(The Center Square) — Georgia has given away nearly $8.4 million in Rural Workforce Housing Initiative grants.
The program is a part of the OneGeorgia Authority, and officials said the money will support more than 500 “housing units in single- and multi-family developments.”
The largest grant — $2.4 million — goes to the city of Colquitt to expand water and sewer capacity in the Legacy of Colquitt Subdivision, bringing 49 single-family homes to the area. The city will kick in another $100,000 for infrastructure costs, and officials said the expanded water and sewer capacity will support a nearby 44-unit multi-family housing development and the area’s hospital.
The state will send another $2.3 million to the Douglas Coffee County Industrial Authority, while the city of Douglas will provide $698,558, and the Douglas Coffee County Industrial Authority will dole out $56,470. Officials said the money will help pay for water, sewer, drainage, and street improvements, enabling the construction of 65 homes in a new subdivision near several large employers.
The state also included $2.3 million for the Columbus Consolidated Government, which follows the $1.6 million Columbus spent on infrastructure. The money will pay for various water, sewer, drainage and street improvements, enabling the completion of the second and future phases of the Elliott’s Walk development, which includes two dozen new, single-family homes in addition to the 18 homes built in its first phase.
The state is sending the city of Albany $923,513 to upgrade water, sewer, drainage and roads. The city of Albany will contribute 10% of the total project costs, while the developer, Coleson LLC, will contribute 15% of the infrastructure costs, which will enable the Gillionville Woods Subdivision’s creation with 29 single-family homes on six acres in Albany’s city limits.
The state is providing the Stephens County Development Authority $478,400 to build a sanitary sewer lift station. The city of Toccoa and Stephens County will each kick in $125,000, and the money will help pay for 318 housing units in a new development near a regional industrial park slated for expansion.
