The Federal Aviation Administration has put Jacksonville on alert, saying it has “serious concern” after reports that Jacksonville Aviation Authority leaders were pressed to back city programs that have nothing to do with running an airport. The warning follows internal emails and a federal letter that surfaced this week, alleging political pressure to tap airport cash reserves and juggle leases to support non‑aviation projects. The FAA is now zeroing in on whether those pushes could violate federal grant rules that tightly govern how airports use money tied to federal funding.
Documents show heated email
Documents obtained by Action News Jax include an email in which JAA chief compliance officer Devin J. Reed says Jacksonville City Council President Nick Howland told JAA officials, “if you keep undermining my economic development efforts, there will be hell to pay.” Reed shared the messages with JAA chairman David Hodges after internal concerns were raised about political pressure inside the authority, giving the FAA a paper trail that is now under the microscope.
FAA letter flags specific proposals
In a June 25 letter, the FAA wrote that it had “serious concern” that JAA executive leadership faced threats of personnel action for following federal guidelines, as reported by WOKV. The letter singled out specific proposals that deputies said were being pushed on airport leaders, including using JAA cash reserves to fund city projects, reassigning a hangar lease to Florida State College Jacksonville, and financing a vocational‑technical school, all of which sit well outside typical airport operations.
Howland pushes back
Jacksonville City Council President Nick Howland pushed back in a written response, saying most of the proposals were discarded nearly a year earlier after a review of FAA revenue‑diversion guidance, as reported by Action News Jax. Howland also pointed to an August 15, 2025 city council and JAA budget hearing as part of his case that the city was not trying to siphon airport funds into unrelated programs.
What the law says
Federal law and FAA policy strictly limit how airports can use revenue and federally obligated property; under Cornell Law School, 49 U.S.C. § 47107 requires that airport revenues be spent on airport costs or facilities that are directly related to air transportation. The FAA’s Airport Compliance Manual (Order 5190.6C) spells out the agency’s enforcement tools, which range from formal compliance determinations and corrective action plans to the possible withholding of federal funds from airports that stray from the rules.
Next steps
The FAA told local leaders it will “vigorously enforce current compliance with federal grant obligations,” leaving JAA and city officials under heightened scrutiny as the agency reviews the documents and correspondence, according to WOKV. The JAA board and city officials have not announced a public hearing on the matter; if the FAA ultimately finds diversion or improper use of funds, it can require corrective actions and could block future federal grants until compliance is restored.
