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Affordable Housing
In March 2022 the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission defined five ARPA program areas, including an affordable housing bucket initially funded with $11 million. Since that time additional projects within the affordable housing umbrella have been approved, for a total of $15 million in ARPA funds set aside for affordable housing projects.
Over the coming decade future affordable housing investments will be guided by a community-wide Affordable Housing Investment Strategy, which is currently under development.The advisory committee for Affordable Housing is composed of Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) alumni as well as ad hoc members representing local housing organizations.
Relevant History
March 11, 2020 | COVID-19 Global Pandemic |
March 11, 2021 | American Rescue Plan (ARPA) signed into law |
January 6, 2022 | U.S. Treasury Releases Final Guidance |
March 1, 2022 | M&C Approve ARPA Pro Forma - $11M for Affordable Housing |
May 17, 2022 | M&C Allocate $1.73M from ARPA Affordable Housing to North Downtown Athens Project (NDAP) |
June 7, 2022 | M&C Approved Concept for ARPA Affordable Housing Phase I – up to $5.7M |
August 2, 2022 | M&C Approve Housing Affordability Investment Strategy Consultant - $160k |
September 6, 2022 | M&C Allocate $4M Placeholder for NDAP Financing |
November 15, 2022 | M&C Make Additional $4M Allocation to NDAP Permanent |
December 6, 2022 | M&C vote to approve $1.25 million to the Athens Justice and Memory Project (AJMP) Affordable Housing Project |
December 13, 2022 | M&C vote to partially fund six Phase I Affordable Housing proposals, for a total of $6.2 million |
June 6, 2023 | M&C vote to approve RFP concept for Athens Justice & Memory Project Preservation of Affordable Housing Projects |
Funded Projects
- Phase I Affordable Housing
- North Downtown Athens Redevelopment Project
- Athens Justice and Memory Project Affordable Housing Preservation
- Affordable Housing Investment Strategy
$6.2 million has been allocated to fund six Phase I Affordable Housing projects
- New construction of affordable homes for purchase by low to moderate income buyers (2 projects)
- New construction of affordable homes for rent, paired with programming to assist renters in building their savings
- Repair and weatherization available to low-income homeowners in certain parts of the county (2 projects)
- Repair and weatherization of a multifamily property
$7.47 million in ARPA funds have been allocated to the North Downtown Athens Project (NDAP). This project is a public-private partnership between Athens Housing Authority, ACCGov, and private developers, and will result in the redevelopment of the Bethel Midtown property into a mixed income residential community. More information can be accessed using the links below.
External Website: https://ndathens.com/
SPLOST 2020 Affordable Housing project page
$1.25 million has been designated to be used for affordable housing preservation via home repairs and downpayment assistance. This funding was allocated in response to the recommendations of the Athens Justice and Memory Project. ACCGov staff issued a Request for Proposals from qualified organizations in June 2023 and received one proposal from Historic Athens for home repair projects. This proposal was approved by Mayor and Commission for funding on November 7, 2023.
Down Payment Assistance RFP Re-Release:
In an effort to address the lack of affordable housing for low-income Athens-Clarke County residents, ACCGov is now accepting proposals from organizations for funding associated down payment assistance for prospective homeowners. There is a total of $718,400 in funding for this purpose. Selected proposals will be funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). All awarded funding must be expended by December 31, 2026. For-profit, public non-profit, and private non-profit entities, incorporated by or licensed in the state of Georgia are invited to submit applications now through January 16, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.
This is a re-release of a funding opportunity that closed on September 1, 2023. The preservation and creation of affordable housing opportunities for lower income households continues to be one of the top priorities of the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov). This program stems from a recommendation from the Athens Justice and Memory Project to help address financial losses created by urban renewal and to reinvest in historically underserved neighborhoods in Athens-Clarke County.
Interested parties are invited to participate in a technical assistance webinar on December 11, 2023 at 11 a.m. to learn more about this opportunity. Email arpa@accgov.com or visit accgov.com/arpa for webinar details, updates and more information.
Related Documents:
Click here for AJMP DPA Re-Release RFP
Click here for December 11, 2023 AJMP DPA Re-Release Technical Assistance Webinar
Down Payment Assistance RFP Re-Release Timeline:
Key Activity | Date |
RFP Release | December 4, 2023 |
Technical Assistance Period
| December 11, 2023 – January 5, 2024 (excluding ACCGov holidays)
|
Proposal Due | January 16, 2024 at 11:00 AM EST |
RF Review and Recommendation of Submitted Proposals | January 17-31, 2024 |
Mayor & Commission Award Approval | March 5, 2024 |
Athens-Clarke County worked with HR&A Advisors, a consultant, to develop an Affordable Housing Investment Strategy. This strategy document will guide the decisionmaking process around affordable housing over the coming years. Mayor and Commission voted on October 3, 2023 to approve the final version of the Affordable Housing Investment Strategy.