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Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts appoints Councilman Deanna McLaughlin to chair ‘Restoring Clarksville’ Initiative Task Force

Clarksville’s New Initiative Aims to Restore Abandoned and Historic Properties

City of ClarksvilleClarksville, TN – The City of Clarksville is embarking on a major initiative to breathe new economic, aesthetic, and resiliency into declining properties and neighborhoods.

Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts and his administration have launched the transformative and exciting “Restoring Clarksville Initiative.”

Ward 2 City Councilman Deanna McLaughlin, who has shown a long-held passion and commitment to restoring deteriorating properties, was selected by Mayor Pitts to lead the task force.

“We have chosen “Growing Forward Together” as our City’s theme for the year, and this initiative has great promise and potential to help our existing neighborhoods address chronic concerns,” Mayor Pitts said.

“We will highlight neglected and abandoned properties in our initial efforts, and also historic properties that have fallen into decline. It is a tall task and one that Councilman McLaughlin has the passion to address. She will provide great leadership and the results will be a turning point for our City,” he said.

The Task Force held its first organizational meeting on January 28, 2025, and work is already underway to identify and examine the needs of neglected properties.

Going forward, the Restoring Clarksville Task Force will identify, inventory, review, and evaluate properties in the City that are experiencing deterioration due to economic factors, or neglect by various property owners that is contributing to their decline.

” I am grateful for Mayor Pitts’ confidence in my ability to lead this initiative to improve the appearance of our city,” said Task Force Chairman McLaughlin.

“This effort is a collaborative one, and the support that I have experienced from our City departments, along with the diverse expertise of our Task Force members, is the key to achieving our objectives. Together, we have the opportunity to make a lasting impact, and I am fully committed to ensuring this process leads to meaningful and visible improvements for Clarksville,” she said.

Properties that are abandoned, unkempt, and deteriorating, have a broader negative impact on surrounding neighborhoods and commercial areas of the City.

The consequences are wide-ranging and include creation of health and safety hazards, nuisances for neighbors, and vandalism.

These and other issues cause City personnel to spend an inordinate amount of time investigating repeated City Code violations. This additionally creates a drag on property values, and adversely affects aesthetics of neighborhoods and commercial corridors.

The Restoring Clarksville Task Force chaired by Councilman McLaughlin will also include representatives of these City departments: Building & Codes – Codes Enforcement, Building & Facilities Maintenance, City Forester, Communications, Finance – Grants Office, Fire Rescue, Neighborhood & Community Services, Police Department, and the Street Department – GIS Division.

In addition to City department representatives, Mayor’s Youth Council President and Northwest High School student Adam Stover, along with Austin Peay State University’s President’s Emerging Leaders Program member Kyleigh Koyama, have been appointed by Mayor Pitts to be part of this initiative.

Combining their collective expertise, the Task Force will:

  1. Create a City-wide inventory of neglected properties
  2. Create and implement property improvement programs
  3. Work with property owners to bring properties in compliance with property maintenance codes
  4. Recommend City Code updates
  5. Promote City Code compliance
  6. Provide support for property owners
  7. Seek grants and redevelopment programs
  8. Perform other necessary tasks related to the mission as they arise

In time, the Task Force will prepare a detailed report outlining its findings and recommendations for the Mayor, and present its findings and proposals to the full City Council for review and potential action.

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