What is GICH?

The Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) is a statewide program to support communities in creating locally-driven solutions to their community housing issues. Interested communities can apply for the program and, if selected, participate in a 3-year initiative. Once the three years are over, the local GICH team (comprised of a community’s vested housing partners) has a capstone project. When Athens completed its program, the capstone was the makings of what became the voluntary inclusionary zoning ordinance. Upon graduating from the GICH program, GICH communities will automatically receive a certified alumni designation and will recertify every two years. Additionally, certified GICH alumni groups receive the ability to add two points to any LIHTC housing projects seeking DCA funding. The Athens GICH team is certified as an alumni community.

 What does our GICH Team do?

The purpose of the GICH Alumni Certification is to ensure that alumni of the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) continue to work toward addressing affordable housing issues within their communities by utilizing the Housing Plan document developed while participating in the three-year program. Our GICH team serves as a planning and advisory committee. We meet four times a year. Generally, we ask members for a two-year commitment, with an understanding that opportunities to vote on matters are rare, and generally revolve around issuing the GICH points to LIHTC projects. At the discretion of the Mayor and Commission, GICH may be tasked to provide advice on housing matters or serve as a temporary advisory panel.

Athens GICH Team History

The original Athens GICH team consisted of 13 members representing local banking, real estate, affordable housing nonprofit development, government, economic development, and education sectors. This group began their cohort in 2016, completing (graduating) the program in September 2018. Since then, our GICH team has remained active as a GICH alumni committee. Regularly our GICH team is requested to support other GICH cohort communities to progress their GICH program. Some of the accomplishments of our GICH Team include:

•    The development of the Network  for Southern Economic Mobility (NSEM) Athens Team and the publishing of its 2019 Pathways to Prosperity

•    The research, development, and implementation of voluntary inclusionary zoning ordinance for multi-family rental units.

•    Creation of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee for ARPA; this group met to underscore the depth of the post-pandemic housing crisis and provide suggestions on the type of programs needed.

•    Both the NSEM Pathways to Prosperity Report and the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee for ARPA played a large role in the development Affordable Housing Investment Strategy, published in the fall of 2023.

•    Additionally, our GICH Team has supported the development of nearly 200 affordable units in development through the GICH Point Application process. 

Additional GICH Resources

2026 ACC GICH Letter and Application

Athens Clarke-County GICH Workplan

GICH Alumni Resource Guide

UGA Georgia Initiative for Community Housing Website