Jackson councilwoman delivers water to Blossom Apartments, days after shutoff

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) — Jackson’s newest city councilwoman is stepping in to help residents at the Blossom Apartments, two days after the water there was shut off.

Ward Six Councilwoman Lashia Brown-Thomas was at the Woodbine Street complex on Friday, going door-to-door to distribute water, after the service there had been disconnected for nonpayment.

“It’s very sad that the owner of this property would not pay the people’s bill and got their water cut off,” she said. “At least I can try to give them some water until they get through this crisis.”

Brown-Thomas and other volunteers arrived around noon on Friday. In all, they brought four pallets of water, including three pallets of gallon jugs.

The councilwoman said the water was made available through a donation. She could not say who provided it.

The distribution comes just days after JXN Water disconnected water at the complex for nonpayment.

[READ: Meter locked after water illegally turned back on at Blossom Apartments]

Officials with the utility say Blossom Apartments LLC hasn’t paid its bill in nearly a year, accumulating more than $400,000 in past-due amounts.

Interim Third-Party Manager Ted Henifin said Blossom’s managing partner, Tony Little, must pay the full amount before water is restored.

Brown-Thomas learned about the problem while she was on the Gulf Coast for the Mississippi Municipal League annual conference.

She was working to coordinate a water drop-off as she was returning home.

“I was furious because I know how I am when it comes down to water. You need your water, because I love to bathe, and I think these people, they can’t bathe, they can’t flush their commode,” she said. “They need their water, so he needs to pay his bill.”

[READ: ‘He has to pay his bill’: Water shut off at Blossom Apartments]

Blossom residents, meanwhile, are thankful for the help.

April Smith says she’s had to go to friends’ houses to clean up and has to buy water that she would normally get from the tap.

“At least somebody takes the time out to care about us and bring us water,” Smith said. “It’s been hard, but we’re going to be strong for each other.”

Blossom is owned by Blossom Apartments LLC. The managing partner for that group is Tony Little.

Residents aren’t billed directly for water but rather pay for water with their monthly rents.

Some tenants have stopped paying in recent months, after reports surfaced that Little was not paying the water bill.

The last time Little paid on the water bill was in August of 2024, which the Monroe property owner paid after the first time JXN Water shut off the complex for nonpayment.

Henifin says Little signed up for a payment plan to pay off his past-due amounts but has made no payments since.

For her part, Brown-Thomas says she’s reached out to Little, but as of Friday, had not gotten a response.

“He refused to answer emails or phone calls,” she said. “My thing is to make sure I try my best to do what I can, give them water, and just be here for my people.”

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