February 2008 Newsletter DCA Will Sponsor/ Co-Sponsor These Events In February 2008 2008 Leadership Day February 11 Atlanta, GA For more information, please call (706) 542-1108 or visit www.fanning.ug.edu/our-wor/grdc/leadershipday-registration. Balance Of Care Continuum Workshops February 21-29 - Various Locations February 21 Dublin and Savannah, February 22 Augusta and Macon, February 26 Dalton and Gainesville, February 27 Norcross, February 28 Albany and Columbus and February 29 LaGrange and Valdosta. For more information, please contact DCA at (404) 679-4940. Energy Codes Workshop February 27 Rome, GA For more information or to register, please visit www.hbag.org. For more information, please contact DCA staff member Ryan Meres at (404) 679-3109 or rmeres@dca.state.ga.us. Executive Division News 2008 Leadership Day Just TEN DAYS Away Feb. 11th Event Promises To Be A "Can't Miss" Opportunity. 2008 Leadership Day, sponsored by the Georgia Rural Development Council and coordinated by UGA's Fanning Institute, will be held on February 11, 2008. The event begins at 11:00 AM and will be held at the Georgia Freight Depot (adjacent to Underground Atlanta/ World of Coca Cola in Downtown Atlanta). U. S. Senator Johnny Isakson will deliver the keynote address. As in years past, Leadership Day 2008 will provide an opportunity for leaders from across the state to come together and share best practices, success stories and discuss ways to improve leadership efforts in Georgia. Last year, more than 700 participants attended Leadership Day. As a larger crowd is expected for the 2008 event, advance registration is REQUIRED. Please contact UGA's Fanning Institute to register and reserve your seat at (706) 542-1108. There is NO FEE to attend the event, but advance registration is required. Communities Of Opportunity (Co-Op) Co-Op Maintains Momentum Round Two Meetings To Conclude In February '08, Round Three To Begin In March '08. The Communities of Opportunity (Co-Op) initiative, a collaborative, locally- driven community development strategy focused on enhancing the economic vitality of rural Georgia communities, will finish its Second Round meetings this month, February 2008. The Second Round meetings, facilitated by DCA and UGA's Fanning Institute, have focused on working with local leaders to identify two significant issues for future community efforts. Co-Ops Third Round meetings will begin in March. During these meetings, local leaders and stakeholders will finalize issues to be worked on and meet with an interagency resource team that will provide specialized technical assistance. Also during these meetings, local leaders will be given the opportunity to enter into a "Contract with Georgia" that obligates the community to implement the improvement strategies over a two-year period. The "contract" will also commit the state of Georgia to provide the appropriate technical and financial assistance for each of the strategies. Tentative Round Three meeting information is provided below. Please call DCA at (404) 679-4940 or check the website (www.dca.state.ga.us check News & Events from the Main Page) for date, time and location updates. Date Community Meeting Location/ Time March 6 Glascock County Old School 4:00 8:00 PM Gibson, GA March 17 Wilkes County Senior Center 2:00-6:00 PM March 18 Jenkins County Location TBD 11:00 AM 3:00 PM March 20 Lincoln County Lincoln Center 10:00 AM-2:00 PM March 24 Burke County Location TBD 1:00 5:00 PM March 25 McDuffie County Depot - 11:00 AM 3:00 PM Construction Codes & Industrialized Buildings News Workshops Planned To Share Info About Georgia's New Energy Code. At the end of 2006, DCA's Board adopted the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with Georgia State Supplements and Amendments as the new Georgia State Minimum Standard Energy Code to replace the 2000 IECC. The new code became effective January 1, 2008. The Georgia Supplements and Amendments to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code can be found online at http://www.dca.state.ga.us/development/constructioncodes/programs/codes2.asp. The adoption of this Code by the State of Georgia represents a significant step toward lowering total energy consumption. All new residential and commercial buildings and significant renovations will be required to comply with the new code. Building designers, general contractors, home builders and code enforcement officials are strongly encouraged to become familiar with the new codes. To assist in the transition to this code, the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority and DCA are sponsoring workshops given by the Southface Energy Institute. Ten workshops will be conducted across the state between February and May 2008. Workshops will last 4 hours and will address the residential compliance requirements of the new Georgia Energy Code. Interested persons may register to attend the workshops at www.hbag.org. The cost is $30 for city or county building officials and inspectors, $50 for HBA members and $75 for non-members. For more information please visit www.hbag.org or contact DCA staff member Ryan Meres at (404) 679-3109 or rmeres@dca.state.ga.us. Date February 27 Time 1:00pm Location Gwinnett County Justice Center Auditorium March 3 March 6 1:00pm 1:00pm Westside Home Builders Association Newton Co. Home Builders Association -- Newton County Library Address 75 Langley Dr. Lawrenceville, GA 30045 8486 Bowden St. Douglasville, GA 30134 7116 Floyd St. Covington, GA 30014 March 17 March 18 April 1 April 2 April, 22 May 1 May 8 May - TBD May - TBD June 3 1:00pm 8:30am 8:30am 8:30am 1:00pm 8:30am 8:30am TBA TBA 8:30am Warner Robins - Flint Energies) Home Builders Association of South Georgia Home Builders Association of Greater Savannah Barrow Builders/ Athens Home Builders Association - Barrow Co. Schools Prof. Development Center) Midwest GA Home Builders Association Peachtree City First Baptist Church Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association Greater Columbus Home Builders Association Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association Southface Office 900 Hwy 96 Warner Robins, GA 31088 3380 Greystone Way Valdosta, GA 31604 7116 Hodgeson Memorial Dr. Savannah, GA 31406 179 West Athens St. Winder, GA 30680 208 Willow Bend Rd. Peachtree City, GA 1484 Brockett Rd. Tucker, GA 30084 TBA TBA - Forsyth County TBA - Henry County 241 Pine St NE Atlanta, GA Customer Service News Did You Receive Excellent Service From A DCA Staffer? New "Exceeding Excellence" Customer Service Recognition Program Allows You To Recognize A Job Very Well Done. In April 2007, DCA announced an innovative effort that would allow DCA team members and our external customers to recognize DCA team members for providing excellent customer service. Excellent customer service goes above and beyond normal job duties. DCA "dubbed" this effort Exceeding Excellence. Previous winners included Jo Childers, Joseph DeGumbia and Angela Gregory. Please consider nominating a DCA staffer that's gone above and beyond! Information is available from our website's front page www.dca.state.ga.us. Questions may also be directed to DCA Assistant Commissioner Bill Swaim at bswaim@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-4940. Environmental News Workshops To Help Communities Get The "Most" From Their Solid Waste Management Plan. All cities and counties in Georgia are required by law to submit a 10 year Solid Waste Management Plan to the DCA. To assist local governments and Regional Development Centers with completing this Plan, DCA will conduct a "how to" workshop repeated across the state. The first round of workshops will be held in March-April 2008 in the following locations: Valdosta, Gainesville, Dalton, Eastman, and Augusta-Richmond. Spring-Summer 2008 workshop dates will be announced at a later time. The 2008 Solid Waste Management Plan workshops are free of charge, however registration is required. Space is limited to the first 30 participants per location, so early registration is encouraged to guarantee your spot. The 2008 Solid Waste Management Plan workshops are intended for local government employees, Regional Development Centers, and private consultants who are responsible for or involved in writing and/or implementing 10 year Solid Waste Management Plans. The workshop program will include a review of the Minimum Planning Standards, procedures for local governments and RDCs to submit Plan drafts and approved Plans, Plan read option process, Plan Elements, and Plan writing tools and resources. Workshops will be held from 9:00am until noon. Workshop locations and dates are provided below. Additional questions may be directed to Karen Vickers at (404) 679-3152 or kvickers@dca.state.ga.us. Date March 13 Community Valdosta March 24 Gainesville March 26 Eastman April 3 Dalton-Whitfield April 3 Augusta-Richmond Workshop Location Valdosta City Hall Annex Multi-Purpose Room 300 N Lee Street Valdosta, Georgia 31603-1125 (229) 242-2600 www.valdostacity.com Georgia Mountains Center 301 Main Street SW P. O. Box 2496 Gainesville, GA 30503 Ocmulgee Regional Library - Mercer Annex 605 Second Ave, SW Eastman, GA 31023 North Georgia Regional Development Center 503 West Waugh Street Dalton, Georgia 30720 Phone: 706.272.2300 www.ngrdc.org Augusta Marriott Hotel and Suites Two Tenth Street Augusta, Georgia 30901 706-722-8900 Housing News Comments Requested For The State's '08 Consolidated Plan Due February 6. DCA has released for public comment the draft of the State of Georgia Annual Action Plan Update for FFY2008 Consolidated Funds. The Action Plan is part of the State's five-year Consolidated Plan that is prepared as a prerequisite to receiving federal funds through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG); HOME Investment Partnership (HOME); Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG); and the Housing Opportunities for People with Aids (HOPWA) programs. The Consolidated Plan describes Georgia's existing housing conditions and how the state, local, private and federal resources will be used to address the identified needs. A copy of the draft Annual Action Plan for FFY2008 will be available on January 7, 2008 on DCA's website under DCA News and Events - Public Notices. Copies of the plan may also be obtained by request from DCA at (404) 679-5293 through the TDD line at (800) 736-1155 or via email at housingplanning@dca.state.ga.us. The State encourages citizens and other interested parties to review the contents of the draft document and to submit their written comments no later than 5:00 PM on Wednesday, February 6, 2008. All written comments should be addressed and submitted to Lolita S. Collins, Office of Special Housing Initiatives, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, 60 Executive Park South, NE, Atlanta, GA 30329-2231. Questions may be directed to Lolita Collins at lcollins@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-4940. Georgia Housing Search Continues To Connect Property Owners and Prospective Renters Statewide. Born out of disaster, GeorgiaHousingSearch.org grows to be the leading resource for affordable rental housing statewide. GeorgiaHousingSearch.org, a FREE online listing and locator service for affordable rental housing in Georgia, was initially established in response to the influx of Hurricane Katrina evacuees that required immediate rental housing. The site currently has 58,000 property listings and typically receives more than 5,000 daily searches. On the site, Georgia residents can search for rental properties statewide. Property postings are detailed, current, and updated bi-weekly. Property managers and independent landlords can post listings for free and reach thousands of potential renters. The website is bilingual (English and Spanish) and has a toll-free number (877) 428-8844 - available to assist potential renters or property owners and managers. In addition, the site's unique Special Needs Housing Search feature has assisted Georgia caseworkers locate housing for hundreds of traditionally hard-to-place families and individuals. Homeless Application Workshops and "Balance of State" Continuum of Care Planning Sessions Scheduled Statewide Applications Due April 21st. From February 21-March 6, 2008, DCA will host workshops focusing on programs for the homeless and Continuum of Care planning. The purpose of the workshops is two-fold: To provide application information and materials for the Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids (HOPWA), Housing Management Information System (HMIS) and Shelter plus Care (S+C) programs. Funding for these programs is expected to be available from the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); and To provide opportunities to comment on housing and associated service needs within the 152 counties which comprise the "Balance of the State" Continuum of Care. During the Continuum of Care planning process, DCA staff will also describe the statewide S+C initiative. Funding for DCA's ESG shelter, transitional and service programs originate from two sources; the State's Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless (HTF) and the U. S. Department of HUD's ESG Program. HOPWA funds are allocated by HUD to the State of Georgia for targeted use in a 127-county area outside of a 28 county metropolitan Atlanta region and a 4 county metropolitan Augusta region. From State Housing Trust Fund and Federal sources, $4 million dollars is expected to be available in ESGP funds and $1.7 million dollars is expected to be available in HOPWA funds. Workshops will be held throughout the state. To determine the appropriate workshop to attend, please review the enclosed map of State Service Delivery Regions (http://www.dca.state.ga.us/regions/new/largemap.html). The workshop schedule and additional information on application materials may be found at http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/specialneeds/programs/documents/2008WorkshopAnnouncement.pdf Workshop date and location information is provided below: February 21 Dublin. Application and Region 9 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00 am 12:30 pm. Pine Forest United Methodist Church, 400 Woods Avenue, Dublin, GA (478) 272-2441. Contact: Susan Dyches. February 21 Savannah. Application and Region 12 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00 am 12:30 pm. JC Lewis Health Center, 120 Fahm Street, Savannah, GA (912) 236-7423. Contact: Judy Manigo. February 22 Macon. Application and Region 6 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. River Edge Community Service Board, Macon Health Complex, Assembly Room, 175 Emery Highway, Macon, GA (404) 679-0651. Contact: Phillis Thomas. February 22 Augusta, Application and Region 7 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00 am 12:30 pm. Golden Harvest Food Bank, Conference Room, 3310 Commerce Drive, Augusta, GA (706) 736-1199 ext. 218. Contact: Vikki Adkins. February 26 Gainesville. Application and Region 2 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00 am 12:30 pm. Gainesville-Hall Co. Community Service Center, 430 Prior Street, Gainesville, GA (770) 5033330. Contact: Phillippa Lewis Moss. February 26 Dalton. Application and Region 1 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00 am 12:30 pm, Whitfield County Administration Building, 301 West Crawford Street, Dalton, GA, (706) 2814804. Contact: Gaile R. Jennings. February 27 Norcross. Application and Region 3 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00am 12:30 pm, The Salvation Army, Divisional Headquarters Office, 1000 Center Place NW (off Jimmy Carter Boulevard), Norcross, GA (678) 418-4670. Contact: Elissa M. Crook. (FYI: Grantees from Gwinnett, Rockdale, Newton, Henry, Fayette and Clayton Counties should attend this meeting.) February 28 Columbus. Application and Region 8 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00 am 12:30 pm. Columbus Public Safety Building, Conference Room, 510 10th Street, Columbus GA, (706) 571-3399. Contact: Elizabeth Dillard Alcantara. February 28 Albany. Application and Region 10 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00 am 12:30 pm. Arthur Kay Williams Micro Enterprise Center (formerly Albany Business and Technology Center), 230 South Jackson Street, Albany, GA, (229) 430-5283. Contact: Kimberly Bodiford. February 29 Valdosta. Application and Region 11 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00 am 12:30 pm, First Christian Church, 1905 N. Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA (Call Church @ 229/244-1742, 229/ 247-7289 or 229/245-8064). Contact: Jane Osborn. February 29 LaGrange. Application and Region 4 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00 am 12:30 pm, 208 Ridley Avenue, next to LaGrange City Hall, LaGrange, GA (706) 883-2050. Contact: Ms. Sue Olson. March 4 Athens. Application and Region 5 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00 am 12:30 pm, Athens Clarke HED, 375 Satula Avenue, Athens, GA, (706) 613-3155 ext. 1201. Contact: Evan Mills. March 5 Marietta. Application and Region 3 Continuum of Care Planning Workshop. 9:00am 12:30 pm, Center for Family Resources, Mansour Center, 995 Roswell Street, Marietta GA, (770) 428-2601. Contact: Carolyn Bridges. ((FYI: Grantees from Douglas and Cherokee Counties should attend this meeting.) Questions regarding these meetings may be directed to any of the following DCA staff: Jacalyn Baker at (404) 679-0564 or jbaker@dca.state.ga.us; John Bassett at (404) 679-3170 or jbassett@dca.state.ga.us; Elayne Miller at (404) 679-4942 or emiller@dca.state.ga.us; Tina Moore at (404) 327-6870 or timoore@dca.state.ga.us; Jennifer Rachels at (404) 679-4945, jrachels@dca.state.ga.us; Lindsey Stillman at (404) 327-6813 or lstillma@dca.state.ga.us; Phillis Thomas at (404) 679-0651 or pthomas@dca.state.ga.us; Patricia Wright at (404) 327-6856 or pwright@dca.state.ga.us; or Bonnie Woods at (404) 679-3150 at bwoods@dca.state.ga.us; John Grant at (404) 327-6847 or jgrant@dca.state.ga.us. Workshop application materials will be available at the workshops and online at http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/specialneeds/programs/emergencysheltergrants.asp. If you are unable to obtain the materials from our web site, or if you wish to receive the materials by mail before the regional workshop for your area, please contact Elayne Miller at emiller@dca.state.ga.us (email), (404) 679-4942/ (800) 359-4663 (telephone) or (404) 679-0669 (Facsimile). Planning & Quality Growth News Resource Team Resourceful In West Point. DCA's Office of Planning and Quality Growth 2008 Resource Team didn't let freezing temperatures "stop the show" in West Point, GA from January 14-18, 2008. Despite the dreary weather, nearly 100 citizens turned out to discuss West Point's future growth. Resource Team visits are organized by DCA, working with its quality growth partners, to assist Georgia communities in implementing quality growth principles into the comprehensive plan, land development ordinances, and day-to-day decision making. Some of the quality growth issues the Resource Team examined discussed included: (1) Environmental Protection & Open Space; (2) Growth Preparedness; (3) Appropriate Economic Development; (4) Housing Choices; and (5) Sense of Place. Preliminary findings/recommendations were presented to local government leaders. Team members will now prepare a detailed report that will be available for public comment. For information on OPQG Resource Teams, contact Annaka Woodruff at awoodruf@dca.state.ga.us or by phone at 706-566-4200. Also see our website: www.georgiaplanning.com. Thomasville CPI: Another Successful Event. More than 56 Georgia planning commissioners, planning professionals, citizens and local leaders gathered in Thomasville from January 29-30, 2008, for the year's first Community Planning Institute (CPI). CPI sessions provide attendees with an opportunity to learn about the latest planning process tools and obtain hands-on experience in meeting the challenges associated with local planning. These sessions offer a two-day program in planning concepts and procedures conducted by Georgia planning and legal professionals. Training for planning commissioners remains important because their job as advisor to the local elected officials on planning and land use issues have long-term impact on a community's quality of life. Further, training helps planning commissioners get a better understanding of planning and land use on the local level and empowers them to look at the big picture and make good decisions for all citizens of their community. For more information on how the Community Planning Institute can improve the quality of growth in your community, please contact Leslie Stumpff at 404-679-3114 or lstumpff@dca.state.ga.us or visit www.georgiaplanning.com. "Something New" For Your Next Lunch `N Learn. Pass the pepper, please. DCA's Office of Planning and Quality Growth staff wants to join you for lunch. Speakers are available for lunchtime presentations on eight (8) topics: (1) What is Quality Growth?; (2) Comprehensive Planning & Quality Growth; (3) Appointed Planning Officials: Roles and How to Make a Difference; (4) Quality Community Objectives; (5) Character Area Identification; (6) Character Area Implementation; (7) OPQG Educational Products; and (8) Why Plan? To schedule a "lunch date" with DCA's planning gurus, please contact Bettina Durant at bdurant@dca.state.ga.us or 404679-0569. News & Happenings From Your State Government Commissioner Chuck Eaton Takes Helm as Chair of Georgia Public Service Commission. On January 15, 2008, PSC Commissioner Chuck Eaton began a one-year term as Chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission. The Commission Chairmanship is rotated annually among the five Commission members based on Georgia law and Commission rules. Eaton is in the second year of his first six-year term on the Commission. He was first elected in December 2006. Chairman Eaton also announced that Commissioner Doug Everett will serve as vice-chairman. He also has made the following committee assignments: Commissioner Stan Wise will chair the Telecommunications Committee, Commissioner Robert B. Baker, Jr. will chair the Energy Committee, and Commissioner Doug Everett will chair the Transportation Committee. Commissioner Eaton, as Chairman, will head the Administrative Affairs Committee. For more information about the PSC, please visit www.psc.state.ga.us or call (404) 656-4501 or (800) 282-5813. Georgia Emergency Management Agency To Host 08 Governor's Emergency Management Conference. GEMA extends an invitation for the 2008 Governor's Emergency Management Conference, "Emerging Trends in Emergency Management." Slated for April 29 - May 2, 2008 in Savannah, this year's conference will highlight new trends in emergency management. Last year's conference was attended by more than 1,000 members of the emergency management community, including law enforcement, fire, communications, volunteer organizations, and public health personnel. For more information, please visit www.gema.state.ga.us or send an email to conferenceinfo@gema.state.ga.us. GRA/TAG Launch 2008 Business Competition To Offer >$300K For Start-Ups. The Georgia Research Alliance and the Technology Association of Georgia are offering over $300,000 in start up capital and support services for the winner of their 2008 Business Launch Competition. The winner must be from Georgia and ready to launch a high-tech start-up firm in the area of Internet Technologies (companies that are developing products, online services, or backend technologies that are using or extending the reach, flexibility, and ease of the Internet). The purpose of the competition is to "support economic development in Georgia by encouraging and supporting the creation and growth of new companies that will strengthen and expand Georgia's strategic high tech clusters." For more information, please visit http://www.tagonline.org/businesslaunch.php. Other Interesting Tidbits That Just Didn't Fit Anywhere Else Conference Notice: Transition To A Bioeconomy. The US Department Of Agriculture and The Farm Foundation are hosting a conference entitled, Transition To A Bioeconomy - Integration Of Agricultural And Energy Systems. The Conference will be held in Atlanta from February 12-13, 2008 at The Westin Atlanta Airport Hotel. Conference topics will include: (1) The Integration Of Agricultural And Energy Systems, (2) Farming Systems, (3) Markets For By- And Co-Products, (4) Potential Impacts Of The Bioeconomy On Animal Agriculture and (5) Energy Efficiency And Biotechnology." For more information, please visit www.Farmfoundation.Org/Projects/08-18bioeconomy.Htm. Award Available For Excellence In Historic Preservation. The National Trust for Historic Preservation and HUD are inviting nominations for the 2008 HUD Secretary's Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation. This award recognizes the recipient for success in advancing the goals of historic preservation while providing affordable housing and/or expanded economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income families and individuals. Nominated projects or activities are judged for the successes they have achieved in preserving, rehabilitating, restoring, and interpreting our architectural and cultural heritage. Any project, agency, individual, or organization involved in historic preservation is eligible to receive the award. Nominated projects must have been completed within the past three years. For more information, please visit www.huduser.org/Research/nthp_awards_2008.pdf. Toolkit Released To Help Communities Implement Smart Growth. The Smart Growth Leadership Institute has released a suite of tools to help communities identify and overcome barriers to smarter growth and more sustainable development. The Smart Growth Implementation Toolkit helps communities across the nation to encourage development that creates safer, healthier, more livable neighborhoods; helps to protect the environment and reduce energy consumption; expands housing options; helps households lower their expenses; and maximizes returns from existing community investments. The Toolkit is designed to help community leaders review and revise their land use policies, zoning and development codes and project design standards. It includes step-by-step audits of policies and codes, as well as a scorecard for evaluating proposed development projects. The toolkit and the individual tools are available as free downloads at http://www.smartgrowthtoolkit.net/. New Report On Using Peer Technical Assistance To Build Stronger Communities. As part of a series of reports focusing on building strong communities through affordable housing, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has released a report examining collaboration between New Orleans, Louisiana and the East Lake community of Atlanta, Georgia. The report details how New Orleans housing leaders and activists, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, worked with the Atlanta Housing Authority to explore best practices and receive technical assistance to inform the rebuilding effort. The East Lake community of Atlanta is regarded as a model for community redevelopment. Learn about the outcome of the collaborative efforts at http://www.cssp.org/uploadFiles/New%20Orleans%20Atlanta%20Peer%20Match%20Report%20_2_.pdf. Reader Information For more information on any of the topics included in this newsletter, please visit the DCA website at http://www.dca.state.ga.us or call DCA's main telephone number at (404) 679-4940 or TDD (800) 736-1155. Look for the next edition of DCA News on March 7, 2008. If you wish to be removed from the DCA Newsletter distribution list, please send an email to unsubscribe@dca.state.ga.us. # # #