Newsletter, Mar. 2008

March 2008 Newsletter
DCA Will Sponsor/ Co-Sponsor These Events In March 2008
Great American CleanupTM March 1May 31, 2008 Statewide
For more information about the Nation's Largest Annual Community Improvement Program, please visit www.KeepGeorgiaBeautiful.Org, contact your local KGB Affiliate or call (404) 679-4940.
Main Street Institute March 12-14, 2008 Statesboro
For more information about the 2008 Main Street Institute (formerly Main Street 101), please visit www.MainStreetGeorgia.org or contact DCA's Kimberly Carter at (404) 679-0604.
Co-Op Meetings/ Round 3 March 17-28, 2008 - Various Locations
Communities Of Opportunity (Co-Op) Meetings are scheduled as follows: Wilkes County (March 17), Jenkins County (March 18), Lincoln County (March 20), Burke County (March 24), McDuffie County (March 25), Jefferson County (March 27) and Taliaferro County (March 28). Round # 3 Meetings continue through April. For more information about Co-Op, please contact DCA's Tina Hutcheson at
thutches@dca.state.ga.us or (706)) 679-4940.
Energy Codes Workshops March 17 (Warner Robins) & March 18 (Valdosta)
For more information or to register, please visit www.hbag.org. For more information, please contact DCA's Ryan Meres at (404) 679-3109 or rmeres@dca.state.ga.us.
Winning Water Festival March 19, 2008 Statesboro
For more information about the 5th Annual Winning Water Festival, please visit www.WinningWater.org or contact DCA's Environmental Programs Office at (404) 679-4940.
Executive Division News Georgia Ranked Among the Best Managed States in the Nation & Tops In The Southeast.
The Pew Center on the States and Governing Magazine recently ranked Georgia among the best managed states in the nation in the Grading the States 2008 report.
Georgia's overall grade of B+ is the highest awarded to any state in the Southeast. Governor Sonny Perdue recently traveled to Washington D.C. to share insights into how he has transformed Georgia's state government.
"We have made sensible, strategic reforms in Georgia to make government more efficient and more responsive to the needs of our citizens," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "As a result, Georgians are getting better value for their

tax dollars and better service from their government, and we will continue to work to surpass every other state and become the best managed state in the nation."
Only three states received a higher grade than Georgia's B+, and four other states received the same grade as Georgia. The national average among the 50 states was an overall grade of B-. Thirteen states earned grades above the national average and 19 states were below the national average.
Georgia's overall grade was determined by averaging the state's score in each of four categories: "Money" B+, "People" A-, "Infrastructure" B, and "Information" B+. Georgia's previous overall grade was a B in 2005, the most recent year the study was conducted. This year's study is the fourth in the series.
The 2008 report emphasized the value and impact of improvements made by the Governor's Commission for a New Georgia, an initiative Governor Perdue launched shortly after being sworn-in as Governor in 2003. The Commission is made up of private sector business and community leaders who offer their insight on how to make government more efficient and effective.
"In 2003, when Governor Sonny Perdue decided to set up his Commission for a New Georgia, it sounded like a recipe for one more unread manifesto doomed to gather more dust than interest. But the Governor meant business," said the report. "He ultimately pressed into service more than 300 private-sector representatives, promising to do everything possible to implement their recommendations. And since its creation, the commission has been slowly, quietly and deliberately infiltrating Georgia state government with best practices from private industry."
One of the reforms recommended by the Commission for a New Georgia was to improve the customer service rendered to Georgia's citizens by state agencies. In 2006, Governor Perdue launched a first of its kind customer service improvement initiative led by the Governor's Office of Customer Service.
"By aggressively training employees, leveraging technology and monitoring outcomes, the state has driven down wait times at call centers and has shrunk the rate at which citizens just get tired and hang up," said the report. "And the state follows up to determine if citizens' concerns were satisfactorily addressed."
To read the entire report visit http://pewcenteronthestates.org/gpp. To learn more about Governor Perdue's Commission for a New Georgia, visit http://newgeorgia.org/. Way to go Georgia!
Condolences To The Family of Former DCA Board Member Napoleon Fielder. DCA
Commissioner Mike Beatty and the DCA family extend its sincere condolences to the family of former DCA Board Member Napoleon Fielder.
Mr. Fielder passed on February 21, 2008.
A resident of Rome, Mr. Fielder had a long record of service to his community. His distinguished working and political career included serving as the chairman of the Rome-Floyd Recreation Authority, serving on the board of directors for the American Red Cross, the Floyd County Mental Health Association, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the Rome-Floyd United Way and serving on various Georgia Municipal Association committees.
Condolences To The Family of Former DCA Board Member John "Wesley" Rakestraw. DCA
Commissioner Mike Beatty and the DCA family extend its sincere condolences to the family of former DCA Board Member Wesley Rakestraw. Mr. Rakestraw passed on February 1, 2008.
A resident of Dallas, Mr. Rakestraw distinguished himself in business and in the community. He was the founder and owner of Rakestraw Construction Company. In addition to his tenure on DCA's Board, he served on the boards of the Paulding County Water & Sewer Advisory and the Paulding County Boys & Girls Club.

Appalachian Regional Council News

Governor Perdue Signs Off On 16 Key Projects. In late February,
Governor Sonny Perdue gave his approval for 16 strategic projects submitted on the 2008 Appalachian Regional Commission Priority List. These projects will leverage more than $54 million in local, federal and private funds to implement various infrastructure, energy, healthcare and tourism-related initiatives.

Project application review was done by a review committee comprised of DCA, ARC State Office and Governor's Office staff. A brief summary of the recently approved projects is provided below:

ARC County

Project Type

Total Project Funds (Local/Fed/Private)

All Of Georgia's 37 ARC Counties Community Development

$158,000

Banks/ Chattooga, Dade/ Elbert, Fannin, Franklin, Gilmer, Gordon, Jackson, Lumpkin, Murray and Walker

Education

$449,000

Floyd

Infrastructure - Water

$3,384,720

Franklin

Downtown Redevelopment & Tourism $67,842

Gilmer

Infrastructure - Sewer

$2,111,000

Gordon

Industrial Park Improvements

$1,303,078

Hall

Workforce Development

$165,000

Haralson

Infrastructure Sewer

$5,753,500

Jackson

Workforce Development

$1,517,467

Murray & Whitfield

Health

$223,133

Rabun

Infrastructure - Sewer

$9,732,000

Towns

Infrastructure - Electricity

$240,000

Towns

Infrastructure Sewer

$623,000

Walker

Infrastructure Water

$14,962,000

White

Infrastructure Water

$13,088,000

White

Asset Based Development

$40,000

TOTALS

16 PROJECTS

$55,063,340

Communities with project(s) on the approved list above will be required to provide full applications based on the current ARC goals and State Strategy Statement.
Separately, 15 projects were placed on the "Back-Up Project List. Communities with projects on this list will be contacted by the ARC State Office regarding their application status.
Congrats to all the ARC projects approved for funding. Please direct questions regarding ARC to James Thompson at jthompso@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-1584.

Communities Of Opportunity (Co-Op)
Co-Op Maintains Momentum Round Three Meetings Underway. The Communities of Opportunity
(Co-Op) initiative, a collaborative, locally-driven community development strategy focused on enhancing the economic vitality of rural Georgia communities, concluded its Second Round of meetings in February. Those meetings, facilitated by

DCA and UGA's Fanning Institute, focused on working with local leaders to identify two or three significant issues for future community efforts.

Co-Op's next round of meetings is underway. Glascock County hosted its Third Round meeting on March 6th.

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.

Round Three meeting information is provided below. Please contact DCA Regional Representative Tina Hutcheson at thutches@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-4940, call DCA's Central Headquarters 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 17

Wilkes County

Senior Center 2:00 PM6:00 PM

March 18

Jenkins County

Krystal's Taste Of Kountry 11:00 AM 3:00 PM

March 20

Lincoln County

Lincoln Center 10:00 AM2:00 PM

March 24

Burke County

Burke County Library 1:00 PM 5:00 PM

March 25

McDuffie County The Depot 11:00 AM 3:00 PM

March 27

Jefferson County Jefferson County Library (Louisville) 4:00 PM 8:00 PM

March 28

Taliaferro County Senior Center 1:00 PM 5:00 PM

April 3

Warren County

Community Service Bldg 5: 00 PM 7:00 PM

April 17

Hancock County Location TBD - 9:00 AM1:00 PM

Community Development & Finance News
Tifton Selected For Georgia's Third Opportunity Zone Designation. With strong support from the
DCA Board, DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty announced the designation of Tifton as the state's third Opportunity Zone community. The announcement was made during DCA's February 2008 Board Meeting in Atlanta. Tifton City Manager Mike Vollmer and Downtown Development Authority/ Main Street Program Executive Director Lequrica Gaskins were on hand for the "great news" announcement.
"By receiving Georgia's third Opportunity Zone designation, the City of Tifton and its citizens have demonstrated their commitment to make their community a place where families and businesses can thrive. We expect that the designation will strengthen ongoing downtown development efforts," said DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty.
"Congratulations are extended to Tifton Mayor Jamie Cater, Tifton City Council, Tifton Downtown Development Authority, Tifton-Tift County Main Street Program and other local leaders on the teamwork that led to this important designation. DCA looks forward to working closely with key stakeholder groups to execute a new vision for this great community," added Beatty.
Added DCA Assistant Commissioner Brian Williamson: "We are pleased that the Opportunity Zone designation will help Tifton work with existing and prospective businesses to attract investment and opportunity. This designation offers a useful and unique tool that provides tax incentives for downtown Tifton's economic development and revitalization."
Information about DCA's Opportunity Zone program is available online at www.dca.state.ga.us/economic/DevelopmentTools/programs/opportunityZones.asp.

In 2004, Governor Sonny Perdue signed House Bill 984. Through the Opportunity Zone Tax Credit Program created by the legislation, DCA was authorized to work with local governments to designate certain areas as "less developed areas" or "Opportunity Zones." In these zones, businesses, including retail businesses, would be eligible to use job tax credits of up to $3,500 per new job against its state income tax liability. Businesses could use the job tax credits for up to five years, as long as the jobs created are maintained.
"Both Governor Perdue and the Georgia General Assembly deserve recognition for their legislative support of this important community and economic development initiative. Since its passing, the legislation has helped DCA be even more responsive to communities of all sizes," added Beatty.
We recognize efforts to assist areas in need of redevelopment with in otherwise strong economic areas pose unique challenges. The Opportunity Zone Tax Credit Program provides incentives for developing small geographic areas which may not have been served by other economic development programs," added Beatty.
Known as the "Friendly City," Tifton and its leaders have been working together for years to improve the quality of life for its families and businesses.
"The Opportunity Zone designation will provide a great boost to ongoing efforts to redevelop our downtown. By leveraging this new designation with the energy from Tifton's Downtown Development Authority, Main Street Program, numerous local citizen stakeholders, we will have an opportunity to remind businesses and citizens that downtown Tifton is a great place to live, work and play," said Mayor Jamie Cater.
"We look forward to meeting with existing and prospective downtown business owners to discuss how the Opportunity Zone designation can provide strategic economic and tax benefits," added Mayor Cater.
"There are acres of diamonds in rural Georgia, like Tifton," added Beatty. "DCA is proud to offer Tifton and other Georgia communities a wide range of economic development tools, including Opportunity Zone designations, that can help restore these 'diamonds' to their original brilliance."
Since 2003, DCA has provided nearly $2.5 million in funding to Tifton through Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Local Assistance Grants and other funding sources for various development and redevelopment projects. In 2005, Tifton and Tift County were among DCA's inaugural Signature Community designees. In 2007, Tifton and Tift County were designated as a DCA WaterFirst Community. Tifton has also been recognized by statewide and national organization for numerous other community building achievements. For more information about Tifton, please visit www.tifton.net.
Attention Georgia Communities: CDBG Applications Due April 1st. Mark you calendars, April 1,
2008, is the deadline for submission of FY 2008 CDBG/CHIP Annual Competition applications. All applications must be postmarked by April 1, 2008.
If you preparing your application and need technical assistance, contact DCA's Office of Community Development at (404) 679-1582. For more information on the CDBG and CHIP programs, please visit DCA's website at www.dca.state.ga.us/communities/CDBG/index.asp.
April 1st Deadline Also Applies To Revitalization Area Strategy Application Competition.
The Revitalization Area Strategy (RAS) program provides a comprehensive way for communities to address areas in need of revitalization.
Communities that are interested in applying for DCA's Revitalization Area Strategy (RAS) designation for the first time
should note that for bonus points to be added to your 2008 CDBG or CHIP application, your application must be submitted by April 1, 2008.
Prospective applicants should use Form RAS 1 (located in the back of the FY 2008 Applicants' Manual -- see the last tab of the Manual). Communities previously designated, should use either an RAS Form 2 (if the designation was received in 2006 or 2007) or RAS Form 1 (if the designation was received in 2005 and is expiring). Forms must be submitted to enable DCA to assign points for the 2008 Annual Competition.
For additional information about the application process, please contact Michelle Lewis at (404) 679-0659 or mlewis@dca.state.ga.us. For information about the RAS program, please see DCA's web page at www.dca.state.ga.us/communities/CDBG/programs/CDBGrevitApproval.asp.

New From HUD - 2008 Income Limits. HUD recently released the 2008 Low- to Moderate-Income limits. These
limits should be used for any CDBG/CHIP surveys that have NOT already been started.
If your surveys have been completed, applicants may utilize the 2007 income limits. A copy of the 2008 income limits can be found at: www.huduser.org/Datasets/IL/IL08/ga_fy2008.pdf. For additional information, please contact DCA's Office of Community Development at (404) 679-4940.
Get Certified As An Economic Development Finance Professional. DCA, Branch Banking & Trust
(BBT), Community Affordable Housing Equity Corporation and the National Development Council (NDC) are partnering to bring NDC's Economic Development Finance Professional Certification Program to Georgia.
The four-course program offers rigorous and comprehensive training designed to expand the knowledge of economic development finance professionals. Topics include business credit and real estate finance analysis, loan packaging, negotiating, problem solving, deal structuring and more.
Each of the four courses is five days in length. Course topics and dates are: Economic Development Finance (Offered May 5-9, 2008), Business Credit Analysis (Sept. 8-12, 2008), Real Estate Finance (Dec. 8-12, 2008) and The Art of Deal Structuring (February or March 2009 Exact dates TBD). Tuition is $150 per course.
To register, please visit www.bbandttraining.com/Training/Registration. Additional questions may be directed to BB&T's Nicole Oliphant at (704) 954-1102 or noliphant@bbandt.com.

Construction Codes & Industrialized Buildings News

TM

Commissioner Beatty Names 11 To State's Industrialized Buildings Advisory Committee.
Commissioner Mike Beatty recently selected members of the state's Industrialized Buildings Advisory Committee. Committee members are responsible for advising DCA's Commissioner in the drafting, promulgation and revision of the rules and regulations to be adopted for the purpose of the Industrialized Buildings Act, Title 8, Chapter 2, Article 2, Part 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

Advisory Committee members and the organizations they represent are as follows: Jennifer Adams (DCA); Councilman Jim Burnett (Municipal Governing Body); Gary Davenport, A.I.A. (Licensed Design Professionals); Danny L. Dunn (Commercial Industrialized Buildings Manufacturing Industry); Carl Fortson (Building Code Enforcement Officer); Ron Garrett (Regional Development Centers); Gordon H. Goodman (Industrialized Buildings Installation Industry); Jerry Hopkins (Industrialized Buildings Evaluation/Inspection Service); Garry Kornegay, P.E. (Licensed Design Professionals); J. Edgar Roberts, Commissioner (County Governing Body); and G. Hiller Spann (Residential Industrialized Buildings Manufacturing Industry).

Additional questions may be director to DCA's Ted Miltiades at (404) 679-3106 or tmiltiad@dca.state.ga.us.

REMINDER: Energy Code Workshops Continue Through Early June. 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 March 17 March 18
April 1
April 2
April 22 May 1 May 8 May - TBD May - TBD June 3

Time 1:00pm

Location Warner Robins - Flint Energies)

8:30am Home Builders Association of South Georgia

8:30am 8:30am 1:00pm 8:30am

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

8:30am Greater Columbus Home Builders Association

TBA

Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association

TBA

Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association

8:30am

Southface Office

Address 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

effort Exceeding Excellence.

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

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.

Downtown Development News
Give Yourselves A Hand At The Georgia Applause Symposium. DCA's Downtown Development and
other state experts will collaborate to host the inaugural Georgia Applause Symposium. The will be held on March 11, 2008 in Statesboro.
Sponsored by DCA, Georgia Tourism Foundation, Georgia Dept. of Economic Development, Georgia Municipal Association and Georgia Council for the Arts, the inaugural symposium will take a look at look at Georgia's historic theaters. Featured symposium speaker and internationally renowned real estate consultant Donovan Rypkema will highlight global and national trends on the arts and culture as key elements in downtown redevelopment. Additional sessions will feature speakers covering topics like block booking, group tours, marketing and innovative sales strategies.

The one-day symposium will include ample time for participants to meet and talk with vendor exhibitors representing products and services necessary for theater management programs.
For more information, please visit www.mainstreetgeorgia.org or contact DCA's Cindy Eidson at ceidson@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-3101.
Statesboro Ready For `08 Main Street Institute. Statesboro is putting final touches on preparations to host
the 2008 Main Street Institute (formerly known as Main Street 101 Training) from March 12-14, 2008.
The training has been completely revamped to include a more hands-on strategy to mastering the Main Street 4-point Approach to Downtown RevitalizationTM.
The Institute is ideal for new and experienced managers, board members and volunteers. The first day of the training will focus on board development and all program managers, board members and volunteers are encouraged to attend.
The second and third days will provide more in-depth, practical training that focuses on the day-to-day activities of a program manager. The final two days are intended for current program managers and potential start-up city program managers.
New program managers must attend all 3 days to receive credit. Experienced downtown managers will have an opportunity to delve into more advanced topics, including project financing, tax incentives, leadership development, private development success and more.
Launched in 2003, DCA's Main Street Institute training program consists of topical presentations, tours of successful projects and hands-on workshops. The training is intended as an introduction to the National Main Street Approach to Downtown RevitalizationTM. Since the program's inception, more than 350 downtown managers and community leaders representing large and small Georgia communities have participated and embraced the Main Street philosophy.
For more information (including the agenda and registration materials), please visit www.mainstreetgeorgia.org. Additional questions may be directed to DCA's Kimberly Carter at kcarter@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-0604.
Environmental News
Keep Georgia Beautiful Gears Up For 2008 Great American Cleanup. DCA Commissioner Mike
Beatty recently announced the March 1st kickoff of the state's 2008 Great American Cleanup (GAC) activities. National and statewide activities will continue through May 31, 2008.
"Georgia's natural beauty is one of our state's greatest assets. The 2008 Great American Cleanup will provide Georgia's citizens with numerous opportunities to get involved in community-building activities that remind us of our individual and collective responsibility to keep our roads, rivers, mountains and communities clean. I applaud the involvement of our Keep Georgia Beautiful affiliates and other organizations in this important statewide effort," said DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty.
Coordinated nationally by Keep America Beautiful (KAB), the Great American Cleanup is the national's largest community improvement program. National and state GAC litter prevention and community beautification activities will take place from March 1 May 31, 2008. This year's GAC activities will involve Georgia's 71 Keep Georgia Beautiful (KGB) affiliates, Kiwanis International - Georgia District and several other groups in a wide variety of litter prevention and community beautification projects.
In 2007, an estimated 2.8 million volunteers donated more than 7.7 million hours to clean, beautify and improve more than 17,000 communities nationwide. These volunteer efforts yielded the collection of 200 million pounds of litter and debris; planting of 4.6 million trees, flowers and bulbs; clean-up of 178,000 miles of roads, streets and highways; and the diversion of more than 70.6 million plastic (PET) bottles and more than 2.2 million scrap tires from our waste stream.
"Nationally, the results speak for themselves. Georgia volunteers were a big part of the national success, participating in more than 350 Great American Cleanup activities statewide. We are proud of volunteers who continue to demonstrate that

by working together, we can keep our environment clean, growing and healthy for use today and generations to come," said DCA Commissioner Beatty.
Through mid-February, 200 volunteer groups and nearly 300 separate events have been planned in connection with Georgia's 2008 Great American Cleanup. Groups or individual citizens interested in volunteering should can obtain information online at www.keepGeorgiaBeautiful.org or www.litteritcostsyou.org or may call (800) CLEANUP.
"We also applaud the involvement of some of our nation's and state's leading companies in this important effort. DCA recognizes the value of private-public partnerships and their ability to leverage resources. Efforts like the Great American Cleanup work best when we work together," said Commissioner Beatty.
National sponsors for the 2008 Great American Cleanup are American Honda Motor Company, Inc., The Dow Chemical Company, Firestone Complete Auto Caret and Tires lust, GLAD ForceFlex Trash Bags, Pepsi-Cola Company, Sam's CLUB, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, Sprint Foundation, Troy-Bilt Lawn and Garden Equipment, Waste Management, Inc. and the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. Joining the 2008 effort as educational partners are ReCellular, Inc. and Rubber Manufacturers Association.
Georgia program sponsors include The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Power Foundation, DCA and Keep Georgia Beautiful.
Although sign-ups and project reviews continue, Georgia plans to host Great American Cleanup activities in approximately 200 communities statewide.
GAC program information, including how you or your organization can be involved in this year's cleanup is available online at www.KeepGeorgiaBeautiful.org or www.LitterItCostsYou.org. Volunteers may also contact one of Georgia's 71 Keep America Beautiful affiliates or call (800) CLEANUP.

REMINDER: Solid Waste Workshops To Begin In April 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

Community

Workshop Location

April 3

Dalton-Whitfield

North Georgia Regional Development Center 503 West Waugh Street Dalton, Georgia 30720 Phone: 706.272.2300 www.ngrdc.org

April 3

Augusta-Richmond

Augusta Marriott Hotel and Suites Two Tenth Street Augusta, Georgia 30901 706-722-8900

Georgia Commission On Service & Volunteerism
The Inner Harbour AmeriCorps program hosted a visit from DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty. On February 13, 2008, DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty and several DCA staff members visited Douglasville's
Inner Harbour campus.
Inner Harbour is a residential treatment facility for troubled children and adolescents. The Douglasville campus offers a variety of therapeutic and for children and families as well as development and training opportunities for our clinical and educational professionals. Services are provided to young people from 6 to 21.
Inner Harbour CEO Ron Scroggy met with the group and emphasized the important role Georgia's AmeriCorps program plays in delivering quality services to Inner Harbour residents. During the visit, DCA staffers briefly met some Inner Harbour residents. AmeriCorps members also showcased the facility's unique environment, daily service activities and experiential
learning techniques.
Front Row (Left To Right): Alissa Muldoon, Chester Brewer, Traci Ellis, Jessi Inkley, Julie Huffer and Kari Lensing.
Middle Row (Left To Right): Melissa Astin, Sterling Morris, Chris Samuels and DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty.
Back Row (Left To Right): Erika Durban, Bridgette Gallagher, GCSV Program Officer Stacy Esterman, Kayla Scrivner, Diana Davies and GCSV Executive Director John Turner.
Housing News
Georgia Receives $887K For Homeowner Foreclosure Counseling Services. DCA
Commissioner Mike Beatty was recently notified that the state agency had been awarded $887,004 to support foreclosure prevention counseling efforts. "DCA appreciates the responsive actions of President Bush, our Congressional delegation and other stakeholders to help organizations help homeowners at risk of losing their homes. The much-needed funding boost will enable DCA to provide the foreclosure counseling services homeowners need. We look forward to working with our housing counselor partners statewide to educate Georgia homeowners about their options during these challenging times," said Commissioner Beatty.
The grant to support DCA's foreclosure counseling intervention efforts was provided by funds from the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program. Approved by Congress in the FY08 Consolidated Appropriations Bill,

the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program is being administered through a competitive application process by NeighborWorks America, within guidelines defined by Congressional legislation.
DCA will announce further details about administration of the counseling grant within 30 days.
In the interim, Georgia homeowners may access an up-to-date listing and contact information for DCA's Housing Counseling partners at www.dcaloans.com. Homeowners may also contact HUD's Referral Line for a listing of housing counselors in their local area at 800-569-4827 (or TDD at 800-877-8339).
From Zero To 63K! By The Way, We're Talking Affordable Rental Options, Not Horsepower, As GeorgiaHousingSearch.Org Continues Its Momentum. 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 has more than 63,000 property listings and typically receives more than 5,400 daily searches.
On the site, Georgia residents can search for rental properties statewide. Property postings are detailed, current, and updated biweekly. 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.
More Than 100 On Hand For GICH Retreat. More than 100 community housing enthusiasts were on hand for
GICH's first retreat of the year. The participant retreat was held in Tifton from February 26-27, 2008.
GICH is a collaborative initiative of the Housing and Demographics Research Center at the University of Georgia, DCA and the Georgia Municipal Association. The three year program is partially funded by the Georgia Power Company, with additional support provided by the Atlanta Gas Light Company, Georgia Electric Membership Corporation, and Wachovia.
The February retreat included presentations on topics including foreclosure, dealing with homelessness in your community and winning community support. The teams also had an opportunity to interact with the other participants to develop crosscommunity relationships.
Current GICH communities are as follows: 1st Year - Calhoun, Cordele, Douglas, Griffin and Toccoa; 2nd Year - Colquitt, Metter, Milledgeville, Newnan and Tifton; and 3rd Year - Camden, Dalton, Gainesville-Hall County, Moultrie and Waynesboro.
Each year, at least five communities are selected to participate in the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing. During the program, each community housing team receives facilitation, instruction, and technical assistance as they design and implement a housing program to improve both the quality of life of its citizens and the communities' economic conditions. Any city, county, or public housing authority in Georgia is eligible to apply, on behalf of a community housing team.
GICH's second retreat for 2008 is scheduled for August 13-15 in Athens, Georgia. For more information, please
contact Karen Tinsley klt@uga.edu or (706) 542-4949.

Planning & Quality Growth News
Hawkinsville To Host Spring Community Planning Institute. DCA's Office of Planning and Quality
Growth will host the year's second Community Planning Institute (CPI) on April 8-9, 2008 in Hawkinsville. The two-day session will take place at the Hawkinsville Opera House.
CPI program topics include: Community Vision and Planning; Getting the Most out of Your Local Plan; The Good, the Bad, and the Legal; Conducting Meetings; and Making Good Decisions. Participants will also be grouped into breakout sessions to complete the popular Quinn County exercise that demonstrates how it feels to face an agenda full of challenging development and zoning issues.
Attendees completing the two-day training program earn twelve hours of education in land use, comprehensive planning and legal issues. Course completion provides participants "Certified Planning Commissioner" status granted by DCA and the Georgia Planning Association.
Advance registration is required for CPI sessions. Registration is $150.00 per person. For more information, 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
Governor Perdue Calls for Applications for Second Round of Certified Work Ready Community Commitments, Grants. Governor Sonny Perdue recently announced the state has launched the
second round of Certified Work Ready Community commitments and will award grants to a limited number of counties committed to accelerating the certification process.
"Work Ready is transforming our state and making Georgia's workforce our number one competitive advantage," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "More than 70 counties have already made the commitment to earning Certified Work Ready Community status and my goal is to soon have all 159 on board."
To be designated a Certified Work Ready Community, counties must drive current workers and the available workforce to earn Work Ready Certificates, demonstrate a commitment to improving public high school graduation rates and build community commitment for meeting these goals.
Each community must create a team of economic development, government and education partners to create programs to meet the certification criteria. Communities are given three years to meet their specific goals.
Those counties willing to complete the process in 18 months will be eligible for the state-funded grants. These counties will serve as a model for the initiative, showcasing successes and best practices for other communities to follow.
"These accelerated counties are leading the way," said Governor Perdue. "By jumpstarting the process, they can drive additional momentum and participation in the Work Ready initiative throughout the state."
To further encourage communities' efforts, the Governor's Office of Workforce Development (GOWD) has created the "Road to Readiness" award for those counties who exceed expectations and beat their individual goals for citizens earning Work Ready Certificates while they are pursuing certified status. The first three counties to earn Road to Readiness awards are Elbert, Jefferson and Upson Counties.

"We set aggressive goals and have found that Georgia's communities are equal to the challenge," said Debra Lyons, GOWD director. "The Road to Readiness award recognizes these communities' extraordinary efforts and encourages them to continue to strive to meet their goals."
Those communities that would like to begin the process of becoming Certified Work Ready Communities should complete and submit the Notification of Intent to Participate form located at www.gaworkready.org by April 30, 2008. Information about accelerated community grants is also available at the Work Ready Web site.
Georgia's Work Ready initiative is based upon a skills assessment and certification for job seekers and a job profiling system for businesses. By identifying both the needs of business and the available skills of Georgia's workforce, the state can more effectively generate the right talent for the right jobs. Since January 2007, more than 5,000 Georgians have earned Work Ready Certificates, bringing the state's cumulative total to more than 12,000 Certificates attained.
For more information on the Work Ready initiative please visit the Web site at www.gaworkready.org
Other Interesting Tidbits That Just Didn't Fit Anywhere Else
EPA Offers Smart Growth Technical Assistance. The Development, Community and Environment Division of the
Environmental Protection Agency is seeking applications from states, regions, and communities seeking to pursue strategies of smart growth development.
Applicants may be local, regional, or state governments, as well as nonprofit organizations that have a demonstrated partnership with a governmental entity. Selected applicants will receive expert technical assistance in removing barriers to increasing affordable housing and to implementing smart growth development techniques.
To learn more about the program and the application requirements, visit http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/2008_sgia_rfa.htm.
Grants Available For Community Improvement Projects. The General Mills Corporation, maker of Hamburger
Helper, is offering My Hometown Helper grants for local groups interested in making a difference in their community.
People looking to improve their hometown -- from helping to fund a volunteer fire department, to restoring a town landmark, to supporting a local school -- are encouraged to submit entries.
Last year, the program gave away more than $200,000 in total grants and helped communities purchase new band equipment, build a school playground, and fund a tornado warning system, among other projects.
To learn more about the grant program, visit www.myhometownhelper.com/LearnMore.aspx.
Study Finds Rural Economies As Dynamic As Urban And Suburban Economies. American rural economies
are as dynamic as their suburban and urban counterparts are, finds a working paper released today by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. A key finding of the study is that, while the establishment of new businesses are far more common in suburban and urban areas, the differences in the rate of business start-ups and closures between rural, suburban, and urban areas is in fact quite small. The average number of annual establishment births per county is 1,128 in urban areas, 182 in suburban areas, and 58 in rural areas, yet the rate of business start-ups and closures in those areas is nearly identical.
Such a finding, according to co-author Larry Plummer, indicates that, "America has an entrepreneurial culture and entrepreneurs are found in every setting. The lesson learned here is that rural America's resilience should not be underestimated."
Learn more about the study at www.sba.gov/advo/press/08-02.html or download the entire report at http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs316tot.pdf.
Report Highlights Leading Communities For Sustainable Development. Municipalities are increasingly
promoting sustainable development to help address an array of problems, from traffic congestion to global warming. Green building is quickly becoming a key component of sustainable development efforts.

To help understand the scope and characteristics of those efforts, The American Institute of Architects has released a new report entitled Local Leaders in Sustainability: A Study of Green Building Programs in Our Nation's Communities. The report provides details on green building programs in 2007 in the country's 661 communities with over 50,000 residents, along with case studies of select cities' efforts to promote green building. In the South, details are provided about green building programs Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Additionally, the innovative efforts of Atlanta, Georgia are profiled in depth. Learn more about the report at http://www.aia.org/adv_localleaders, or download the full report at http://www.aia.org/SiteObjects/files/LLinSustain(full)_final.pdf.
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.
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 1-877-204-1194. Look for the next edition of DCA News on April 4, 2008. If you wish to be removed from the DCA Newsletter distribution list, please send an email to unsubscribe@dca.state.ga.us.
# # #