City of Griffin

GEORGIA INITATIVE FOR COMMUNITY HOUSING

2008 Toccoa Retreat Report Back

FY 2008 Community HOME Investment Program (CHIP) Held 2 Home buyers workshops Approved 3 applicants 1 applicant is awaiting closing

Grants Received for Housing Initiatives Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP)

$1,475,702 acquisition, rehabilitation and disposition of

foreclosed upon and abandoned homes and residential properties

targeted in the north and central Griffin neighborhoods and north and northwest Spalding County

Properties shall be acquired and rehabilitated in order to sell or rent to households at or below 120% of the area median income

Neighborhood Revitalization One Town, One Goal, One Day Program

May 2, 2009 Thomaston Mill Neighborhood & Turner Street Park

Partners included Spalding County 4-H, Kiwanis Club of Griffin, Griffin Technical College and the UGA – Griffin Campus, local churches and area volunteers.

Of the 171 parcels in the Thomaston Mill neighborhood, 29 are vacant lots, 31 have vacant structures, 83 are rental occupied homes, 13 are considered institutional (gov. and church) and only 15 are owner-occupied homes.

Neighborhood meetings were held for both adults and children in an effort to gain an understanding of the challenges and needs of the community.

Neighborhood Revitalization cont.

10 owner occupied homes were rehabbed and landscaped.

Park was donated by a major property owner in the area. The equipment, while nicely maintained, was old and not very inviting.

Applied for and received a KaBOOM/KoolAid Grant and a Chevron Pride Grant.

Grants combined with donations from the community, and a financial contribution from the local Housing Authority provided the means to install new, creative playground equipment.

Before Photos

Turner Street Park Today

Griffin Spalding County Land Bank Authority Received initial funding from city and county

for administrative expenses Hired Executive Director

Griffin GICH Team Commissioner Cynthia Reid-Ward Marla Moore, Housing Authority of the City of

Griffin Nikki Hill, First Nation Bank Dr. Aaron Roquemore, Affordable Housing

Enterprises, Inc. Patricia Ogletree, Keller Williams Realty Patricia Tyus, Griffin Spalding County Land

Bank Authority Shannan Buckner, City of Griffin