transportation in Madison County. Oxford house requires access to public transportation. If this is a deal breaker for some of you, I encourage you to come join our nice little area in Madison County.

If a neighbor is murdered or a child is raped by one of the addicts that Anna and Neal Stephens have brought into our neighborhood, can the Stephens be liable?

As it has been stated, JA has no business telling their employee what to do and not do in this matter. How would you like your employer telling you what you can and can not invest in?

5:50 Ten houses on a HS coaches' salary? Sounds unlikely without a family member's assistance, no matter what that rich family member claims.

If it's employees and business partners are involved in bringing sex offenders and junkies within miles of a school, then I disagree, they do have business telling people what to do. Especially once it hurts enrollment.

Jackson Academy has every right to communicate with its employees when said employees' business interests are placing drug addicts and sex offenders in an unsupervised halfway house setting in close proximity to the Jackson Academy campus and within the very midst of neighborhoods where Jackson Academy students reside with their families.

There are many options for private schooling in the Jackson metro. Jackson Academy should rightfully be very concerned about recent developments and the actions of their employee.

Just think how many recovering addicts they could fit in a large home in Eastover!

Or in a Gluckstadt McMansion.

@7:27 - The interesting thing about private school educators and coaches is that they're on 1 year contracts. While I doubt JA could fire her immediately, they have every right to not renew her contract for 15-16, as long as they've not offered her a contract yet.

Ja can and should be involved. The employees rights to invest are compromised when the investment jeopardizes the week being of the employer

7:27: Anna Stephens is likely an at will employee of JA. So what is the will and pleasure of JA in this matter?

Sounds like concerned residents need to pool their money and start buying up the vacant houses next to them before the Stephens/Fisers do!

Sounds like a pretty lucrative gig they have going on. Do the houses have to be located near public transit?

Congratulations Anna and Neal. In 24 hours, you have become the most hated people in Jackson. Don't expect us Bridgewater residents to welcome you with open arms either. You are most definitely NOT welcome here.

Also, my daughter went to college with Anna. I concur with 9:09, you should research her past extensively before allowing her to come anywhere near your daughters.

If a neighbor is murdered or a child is raped by one of the addicts that Anna and Neal Stephens have brought into our neighborhood, can the Stephens be liable?

They certainly can be sued and in Hinds County anything is possible when it comes to jury verdicts.

7:27 -- Obviously you have never worked for a private or parochial school. It's called a MORALS CLAUSE. Always there in Catholic School employment ---- I would daresay it is there also in JAs contract with Ms. Stephens. When a teacher who is charged with the safety and welfare of her pupils and engages in leadership of extracurricular activities (Coaching) then that individual is absolutely held to a different standard in both their professional and private life. If she is engaging personally in behavior or taking actions that will endanger those students, then she has violated that clause. This is no different than if she was a stripper or working in a massage parlor.........both legal......but not acceptable under the MORALS CLAUSE. She has endangered the very location and environment where she works by a VOLUNTARY CHOICE and a desire to profit at other people's expense. My children have graduated, however if I were a JA parent -- I WOULD HAVE NO ISSUE REMOVING MY CHILD FROM ANY TEAM EVENT THAT SHE IS ASSOCIATED WITH, UNTIL SHE IS REMOVED. She gave us no choice in the halfway house, and she should be given no choice in her employment. Her behavior is destructive to the business model of JA, which ultimately is a business, and remember........this is an AT WILL EMPLOYMENT STATE (Mississippi). They can terminate with no reason at all! ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES......she needs to live those out PERSONALLY.

So theoretically if I have a house currently for sale in the neighborhood and I can prove that offers are not being presented, based on the halfway house being placed in close proximity ----- can I sue them for financial damages???

Hate to break it to everyone, but I highly doubt she is shaking in her boots about losing her job at JA.

If they are successful in getting 10 of these boarding houses up and running she'll make much much more money doing that than working at a little private school.

After all these comments and news stories, it cannot be said that Anna Fiser Stephens and Neal Stephens are not on notice that they will be held responsible for the damages they and their tenants have and will cause, and that the results are and will be entirely foreseeable from the externalities of the dangerous nuisance they have created and maintain at the 2 houses on Northside and Forest Park.

As a very concerned neighbor, I want pictures and rap sheets for every addict living in that house. If they have a car, I want car descriptions and license tags.

We deserve to know who these Stephens and their partners have invited to live amongst us for protection purposes.

Question: where are these addicts/convicts going to get their money they must pay to the Stephens? They sure won't be getting any handy man or yard cleaning jobs from any neighbors. They get kicked out if they don't pay up...so again, I ask, where will they be getting the money?

Oh, and JA, the clock is ticking on how much longer you can stay silent on this matter. My monetary donations stop now, along with many other alumni's. In addition, all consideration I've given to sending my kids to JA is gone. I will not send them to a school surrounded by a failing, addict/convict-overrun neighborhood, ironically, all of which is being directly caused by your own coach who is landing what likely will be the final blow to the entire city of Jackson, where your school is located. I want my children to be safe where they live and where they go to school. STEP UP.

I see where some of you are coming from but lets not forget that you could already be living next to an alcoholic, drug user, sex offender or who knows what else. You may think you know your neighbor but you only know what they want to tell you. I agree they need some supervision in these homes to keep them accountable in my opinion but we can't judge these people you don't know maybe this is what it took for them to turn their lives around.

If the Stephens didn't do it, someone else would have. If you make the decision to live in a city, these things will happen. If you are fortunate enough to live in the county, odds are this sort of thing will not happen. I have always lived in the county, I have lived on one acre up to fifty acres. My home is now on fifty acres and is my dream home. Six years ago my neighbor died and his son moved in and turned their acreage into a junk yard. Was I happy, NO, but I have gotten over my shock and gotten to be friends with this neighbor. As the saying goes "Chit Happens" and life is to short to worry about something you have no control over.

9:09 - please research Anna's past extensively and see if you would want her coaching your daughters. I wonder if her facade as a "do gooder married Christian" is about to crumble.

11:32 - please research the background of the FOR PROFIT Dore program and see if your want your schools and children involved in something that has been plagued with so much scandal. If you dig enough, you will find that Mr. Neal Stephen's father was involved in the operation that went bankrupt in the United States initially and took the money of many people who were required to prepay for the service. The Stephens repackaged Dore under a different company, Neuedge, LLC. Dig a little.

@8:52 But then I would be only living next to one or two in one house, not the 6 to 8 that Oxford House will place in one home.

8:52
So are you ready along with the Stephens to compensate the neighbors for the damage to their market value that has already occurred?

There's 2 houses on Wilhurst right now......

Anna fiser Stephens may not be worried about the financial ramifications of losing her job but I think people are hopeful her and Neal Stephens have at least a little dignity left in them and want to right this horrible greedy wrong they have created. Madison may not be far enough for them to move to escape the embarrassment they have brough on themselves and their families.

There are some petty and spineless individuals posting here and I'm saddened to know that I know many of these individuals. Its one thing, and even an good thing for people to be able to post anonymously. The negative aspect can usually be swept away by the more positive aspect.

But, posting some of the individual threats, veiled or otherwise, the outright personal attacks on these people and their family and the places where they work is at minimum sad. The innuendo attempting to connect anyone and anything you do not like is simple harassment. I'm quite sure it would be the same people that would claim bullying when their child is subjected to typical children behavior. The type of people that get most vocal in hypocrisy, only because of the anonymity.

My family and I moved here from New Orleans and while we consider many here friends, we have only known many of you for a short time. I've noticed none of you saying some of these things these things on facebook. Because you are too scared to stand behind your comments.

The juvenile attempts at name calling or attempting to shout down anyone that doesn't grab a pitchfork and a rope will most certainly continue. But those having to live near these homes are being ignored due to some sick social gang rape of simple community decency.

Here's a clue. It doesn't matter if this couple is doing this or not. If they go away, another will step in. The issue is that we are funding this through tax dollars. There is absolutely no reason this should even be an option for a landlord. This isn't therapy.

This is in the same vein as the ACA forcing low income loans to be given by banks at a certain ratio to more logical loans. Or even loans to black individuals given to those in a predominantly white neighborhood. One would almost think this is an orchestrated attempt by Republicans to reduce the political stranglehold urban areas have on our form of governments. Divide and conquer.

Regardless, it's the means that is the issue that everyone should be up in arms about. Instead of attacking individual liberty, one should be attacking that which funds the threat to your personal safety.

No, people know this. Most are just in it for the entertainment. They know that running off this couple doesn't mean the end to this as an issue in our neighborhoods. It's just sick fun to join in the gang and attack because it's simply too much work and effort to think about the root issue and work to correct that.

This will be forgotten in a day as soon as some celebrity passes gas, or marries or divorces or some other entertaining distraction.

If you are one of Neal and Anna's neighbors on Newland you should be very, very worried. Should they move to Bridgewater there is nothing stopping them from turning their Newland home into an Oxford House. Nothing.

I want to thank Sen. Will Longwitz for calling Suzanne and I yesterday and offering to do what he can to help us and the neighbors in any way he can.

7:12.
The house at 2230 Northside isn't close enough to a public transportation stop according to the "rules". What people fail to understand here, is rules don't matter to these people. If they were following the rules, they wouldn't be able to put these houses in many of the places they are putting them.

As a Bridgewater resident, I don't want the Stephens here either. They are disgusting. I am tired of hearing people say what a fine family they are.they're not.
If the Fiser's and the Stephens continue with the plans they have for these houses, they might as well move to Mexico. Nobody wants them anywhere around here.

Longwitz represents NE Jackson in the state senate, at least for now. Denny is their rep in the house. Neither can do anything but talk, which Longwitz and his faithful valet Amile Wilson have already done, because it's not a state issue. It's a city issue, and Foote has to take the lead.

Troubled girls from broken homes who had also committed criminal acts not to mention the thugs hanging out and around a house full of teenage girls and the drag racing, loud music to booth. NIMBY, you have at it.

I have no doubt there are ex-cons, addicts and sex offenders in every neighborhood, that's not the issue. The problem is the Stephens and Oxford House are leasing ONLY to people who have been in jail or treatment that have no family or friends left due to their pattern of prior behavior. They are not renters, they are boarders, and their $100/week is subsidized by every taxpayer. These homes are no longer available for families to buy or rent, only for troubled individuals with no income or connections (because if you had any other option or income, would you live in a 3 bedroom house with 7 strangers?)

9:27 -- Short term you are correct, however Oxford House garners its MS Money from the Department of Mental Health -- hence the Rep and Senator can cutoff the oxygen in the room through a budgetary process, as can our LT Governor Tate Reeves and our governor Phil Bryant.

Affecting Oxford's funding which is being funneled through the MS DMH, from a Federal Government block grant, will directly affect their desire to be in our state. FOLLOW THE MONEY and cut off the blood supply.

Placing any blame on the Real Estate Agents is ignorant. They cannot discriminate based on the same Federal Fair Housing rules mentioned above - especially if they knew what the buyer's intentions were. They are simply achieving a "meeting of the minds" between the buyers and the sellers and performing a transaction.

@8:35 AM is obviously not from the area.

Too bad... seems too late.

Even if these folks who "started" this manage to distance themselves, there will be MANY more to come after them.

This will only gain steam as others see the value of this legal scheme.

It's at the root of the problem that needs addressing... and quickly!

Another binary dime per dozen JJ lecture from 9:19 AM anonymously admonishing the anonymous.

9:19 AM, this matter won't be forgotten until the matter is resolved.

9:19 , Now would be a wonderful time for you to move back to New Orleans. I'm sure you miss the city. You could have done a lot of packing during the time you spent composing your attempt at intimidating/shaming/demoralizing those who object to the MONSTROUS thing the Stephens have done.

Considering how many angles you covered, I have to wonder whether you didn't follow a list of "talking points" straight from the part of Oxford House which concerns itself with intimidating local residents into submission.

And I wonder if you aren't really paid staff of Oxford House, with the New Orleans bit added as part of a ruse.

Letter put out by the Stephens just now.

My response to it...

Oh. I see. It's all for the Lord.

OK. That's cool. Nothing to see here folks, move along. Have a blessed day.

Oh...and please send further inquiries to Oxford.

BadScience: DORE – the media’s miracle cure for dyslexia

An academic has received a letter threatening legal action, delivered in person to her home, for daring to speak about her concerns over the evidence for Dore when asked by journalists. Dore’s lawyers have sent multiple extensive letters and faxes to this newspaper, warning us against all kinds of things. I get paid the same for this column whether it takes me two hours or a week. This may go some small way to explaining why you will hear only praise heaped upon Dore in the media.