Activists hope to restore historic Jackson House in Tampa
TAMPA — A coalition of civic activists led by Tax Collector Doug Belden and businessman Marvin Knight hopes to restore the historic Jackson House.
“They have uplifted my heart,” said Willie Robinson Jr., whose family has owned the rooming house for more than 100 years. “A lot of people that I didn’t know are coming together to see the project done and finished.”
City code enforcement inspectors say the house, a remnant of segregation-era Tampa, is in such disrepair that it might collapse. Last month, city officials gave Robinson 30 days to shore up the structure or face daily fines.