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Affordable Housing
The initial advisory group for Affordable Housing is the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH). They are charged with creating a community‐wide Housing Affordability Investment Strategy. The Housing Affordability Investment Strategy should include, but is not limited to, transit-oriented development strategies for affordable housing; anti-displacement strategies for gentrifying areas; diversification of housing types; models for mixed-income housing; public-private strategies; and a study of acquisition and/or development opportunities. The Housing Affordability Investment Strategy should build upon existing studies to further identify current gaps (internally and externally); short and long term solutions; community partners and their respectives roles and responsibilities; methods to increase and preserve affordable housing stock; a prioritization of strategies with order-of-magnitude costs estimates; and a data presentation format that is easily digestible.
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 |
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
Additional information about specific projects will become available once contracts have been finalized.
$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 will work to refine the project concept in spring 2023, and will most likely issue a request for proposals in early summer 2023.
Athens-Clarke County is working 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. HR&A has conducted a needs assessment and is currently working with community ambassadors to present findings of the needs assessment and gather feedback from community members. The final strategic plan is anticipated to be completed in summer 2023.