by Dave Williams | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – Three cities and two local economic development authorities will receive more than $11 million in grants to help finance infrastructure improvements needed to service new housing.
The latest grant recipients through the state’s Rural Workforce Housing Initiative include the cities of Cairo, Hagan, and Swainsboro, the Douglas Coffee County Industrial Authority, and the Augusta Economic Development Authority.
Gov. Brian Kemp launched the program early in 2023. The grants are overseen by the state Department of Community Affairs’ OneGeorgia Authority.
“Georgia is experiencing rapid growth in communities across the state,” Kemp said Thursday. “With that growth comes a need to provide infrastructure for those filling the record-breaking number of jobs.”
Four of the five grants are for $2.5 million each. The city of Cairo will use the money to build road, water, and sewer infrastructure to support 180 new single-family homes on a 45-acre site.
Another $2.5 million grant will go to the city of Swainsboro for road, water, and sewer projects needed for a planned 47-unit subdivision.
The Douglas Coffee County Industrial Authority will build street, drainage, water, and sewer improvements to support 67 new homes on a 36-acre tract. The Augusta Economic Development Authority will build road, water, and sewer projects to support the construction of 55 single-family homes on 11.5 acres.
The fifth grant of just more than $1 million will go to the city of Hagan to help pay for street, drainage, water, and sewer infrastructure needed to build 29 single-family homes on six acres.
In each case, the cities and local utilities will contribute financially toward the various projects.
The General Assembly initially funded the program with $35.7 million, and subsequently added another $84 million in three installments.
“Housing Georgia’s talented workforce is crucial for the state’s continued economic growth and prosperity,” said Christopher Nunn, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. “The OneGeorgia Authority remains committed to helping communities with a vision implement their intentional workforce housing solutions.”
