Frequently Asked Questions

Delinquent taxes accrue penalties and interest above the original amount levied by the City of Jackson and are billed and collected by the Jackson County Treasurer: 120 W. Michigan Ave., 517-788-4418

• Is not occupied
• Is for sale
• Is not leased
• Is not used for any business or commercial purpose

• Specially Adapted Housing Grant (SAH)
• Special Housing Adaptation Grant (SHA)

Yes. To schedule a tour, please call the WWTP at (517) 788-4075 and ask for the plant chemist.

Typically, no. However, under unusual and controlled conditions, we may accept it. Please call the Wastewater Treatment Plant at (517) 788-4075, and ask for the IPP chemist or the plant superintendent for clarification.

No. We do not accept wastewater from recreational vehicles.

• Individual sewer bills from the City of Jackson sewer users and township sewer users.
• Bulk sewer bills from the prison and the townships that use our services.
• Miscellaneous sources including pretreatment reimbursements, landfill leachate treatment, etc.

The City of Jackson is no longer placing banners across city streets. 

Go to the City's online parking ticket payment system, search for your citation and choose the option to Appeal. You can only appeal a citation within 7 days of receipt. Appealing a ticket will pause the escalation of any fees until a decision has been rendered by the Parking Manager.

You must obtain a permit to park in the park deck between the hours of 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. After 5 p.m., visitor parking is allowed. At this time, only a few permits are still available. Please see the Parking Permits and Rates page for more information.

• Use the "Pay to Park" lot #3 between W. Washington Avenue and W. Wesley Street. Put $2 in the slot of the pay station that corresponds to the number of the parking space you are in. Park all day if you wish.
• Park in a visitor area of any city lot. Visit the City Clerk’s Office on the 1st floor of City Hall or go online to the City's online parking payment system and obtain a daily permit. There is a $10 fee per day for this. Enjoy your day.

If you wish to pay your fine while still in the downtown area during business hours, you can go to the City Clerk's Office. Tickets may be paid online using the City's online parking ticket payment system, mailed to the address noted on the ticket, or there is a drop box located near the entrance to City Hall at: 161 W. Michigan Avenue Jackson, MI 49201.

You may park for free on downtown Jackson streets. Most parking spots have a 2-hour time limit. Other time limits are clearly marked with signs.

All non-permit parking in Jackson parking lots is clearly marked with time limit signs. The permit parking spots in parking lots are marked with signs.

All downtown parking options are mapped out on this Interactive Downtown Parking Map. 

• It works. Throughout the country, dramatic decreases in burglary and related offenses are reported by law enforcement professionals in communities with active watch programs.
• Today’s transient society produces communities that are less personal. Many families have 2 working parents and children involved in many activities that keep them away from home. An empty house in a neighborhood where none of the neighbors know the owner is a primary target for burglary.
• Neighborhood Watch also helps build pride and serves as a springboard for efforts that address other community concerns such as recreation for youth, childcare, and affordable housing.

• Organize a small planning committee of neighbors to discuss needs, the level of interest, and the possible community problems
• Contact the Jackson Police Department for help in training members in home security and reporting skills and for information on local crime patterns
• Hold an initial meeting to gauge neighbors’ interest, establish the purpose of the program, and begin to identify issues that need to be addressed
• Select a coordinator
• Ask for block captain volunteers who are responsible for relaying information to the members
• Recruit members, keep up-to-date information on new residences, and make special efforts to involve the elderly, working parents, and young people
• Work with the City of Jackson to put out Neighborhood Watch signs, usually after at least 50% of all households are enrolled

Yes. Watch groups can be formed around any geographical unit:

• Apartment building
• A block
• Business area
• Office building
• Park
• Public housing complex

• Community Meetings - These should be set up on a regular basis such as bimonthly, monthly, or 6 times a year.
• Communications - These can be as simple as a weekly flier posted on community announcement boards to a newsletter that updates neighbors on the progress of the program to a neighborhood electronic bulletin board.
• Special Events - These are crucial to keep the program going and growing. Host talks or seminars that focus on current issues such as hate or bias motivated violence, crime and schools, teenage alcohol and other drug abuse, or domestic violence. Adopt a park or school playground and paint over graffiti. Sponsor a block party, holiday dinner, or volleyball or softball game that will provide neighbors a chance to get to know each other.
• Other Aspects of Community Safety - For instance, start a block parent program to help children in emergency situations.

• Be alert!
• Know your neighbors and watch out for each other.
• Report suspicious activities and crimes to the Jackson Police Department.
• Learn how you can make yourself and your community safer.

• Someone screaming or shouting for help
• Someone looking in windows of houses and parked cars
• Property being taken out of houses where no one is at home or from closed businesses
• Cars, vans, or trucks moving slowly with no apparent destination or without lights
• A stranger sitting in a car or stopping to talk to a child

• Call 911 or your local emergency number.
• Give your name and address.
• Explain what happened.
• Briefly describe the suspect: sex and race, age, height, weight, hair color, clothing, distinctive characteristics such as a beard, mustache, scars, or accent.
• Describe the vehicle if one was involved: color, make, model, year, license plate, and special features such as stickers.

For City criminal cases, call 517-788-4023. For County criminal cases, call 517-788-4283. Court cases can also be viewed on the Court's website.

To protect customer privacy and prevent fraud, account-level utility information such as billing history, balances, and payment activity is accessible online only after entering an owner-created 4-digit PIN. This PIN is a security feature for the online self-service portal.

Many utility records maintained by the City are public records under Michigan law. Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows the public to request non-exempt public records. FOIA does not require the City to make account-level information available online without security controls.

If you do not have the account PIN, you may contact the City’s Water/Utility Billing Department by phone or email for assistance. Certain information may be provided depending on the request and applicable privacy requirements. You may also submit a written FOIA request for non-exempt records.

Tenants can create their own PIN to view and pay their utility bill.  A deposit will be required to establish the account in a tenant’s name.

Tenants who need to confirm utility service status for a rental property may contact the City Water/Utility Billing Department. The City can provide limited service-status information (whether service is active or delinquent) to help tenants protect their interests. Proof of tenancy and/or authorization from the account holder may be required. 

Title companies and closing agents may request utility account balance information or final billings by contacting the Water/Utility Billing Department. Requests should include the service address, anticipated closing date, and documentation related to the transaction. Authorization from the account holder may be required.

Users can view and manage saved payment methods by navigating to My Account > Payment Preferences. 

To delete a saved payment method, select the three dots in the Actions column next to the payment method and choose Delete.

Eyes on the Block is a voluntary community safety camera pilot launched by the City of Jackson. The program is designed to help residents work alongside law enforcement to deter, detect, and help solve serious criminal activity while protecting privacy and civil rights.

No. Participation is completely voluntary. Residents may choose whether or not to participate. Choosing not to participate remains anonymous and private.

This initial pilot includes eligible residential and small-business properties in Wards 1 and Wards 2. Residents can visit the following Boundary Map links to confirm eligibility.

Maps

• Ward 1 Boundary Map (PDF)
• Ward 2 Boundary Map (PDF)

The pilot will provide up to 100 Ring doorbell-style cameras and a first-year subscription. Installation will be provided by the City of Jackson Community Development Department.

The resident owns the camera. It is installed at the participating home or business and remains under the resident’s control.

No. The Jackson Police Department does not monitor cameras and does not have automatic access to any footage.
Camera owners will have an opportunity to choose to respond with footage if they choose to do so. 

If an investigation occurs near your location, law enforcement may issue a request for potential footage related to that incident through your device app. 

No. Sharing footage is voluntary. Residents decide whether or not to share any video.

No. Law enforcement cannot see who declines to share footage.

No. Cameras are not accessible to law enforcement unless a resident voluntarily shares footage.

Any footage shared with law enforcement is transferred securely and stored using cloud-based systems with limited access for legitimate investigative purposes. Footage is not stored on personal devices, thumb drives or email accounts.

We anticipate an optional rollout after December for other wards. After the pilot period, outcomes, public feedback, and available funding will be formally reviewed. City Council will determine whether the program should expand based on those findings.

Residents in Wards 3–6 may express interest in future participation by contacting eyesontheblock@cityofjackson.org.

No. Participation does not create an obligation to share footage and does not grant law enforcement independent access to private property.

The goal is to strengthen partnerships between residents and law enforcement by providing a voluntary way for community members to assist investigations while maintaining control over their personal property and data.

No. Cameras are resident-owned and not monitored by law enforcement. The program is designed to support voluntary information sharing, not surveillance.

No. Participation is voluntary. Property owners and tenants must follow applicable agreements and program guidelines.

Details regarding subscription renewal will be shared with participants during the pilot period.