OS Redevelopment Authority

The Ocean Springs Redevelopment Authority (OSRA) was established to act as the urban renewal and redevelopment agency for the City of Ocean Springs. It consists of five commissioners (Todd Coulter, Jeff Shepard, Doug Roll, Greg Cronin and Kenny Williams) appointed by the Board of Aldermen. The OSRA has been granted the authority to operate within any Urban Renewal Zone, exercising the following powers:


  1. To enter contracts for completing authorized goals
  2. To disseminate slum clearance and urban renewal information
  3. To furnish or repair public or private infrastructure and improvements
  4. To enter any building or property for inspection, survey, appraisal, etc.
  5. To a acquire real property by purchase, lease, gift, and eminent domain
  6. To improve real property for redevelopment purposes
  7. To purchase, lease, or accept as a donation any real property from any public entity (municipality, county, or state)
  8. To dispose of real property based on fair value ("fair value" is a determination made by OSRA which is different from "fair market value", and indicates a relaxation of the regular statutory requirements pertaining to the sale or lease of property)
  9. To invest urban renewal project funds not immediately required
  10. To prepare an annual budget and submit to the Board for acknowledgement once initial and recurring funding is apparent, an initial budget should be prepared, with subsequent budgets to be submitted upon request by the Board
  11. To prepare and submit to the Board an annual financial statement, including assets, liabilities, income, and operating expenses on or about the 15th of October of each year
  12. To prepare and approve OSRA meeting minutes for submission to the Board (via the City Clerk)
  13. To borrow money from public and private sources

Given these broad powers, their actions should be open to public oversight. However, the city has deliberately chosen not to publish meeting agendas or minutes, do not allow public comments at the meetings, do not live stream meetings like they do other meetings, and has implemented a separate policy regarding Public Record Requests that makes it more difficult. As we work to obtain these meeting minutes, we will share them below.