(The Center Square) — Georgia is doling out more than $10.3 million as part of the fourth round of Rural Workforce Housing Initiative grants.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp announced the initiative during his 2023 State of the State Address. The grants are ostensibly intended to help develop workforce housing statewide and officials said the latest allocations should support more than 310 housing units across five communities.
State lawmakers approved $35.7 million for the program in 2023. The governor asked legislators to allocate $50 million in the amended fiscal 2024 budget and an extra $6 million in fiscal 2025.
“We’ve already seen incredible results from our Rural Workforce Housing grants helping Georgians live where they work,” Kemp said in a statement. “This latest round of investments will further that impact in rural Georgia as our state sees even more historic opportunity and record economic development.”
The state gave Blackshear a nearly $2.5 million infrastructure grant to improve the 32-acre Pinehurst Village development and 43 houses in the second and third phases. Lloyd Investments will oversee the two phases and, along with the city, will contribute to the project’s cost.
Gainesville will receive $2.5 million for drainage improvements in two developments and contribute to the total cost of more than $3.8 million. The Gainesville Nonprofit Development Foundation expects to build as many as 23 single-family homes, and the Norton Agency plans to build 66 rental housing units.
The state granted Reidsville more than $1.6 million for infrastructure improvements in the 14-acre Pine Ridge Subdivision, supporting 37 single-family houses built by Catch 22 Properties. Reidsville will contribute to the nearly $1.7 million infrastructure cost, and the development partner will cover any overages.
The state awarded Sylvester more than $1.3 million for improvements to help complete the 47-acre Quail Pines Subdivision. Quail Pines of Sylvester plans to build up to 64 houses for the development’s second and third phases and Sylvester and the developer will contribute to the project’s more than $1.8 million cost.
The state awarded more than $2.4 million to the Development Authority of Bulloch County for upgrades at the 78-acre Cornerstone Point development to benefit 79 single-family houses built by VALNOC. The county and the developer will contribute to the $3.1 million project.
