Guide to Services 2022 Helping Build Strong, Vibrant Communities Through: Local Government Assistance Safe and Affordable Housing Community & Economic Development
Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
Commissioner’s Message The Georgia Department of Community Affairs is devoted to lending a helping hand to communities on their journey to growth and prosperity, helping lay the groundwork for economic opportunities, and local development efforts across the state. Our programs reflect diverse efforts to provide an array of community-focused services at the state and local levels. 2020 and 2021 were challenging years for all of us but it highlighted how vital our programs are for many of Georgia’s citizens. We are excited about the possibilities for the future. Our team looks forward to providing you with the same level of exceptional support, assistance, and advocacy. As you review this year’s Guide to Services and explore the wide variety of programs our agency has to offer, it is my sincere desire that you connect with us as we all strive to build strong, vibrant communities across our state.
Christopher Nunn, Commissioner
Norcross Atlanta
Central Office 60 Executive Park South NE Atlanta, GA 30329 Norcross 1854 Shackelford Court Suite 400 Norcross, GA 30093
Waycross
Waycross 500 Alice Street Waycross, GA 31501 Downtown Atlanta 205 Jesse Hill Jr., Drive S.E Atlanta, GA 30334 .
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Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
By The Numbers Community Development Community Finance Historic Preservation
Housing Assistance
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Housing Finance and Development
Divisions
Homeownership
Housing Choice Voucher
70+ Providing Funding
Facilitating Safe & Affordable Housing
Programs and Resources
Promoting Compliance Standards
Providing technical and financial assistance rural broadband infrastructure
Serving Rural Communities
Providing Technical Support
Supporting Local Government Officials
Forging State & Federal Partnerships
Boosting Homeownership Rates
Providing Incentives for Job Creation
Endorsing Comprehensive Planning
Encouraging Downtown Development and Preservation
Advocating for and supporting Georgia’s communities 2021 Guide to Services • 3
Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
Getting Started DCA offers a variety of financial resources and technical assistance to help communities realize visions of success and improve the lives of their citizens. These resources, when used effectively and in concert with each other, can drive major improvements in a community and lead to an improved quality of life. This guide is organized by the following categories to help users easily find what they are seeking: Local Government Assistance, Safe & Affordable Housing, and Community & Economic Development. The DCA Regional Representatives are a vital entry point to help navigate the agency’s diverse offering of programs and resources. These experienced team members are available to discuss a community’s needs and options, then help access, organize, and manage the various types of assistance offered by DCA. They are located in each of the state’s 12 service delivery regions and can help a community decide which tools are best to address its particular needs. Just as important, these team members maintain a network of regional and statewide partners that can provide additional assistance to complement what DCA offers and can bring those resources to communities as well. Finally, DCA Regional Representatives coordinate and facilitate many of the agency’s special initiatives.
DCA Regional Reps Region 1
Patrick Vickers
(404) 695-2093
region1@dca.ga.gov
Region 2
Kathy Papa
(770) 362-7078
region2@dca.ga.gov
Region 3
Tracie Sanchez
(470) 851-8827
region3@dca.ga.gov
Region 4
Corinne Thornton
(706) 340-6461
region4@dca.ga.gov
Region 5
Beth Eavenson
(404) 387-6977
region5@dca.ga.gov
Region 6
Tonya Mole
(404) 852-6876
region6@dca.ga.gov
Region 7
Tina Hutcheson
(478) 278-9434
region7@dca.ga.gov
Region 8
Natalie Bradley
(470) 653-8332
region8@dca.ga.gov
Region 9
Lynn Ashcraft
(478) 484-0321
region9@dca.ga.gov
Region 10
VACANT
Region 11
Kelly Lane
(404) 227-3619
region11@dca.ga.gov
Region 12
Jennifer Fordham
(912) 531-1746
region12@dca.ga.gov
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region10@dca.ga.gov
Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
DCA Regions
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Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
Our Programs Local Government Assistance: These programs provide information, training, and resources to equip local government officials with the information and tools they need to make well-informed decisions and set the stage for success. Safe & Affordable Housing: Housing: These programs help communities develop and implement sound strategies to provide citizens with safe and affordable housing. Community & Economic Development: These programs offer resources to help build a better quality of life, create and retain jobs, and foster a climate for economic success. The following pages outline DCA’s breadth of program offerings in the following categories:
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Funding
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Partnerships
Technical Assistance
Disbursing state and/or federal funds to build or create something the community has deemed important such as sidewalks, roads, parks, public buildings, water and sewer facilities, housing choices, or economic development projects.
Providing ways to encourage the private sector to invest and fill a need that is important to a community, often resulting in a publicprivate partnership.
Fostering partnerships with a private for-profit or non-profit entity, quasi-governmental agency, or another government entity to achieve a goal.
Employing experts in many different fields, including financing, planning, research, citizen engagement, and governance can help local governments develop appropriate strategies to help meet local goals.
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Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
Local Government Assistance
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Community Planning Institute (CPI)
DCA’s Office of Planning, in partnership with the Georgia Planning Association, offers the Community Planning Institute to Georgia’s planning commissioners, elected officials, and local government staff. CPI provides information about planning for land use, growth, and development. Annual seminars are held for local planning commissioners, elected officials, staff, and other interested parties. Courses are one or two days and cover a variety of community development topics such as preparation, effective use, and implementation tools for comprehensive plans. Scholarships are available through the Denise Abboud Memorial Fund through the Georgia Planning Memorial Foundation.
technical assistance related to housing and community development. The objective of the initiative is to help communities create and implement a locally based plan to meet their housing needs. The program is a partnership of DCA, the Georgia Municipal Association, the University of Georgia.
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Local Comprehensive Planning
Our planning team partners with local governments, regional commissions, and private -sector consultants across the state. We collaboratively work to ensure that Georgia’s communities are equipped with plans that articulate straightforward, achievable visions for their futures and outline the steps necessary to turn these into reality. DCA offers a variety of useful tools, resources, and educational opportunities to help counties’ and cities’ plans Construction Codes & Industrialized meet local needs while also complying with state requirements. It is our goal for planning Buildings DCA facilitates and convenes advisory groups for documents to provide a solid decisionspecific topics related to building and community making framework that assists in meeting development, leads the adoption process of the day-to-day challenges of governing while statewide standards, provides technical assistance incrementally progressing toward long-term goals. to local communities by drafting model codes and resolutions, and offers workshops on code and building-related topics. Mandatory codes are applicable to all construction. Permissive codes Martin Luther King, Jr. Advisory Council are only applicable if a local government chooses The Martin Luther King, Jr. Advisory Council was to adopt and enforce one or more of these codes. created by the Georgia General Assembly to
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promote the legacy and nonviolent principles of Dr. King. In 2011, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed the bill to create the Council which consists of nine Georgia Initiative for Community Georgians serving four-year terms. The Martin Housing (GICH) Luther King, Jr. Advisory Council hosts the The Georgia Initiative for Community Housing offers state’s annual celebration of the life, legacy, communities a three-year program of collaboration and and teachings of Dr. King at the state Capitol.
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Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
Local Government Assistance
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PlanFirst
PlanFirst recognizes and rewards communities that clearly demonstrate an established pattern o f s u c c e s s f u l l y i m p l e m e n t i n g t h e i r Lo c a l Co m p re h e n s i ve P l a n . Any size community is encouraged to apply, provided it has a history of public involvement with plan development active engagement in plan implementation, and proven progress with achieving the community’s stated vision or goals. Incentives for local governments with this designation include the ability to apply for CDBG on an annual basis, bonus points on several DCA programs, and hands-on assistance from DCA staff to help implement community work and program activities.
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Research and Surveys
DCA has various responsibilities, including providing the state with ample actionable data to make operations more meaningful and efficient for communities. The Research & Surveys group collects, maintains, and publishes data on Georgia’s local governments and authorities. These types of programs are generally divided into areas of focus concerning the tracking of funds and the reporting of operations. Tools such as the Uniform Chart of Accounts standardize accounting practices to be used by communities throughout the state consistently. Others, such as the Contact Database, centralize information for public use.
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Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
Safe & Affordable Housing
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Community HOME Investment Program (CHIP) grants funds to city and county governments, public housing authorities, and nonprofits to rehabilitate owner-occupied homes and build and renovate affordable single-family homes for sale to eligible homebuyers. CHIP is funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) HOME Investment Partnership Program. Funding is prioritized for communities with solid housing redevelopment plans.
The Georgia Dream program was created to make homeownership possible for eligible low and moderate-income Georgians by providing affordable financing options, down payment assistance, and homebuyer education. DCA acts as the secondary market for lenders who want to provide an affordable mortgage product. Potential homebuyers apply with participating lenders for Georgia Dream loans.
Community HOME Investment Program
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Georgia Dream Homeownership Program
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Home Access Program
This program is designed to promote independence and allow persons with disabilities to reside in their The Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) provides homes with the appropriate home modifications funding throughout the state for outreach, shelter, and to avoid unnecessary entry into nursing homes. rapid re-housing, homelessness prevention, and The program allows grant awards of up to $10,000 related services to organizations serving those to improve the accessibility of an owner-occupied either experiencing or who are in danger of home in which a disabled individual resides. becoming homeless. Grants are distributed by DCA, from funds appropriated by HUD, to provide the first step in a continuum of assistance to equip individuals experiencing homelessness Homeless Management Information and propel them toward independent living. System (HMIS) This is the information system designated by the Continuum of Care Program to comply with HUD’s data collection, management, and reporting Georgia Balance of State Continuum standards. It is used to collect client-level data and of Care Program The Continuum of Care (CoC) data on the provision of housing and services to Program is designed to promote community-wide homeless individuals and families and people at risk commitment to the goal of ending homelessness of homelessness. HMIS is intended to provide a and helping move homeless individuals and community with an unduplicated count of its families into permanent housing. The CoC homeless population. distributes funds to organizations that provide services to homeless people and promotes access to mainstream programs, while optimizing selfsufficiency among homeless individuals and families.
Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG)
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Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
Safe & Affordable Housing
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Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA)
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National Housing Trust Fund
HTF is a federal formula grant program intended Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS is to increase and preserve the supply of decent, a federally funded HUD program that offers a safe, sanitary, and affordable housing. The state variety of housing solutions and support services administered statute requires that at least 75% of for low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS. the funds for rental housing, benefit extremely low HOPWA is an ongoing initiative to grant states income households with incomes below the federal and localities resources and incentives to develop poverty guideline or less than 30% of the area’s long-term comprehensive housing. These areas median income. coordinate the use of HOPWA funds with their respective Consolidated Plans which establishes a unified vision for community development actions. Reentry Partnership Housing Program The Reentry Partnership Housing (RPH) Program helps provide housing to qualified individuals without valid residence plans and who are under the parole Low Income Housing Tax Credit or probation supervision of the Georgia Department of Community Supervision. These individuals may Program The Low Income Housing Tax Credit is a federal be released from prison or are active participants in tax credit created by President Ronald Reagan an accountability court (felony drug, mental health, and Congress in the Tax Reform Act of 1986. It is veterans, or family). Certified RPH providers provide designed to encourage private sector investments stable housing and food access to these individuals. in new construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation The program’s goal is to provide short-term housing of affordable rental housing for low-income for up to 6 months to help stabilize an individual’s households. Over the last three decades, the Housing reentry process and enhance their ability to remain Credit has become the most successful affordable crime-free. rental housing production program in history.
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HUD 811 Project Rental Assistance
HUD 811 PRA is a federally funded program that provides long-term, projec t-based rental assistance to people with disabilities who may also be struggling to successfully integrate into their community. This program provides a set of subsidized rental units at designated apartment complexes. Support includes the provision of reminders to pay rent and other bills, helping arrange medical appointments, and other related services.
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Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV)
The Housing Choice Voucher Program (formerly known as Section 8) is a tenant-based rental assistance program that helps low-income individuals and families rent safe, decent, and affordable housing units in the private rental market. DCA provides the subsidy payment directly to the landlord on behalf of the program participant. The amount of the subsidy is based primarily upon the participant’s income and the comparable rent or payment standards in the surrounding area.
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Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
Safe & Affordable Housing Sixty New Affordable Housing Units Slated for Madison DCA officials, Madison city leaders, and representatives from Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. and Parallel Housing, Inc., break ground for Canaan Crossing. Equity generated from the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program was used to fund the 60-unit affordable housing development.
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Georgia Mortgage Assistance Program
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Georgia Housing and Finance Authority Permanent Supportive Housing Program
Georgia was awarded $354 million through the American Rescue Plan to assist homeowners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This program Formerly known as Shelter Plus Care, this program provides up to $50,000 to assist with past-due provides permanent housing in connection with mortgages and other housing-related expenses supportive services to homeless or disabled people. to help homeowners regain financial stability. The program provides rental assistance funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development accompanied by a range of supportive services Georgia Rental Assistance Program funded by other sources. The program is designed This program provides emergency financial assistance to serve a hard-to-reach population and built on to eligible renters, their landlords, and utility providers the theory that housing and services should be to cover rent arrears, current and future rent payments, connected to ensure stability for this population. utility arrears payments, and other housing stability expenses. DCA administers two emergency rental assistance funds, Emergency Rental Assistance 1 (ERA1) which provides $552 million to renters financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and ERA2 for $437 million for renters suffering financial hardship during the pandemic but not directly related to COVID-19. The federally funded provides up to 18 months of assistance for financial hardship suffered by applicants since March 13, 2020.
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Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
Community & Economic Development
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African American Programs
National Park Service’s NRHP is part of a national The African American Programs Coordinator and program to coordinate and support public and the Georgia African American Historic Preservation private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect Network’s (GAAHPN) Steering Committee plan and America’s historic and archeological resources. implement historic preservation projects that foster economic development and community revitalization.
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Preservation Planning
The Historic Preservation Planning program provides an opportunity for citizens’ voices to be heard Archaeologists’ coordinated research and regarding the preservation of the state’s historic preservation efforts with federally recognized assets. Additionally, the program ensures that those Native American tribes that formerly resided assets are included in planning activities throughout in Georgia under the auspices of the National the state. Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended.
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Archaeology and Tribal Relations
Certified Local Governments (CLG)
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Rehabilitation Tax Incentives
DCA offers financial assistance through three historic The program is a partnership between The National preservation tax incentive programs. The Federal Park Service (NPS), Historic Preservation Division, and Tax Incentive Program is available to incomelocal jurisdictions that integrate historic preservation producing properties. The Georgia Preferential into local planning decisions. Enhancing the local Property Tax Abatement and State Income Tax government’s role in preservation, the CLG program Credit are available to both private residential connects local communities to subject-matter properties as well as income-producing properties. experts.
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Environmental Review
Congress passed the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, and federal agencies are required to consult with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) when considering a project.
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National Register of Historic Places
NRHP is the official list of the nation’s buildings, districts, landscapes, objects, and archaeological R.J. Taylor Memorial Hospital in Hawkinsville, Pulaski sites worthy of preservation. Authorized by the County, Georgia is on the National Register of Historic Places. National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the
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Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
Community & Economic Development
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Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
This federally funded block grant program focuses on benefiting low- to moderate-income people by providing resources for livable neighborhoods, economic empowerment, and decent housing. DCA administers the State CDBG program which primarily includes rural cities and counties.
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extensive damage caused by federally declared natural disasters. The funding is available to 15 eligible counties.
may be used in conjunction with traditional private financing for economic development projects.
assistance including grants and loans to local governments to assist with challenging economic and community development projects while also addressing blight.
CDBG – Disaster Recovery Program: Federal funding to address
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Employment Incentive Redevelopment Fund Program: This financing program Provides flexible financial
Appalachian Regional Commission
ARC is a regional economic development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state, and local governments. Established by an act of Congress in 1965, ARC is composed of the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chair, who is appointed by the president. ARC provides financial investment and technical assistance to eligible applicants in support of community and economic development in Georgia’s 37-county Appalachian region.
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Bond Allocation Program
Pursuant to state and federal law, DCA administers the “Georgia Allocation System” for local and state government issuing authorities seeking to issue private activity tax-exempt bonds. Georgia is authorized to use up to $110 per capita a year for projects ranging from the traditional industrial development bond for manufacturing concerns and mortgage revenue bonds for single family mortgages to bonds for multi-family housing development and exempt facility bonds.
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Community & Economic Development
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Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund (DDRLF)
This program assists cities, counties, and development authorities with efforts to revitalize and enhance downtown areas. It provides belowmarket rate “gap” financing to fund capital projects in core historic downtown areas and adjacent historic neighborhoods where the funds will spur commercial redevelopment.
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Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative (GBDI)
The purpose of the Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative is to coordinate and establish broadband programs to increase economic, education, and social opportunities for Georgia citizens and businesses. The initiative provides for the expansion of broadband infrastructure and services through new state and local broadband planning policies, technical assistance, Broadband Ready Certifications, and support of public-private investments in rural Georgia.
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Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism/AmeriCorps
GCSV promotes humanitarian efforts in the state through AmeriCorps national service grants, community volunteer recognition, and support of local volunteer organizations and efforts. GCSV engages Georgians in service to meet critical needs in education, economic opportunity, public safety, health, disaster services, environmental stewardship, and veterans and military families.
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Georgia Main Street
The Georgia Main Street Program began in 1980 as one of the original pilot state coordinating programs of the National Main Street Initiative launched by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Georgia Main Streets represent some of the strongest central business districts in the state and in the Southeast. Main Street is a signature program for community development and revitalization in Georgia’s historic downtowns.
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Geospatial Information Office (GIO)
Coordinates and partners with local governments and state and federal agencies to ensure the quality and availability of geospatial data to support community and economic development, transportation planning, emergency preparedness, and environmental protection.
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Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation
KGBF educates and inspires Georgians to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environments. As a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, it leads more than 70 city and county programs across the state, engaging additional residents through events and outreach.
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Job Tax Credits
Provides for a statewide job tax credit for any business or headquarters of a business engaged in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, processing, telecommunications, tourism, or research and development. Retail businesses are excluded.
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Helping to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities
Community & Economic Development
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Military Zones
The military zone designation allows census tracts that are located adjacent to a military base and have pervasive poverty of at least a 15% poverty rate to receive the highest benefit level allowed under the Job Tax Credit Program. It also provides for the credit to be available to any business of any nature, as long as all other program requirements are met.
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State Opportunity Zones
This designation provides a state tax credit to target impoverished areas that are in decline, suffering from disinvestment, and/or require need of redevelopment and revitalization.
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State Small Business Credit Initiative
SSBCI’s purpose is to stimulate private financing for small business growth and OneGeorgia Authority includes funding for the Small Business Credit OneGeorgia provides grants and loans typically for Guarantee and Loan Participation programs. land acquisition and infrastructure development, machinery purchases, business relocation assistance, and other economic development capacity-building and job-creation projects .
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Regional Economic Business Assistance (REBA)
This state-funded incentive program enhances Georgia’s competitiveness in attracting sizable economic development projects and acts as a vehicle for significant local, regional or statewide initiatives having short- or long-term economic development benefits. Generally, REBA funds are targeted for projects in non-rural counties.
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Rural Zones
This program is part of the state’s Job Tax Program and targets rural downtown areas that have been adversely impacted by local economic conditions. Rural Zones create and offer incentives to stimulate investment, job creation, and economic development. It also aids in retail opportunities, which are currently excluded from job tax credits.
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The Ga. Agribusiness and Rural Jobs Act investments funded construction at Revive Milling in Tennille, Georgia and at Dawson County furniture maker Hellman-Chang.
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Leadership Team Christopher Nunn Commissioner Christopher.Nunn@dca.ga.gov David Whisnant Chief Operating Officer David.Whisnant@dca.ga.gov Tonya Cureton Curry Deputy Commissioner, Housing Tonya.Curry@dca.ga.gov Rusty Haygood Deputy Commissioner, Community Development & Finance Rusty.Haygood@dca.ga.gov Stephanie Green Chief Financial Officer Stephanie.Green@dca.ga.gov Corinne Thornton Director, Regional Services Corinne.Thornton@dca.ga.gov Seth Coker Director, Government & External Relations Seth.Coker@dca.ga.gov Adrion Bell Director, Communications Adrion.Bell@dca.ga.gov
60 Executive Park South NE Atlanta, GA 30329 (404) 679-4840 dca.ga.gov The Georgia Department of Community Affairs is committed to providing all persons with equal access to its services, programs, activities, education, and employment regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, disability or age. For reasonable accommodation or any other issues, please contact us at fairhousing@dca.ga.gov.