Newsletter, 2008 May

May 2008 Newsletter
DCA Will Sponsor/ Co-Sponsor These Events In May 2008
Great American CleanupTM Continues Through May 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.
Energy Codes Workshop May 8/13/22, 2008 Columbus, Cumming & McDonough
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.
Economic Development Finance Workshop May 12-16, 2008 - Macon
For more information, please visit www.bbandttraining.com/Training/Registration or contact BB&T's Nicole Oliphant at (704) 954-1102 or noliphant@bbandt.com.
Design Camp - May 17, 2008 Athens
For more information, please contact DCA's Cindy Eidson at ceidson@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-3101.
Executive
Beatty Joins Governor Perdue To Kick Off Statewide Conservation Campaign. Governor
Sonny Perdue recently launched a new conservation campaign aimed at creating a culture of conservation among Georgia residents, businesses, organizations, local governments and schools.
Conserve Georgia is a statewide multi-agency marketing and public education effort aimed at promoting the conservation of energy, land and water; the prevention of litter; and the promotion of recycling.
The Conserve Georgia's website www.conservegeorgia.org will serve as a one-stopshop portal to the state's conservation programs. DCA and a number of other state agencies will be involved in this effort.
"If there is one benefit of Georgia's record drought, it is the renewed emphasis on the importance of conservation in the daily lives of all Georgians," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "Our state is blessed with a wealth of natural resources, but the drought has shown us that they are not unlimited. The stewardship of energy, land and water resources is vital to the lives of our state's citizens. Most importantly, conservation is the right thing to do, in times of scarcity or abundance."

Currently, the state's current conservation efforts are organized among numerous agencies, including the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Community Affairs, Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, Department of Education, Department of Transportation and the Department of Agriculture. Each of these agencies will be involved in creating a unified marketing campaign for the state's conservation programs. It is hoped that that collaborative effort will yield greater results through coordination, common goals and shared branding. The leadership of the ten state agencies and divisions will form the Conserve Georgia Council and will serve as the decision making body for Conserve Georgia.
Governor Perdue signed the Executive Order forming Conserve Georgia at a Pratt Industries' Recycling Facility in East Point. The Governor's Conserve Georgia tour also included stops in Warner Robins, GA and Bainbridge, GA. DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty, DCA Environmental Services Director Randy Hartmann and DCA Keep Georgia Beautiful Manager Lynn Cobb were on hand for the East Point event.
The text of the Governor's Conserve Georgia Executive Order is below:
BY THE GOVERNOR:

WHEREAS: Georgians enjoy a high quality of life bolstered by the state's rich natural resources; and

WHEREAS: It is of paramount importance for Georgia's continued prosperity to conserve Georgia's natural resources and to instill in all Georgians an ethic of stewardship and conservation; and

WHEREAS: The government of the State of Georgia should lead by example in adopting, implementing and promoting conservation practices; and

WHEREAS: The State of Georgia is a large business enterprise and a substantial consumer of energy and water and manages more than one million acres of land; and

WHEREAS: The State of Georgia experienced a severe drought in 2007 and continues to experience record low rainfall and it is expected that the low rainfall will continue into the immediate future; and

WHEREAS: The State of Georgia recognizes that energy and land uses contribute to the state's water supply and availability; and

WHEREAS: The state's current conservation efforts are organized among many different agencies and can achieve greater outcomes through coordination, common goals, and shared marketing; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, IT IS HEREBY

ORDERED:

The creation of Conserve Georgia, a statewide, multi-agency marketing and public education effort aimed at promoting the conservation of energy, land and water; the prevention of litter; and the promotion of recycling in order to develop a "culture of conservation" among Georgia businesses, governments, organizations, educators, residents, and landowners; and

ORDERED:

IT IS FURTHER That www.ConserveGeorgia.org will serve as the "one stop shop" portal website for conservation resources in Georgia; and

IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED:

A Conserve Georgia Council consisting of the leadership of participating state agencies and divisions will serve as the decision making body for Conserve Georgia. Conserve Georgia Council shall include, but is not limited to, the following state agencies and divisions:

Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division Department of Community Affairs Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia Georgia Forestry Commission Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Department of Education Department of Transportation Department of Agriculture

IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED: The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) will serve as the coordinating agency of Conserve Georgia; and

IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED: The Conserve Georgia Council will identify and partner with public and private sector organizations and entities to further the mission of Conserve Georgia; and

IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED: The Conserve Georgia Council will develop a strategic marketing plan, which will be updated annually, for state-sponsored conservation activities that includes:

A unified vision for state-sponsored energy, land and water conservation initiatives, including litter and recycling programs;
A marketing strategy to maximize the impact of state-sponsored conservation initiatives through shared resources; shared branding; and cooperative marketing, advertising, and education;
A marketing budget for state-sponsored energy, land and water conservation initiatives, including litter and recycling programs;
A comprehensive set of outcome-oriented metrics to evaluate the success of Conserve Georgia; and

IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED: The Conserve Georgia Council will advise the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget on the funding needs and allocations for Conserve Georgia marketing and public education; and

IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED: The Conserve Georgia Council will publish an annual performance assessment of the state's coordinated energy, land, litter, recycling and water conservation programs.

This 24th Day of April, 2008

Appalachian Regional Commission
National Geographic Highlights Appalachia's Scenic Driving Trails. Federal, state, regional and
local officials recently unveiled a collection of specialized maps for self-guided driving tours of mountain and regional destinations. The map is published in the April 2008 edition of National Geographic Traveler magazine.
"Driving Tours: Appalachia" features four trails in North Georgia, The Chieftains Trail and Folk Potters Trail run solely through Georgia. The Southern Highroads bisects Georgia, North and South Carolina and Tennessee. Lookout Mountain Parkway is in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.
The unveiling took place near the site of the Folk Pottery Museum in Sautee. DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty, Deputy Commissioner Phil Foil, DCA ARC Manager James Thompson, DCA Regional Representative Leamon Scott and DCA Regional Representative Kathy Papa were on hand for the event.

From left: Rick Peltz of the Appalachian Regional Commission, John Erbele of the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association, White County Commission Chairman Chris Nonnemaker and Georgia Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Mike Beatty show off copies of the National Geographic Traveler magazine. (Photo Credit: Kristen Mangum, White County News.)

investments made within the state since 2005.

ARC Federal Co-Chair described Georgia's Appalachian region as a "real asset." He also cited more than $600,000 in ARC tourism-related

The driving tours map is due to an alliance between ARC and National Geographic to design maps that will stimulate economic development and tourism. In April 2008, the map was distributed to the magazine's 865,000 subscribers.

Questions regarding Georgia's ARC programs may be directed to DCA's James Thompson at jthompso@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-1584.

ARC Announces RFP For Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency. In April, the Appalachian
Regional Commission (ARC) announced the second round of a grants competition focused on developing and leveraging renewable energy and energy-efficiency resources of Appalachian communities.
Proposals should focus on production, distribution, and expansion of renewable energy and energy efficiency products with an end result in the creation of new jobs and businesses. Proposals should not exceed $75,000 and are due July 31, 2008.
Eligible applicants include: nonprofit organizations, governmental entities, and public educational institutions located in the arc region. To learn, more visit http://www.arc.gov/images/energy/rfpsummary08.html.

Community Development & Finance News
REMINDER: Get Certified As An Economic Development Finance Professional First Session Schedule For May 12-16. 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 (May 12-16, 2008), Business Credit Analysis (September 8-12, 2008), Real Estate Finance (December 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 or noliphant@bbandt.com or (704) 954-1102.

Construction Codes & Industrialized Buildings News

REMINDER: "Final Four" Energy Code Workshops To 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, DCA and the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority are sponsoring workshops given by the Southface Energy Institute. The "final four" workshops have been scheduled through early June workshops began in February and six have been held previously throughout the state.

Workshop information is available at www.hbag.org. Workshops will last 4 hours and will address the residential compliance requirements of the new Georgia Energy Code. The cost is $30 for city or county building officials and inspectors, $50 for HBA members and $75 for non-members. For more information, including registration details, please visit www.hbag.org or contact DCA staff member Ryan Meres at rmeres@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-3109.

Date May 8 May 13
May 22

Time 8:30am 8:30am
8:30am

Location
Greater Columbus Association

Home

Builders

Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association

Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association

Address
3610 Gentian Blvd. Columbus, GA 31907 Forsyth Co. Administrative Building) 110 E. Main St -- Suite 200 Cumming, GA 30040 Henry Co. Gov't Annex-Community Room 116 South Zack Hinton Pkwy McDonough, GA 30253

June 3 8:30am Southface Eco Office

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 (Downtown Development), Joseph DeGumbia (Administration) and Angela Gregory (Housing Finance).
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
Get The Scoop On Historic Downtowns & Going Green At Two Upcoming Workshops. Want
to make your community even better? Of course you do! Please plan to attend two informative DCA workshops, Design Camp and the Urban Georgia Symposium. Workshop details are below.
Design Camp May 15-16, 2008 Athens, GA. Design Camp is a unique workshop experience geared toward novice and experienced managers, board members, Historic Preservation Commission members and anyone else interested in the design of their historic downtown.
Participants will receive a full day of training with Scott Day, principal of Urban Development Services and formerly with the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Main Street Center. Scott's experience in historic preservation, architecture and planning gives him unique insight into cutting edge techniques for overcoming challenges and achieving design excellence.
Scott has developed a customized training module for DCA covering such topics as the evolution of downtown, building styles and materials, urban planning, and proper building maintenance. These topics will be reinforced with hands-on group exercises as well as a walking tour of downtown Athens. Workshop participants will leave with tools and techniques for preserving, enhancing and creating preservationbased design solutions in their downtown.
Registration is limited to the first 40 people. Registration fees cover training materials, refreshments, speaker and facility costs. Fees are as follows: $75 per person for Main Street / Better Hometown staff, volunteers and elected officials $100 for ODD Affiliates, Regional Development Center and local government employees $150 for consultants and private sector professionals.
Additional workshop questions may be directed to Cindy Eidson at ceidson@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-3101.
Urban Georgia Network Symposium - June 17-18, 2008 Atlanta, GA. Want to learn a hundred ways your community can improve its environmental stewardship practices and brand itself as an eco-friendly place to live and invest?
Want to learn how making your city eco-friendly can actually spur economic development and job creation?
Want to learn more about public/private ventures to start fresh markets and community gardens, and hear how communities around the country have involved citizens in positive eco-partnerships with the public sector?
If the answer is YES, please plan to attend the 2008 Urban Georgia Symposium. The two-day workshop is being sponsored by DCA and the Georgia Department of Economic Development in collaboration with Southface Energy Institute and the American Institute of Architects

Whether you work with local government, a non-profit or in the design and development fields, you can make a real difference by attending this workshop and learning ways you can help your local Georgia community GO GREEN.
The workshop will present cutting edge, earth friendly, public policies adopted by progressive cities around the country, sustainable development codes, architectural recognition programs like LEEDs, ideas for recruitment of green entrepreneurs and ecotourism ventures, sustainable transportation options, landscape standards using native and drought tolerant plants, alternative infrastructure solutions that can conserve water and reduce our human impact on the environment.
Don't miss this opportunity to learn from cutting edge examples of sustainable design in Georgia and the Southeast and be inspired by presentations by nationally known leaders and visionaries in this field. Additional workshop questions may be directed to Cindy Eidson at ceidson@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-3101.
Environmental News
Oconee County Designated As Georgia's Thirteenth WaterFirst Community. There was
nothing unlucky about "13" when DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty recently announced the designation of Oconee County as the state's thirteenth WaterFirst Community. This designation officially recognized Oconee County's commitment to excellence in water resource management and stewardship. The community was formally recognized in a ceremony on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at Watkinsville's Maison Bleu Restaurant.
"Careful management of our water resources requires a strong commitment to stewardship and solid leadership. Oconee County leaders eagerly embraced their collective responsibility to preserve the past and mold the future. In planning for the future of one of the state's fastest growing communities, county leaders deserve special recognition for their team approach, proactive management of the county's water supply needs and extensive education programs. Today, DCA is very pleased to recognize the leaders and citizens of Oconee County for their shared commitment to stewardship of our water resources through its designating as Georgia's thirteenth WaterFirst Community," said Commissioner Beatty.
The WaterFirst Community Program, led by the DCA's Office of Environmental Management, is a voluntary partnership between local governments, state and federal agencies and other organizations working to improve the management and protection of our shared water resources. For more information about DCA's WaterFirst program, visit www.dca.state.ga.us/development/EnvironmentalManagement/programs/water_first.asp.
Oconee County is the first entity to receive a WaterFirst Community designation in 2008. Previously designated WaterFirst communities include the City of Braselton, the Clayton County/ Clayton County Water Authority, Cobb County, Cobb/ Marietta Water Authority, Columbus Waterworks/ Columbus Consolidated Government, Griffin, Gwinnett County, City of Hartwell, City of Rome, City of Savannah and City of Tybee Island.
"Recycle 4 Georgia" Trailers Picked Up & Ready To Help Communities Promote Recycling At Upcoming Special Events. Funky
and functional? Bold and informative? Thanks to DCA's Environmental Services team, recycling is STILL cool!

In November 2007, Governor Sonny Perdue announced 13 Georgia communities selected to receive special state recycling grants.

The "Away From Home" recycling grants were established to help local communities promote recycling at special events. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has been worked with communities to develop effective recycling plans for upcoming special events.

ABOVE: Temporary tattoo and trailer images. BELOW: Trailer images.

The "lucky 13" communities were Athens-Clarke County, City of Atlanta, Bulloch County, Dalton/Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Decatur County, City of Douglasville, City of Gainesville, Liberty County, North Georgia Resource Management Authority (Banks, Lumpkin, Town
and Union Counties), City of Roswell, City of Savannah Sanitation Bureau, City of Tybee Island and City of Valdosta.

The Away From Home grant recipients will not be awarded cash. Instead, the "turn key" grant package consists of the actual equipment communities need to implement a special event collection program. DCA's Environmental Services team members recently hosted trailer "pick-up" events in Dallas and Ocilla, GA.

Based on the event's expected attendance, each community received a trailer with up to 100 recycling containers stored on five, easy-to-assembly carts. The self-contained carts can be pushed manually from location to location or hitched to the back of a motorized cart (like a golf cart) and pulled. Each cart will also contain a recycling promotional message. In addition to the carts, each recycling trailer will have local government "check-out" forms, a special event recycling instruction manual, volunteer training and safety information and a recycling collection reporting sheet. Community specific recycling and promotional information will also be included with each trailer.

Be on the lookout for the trailer, tattoos and other items decked out in bold, eye-catching images that promote recycling.

Questions about the state's recycling efforts may be directed to DCA's Environmental Services Team at (404) 679-4940.

REMINDER: Still Time To Get Involved In 2008 Great American Cleanup. Since the March 1st kickoff of the state's 2008 Great American
Cleanup, Georgians have actively participated in a number of local community activities. National and statewide activities continue through May 31, 2008.
The 2008 Great American Cleanup provides Georgia's citizens with numerous opportunities to get involved in community-building activities that offer reminders of our individual and collective responsibility to keep our roads, rivers, mountains and communities clean.

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 continue to May 31, 2008. This year's GAC activities 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.
Nearly 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.
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.
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.
Georgia Commission On Service & Volunteerism
Governor Perdue Taps Gentry, McIntyre & Statham For GCSV Board. Governor Sonny Perdue
recently announced the appointment of Sandra Gentry, Richard McIntyre and Michael Statham to the Georgia Commission For Service and Volunteerism board. Biographical information about the new board members is below:
Sandra K. "Sandi" Gentry, At-Large Representative -- Gentry serves as administrative assistant to the manager of legislative affairs at Georgia Power Company. She has served as president and events coordinator of the Gwinnett Chapter and operations committee chair of the State Board for Citizens of Georgia Power. She served as a member of the Metro North Employee Advisory Council. Gentry earned a bachelor's degree from Shorter College and is currently pursuing a master's degree.
Richard R. McIntyre II, Labor Representative -- McIntyre retired from the Meriwether County School System after teaching for over 30 years and is now a substitute teacher. Active with the Georgia Association of Educators, he serves as a representative, treasurer, vice president, and president at the local level. He is the head coach for the West Georgia Wolverines wheelchair sports team and serves as chairman of the State Spelling Bee Committee. He served as an officer in the United States Army and was awarded the Bronze Star and two army Commendation Medals. He is a former volunteer for the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon. McIntyre earned a bachelor's degree from Trinity University and a master's degree from Columbus College.
Michael P. "Mike" Statham. At-Large Representative -- Statham is the chief of special operations and public relations at Christian Ministries Hospice. He serves as vice chairman of senior issues committee for the Spalding County Collaborative Authority and is a member of the health and overview committees of Partners for a

Prosperous Griffin Spalding County. He served in the military as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard. Statham attended the University of Georgia, Gordon College, and Georgia Military College.

Housing News

Nearly 70K Affordable Rental Units On

GeorgiaHousingSearch.Org As Site Continues

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. As of early March, the site had more than 63,000 property listings and received more than 5,400 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.

RFP Funding Opportunity Available For Regional Development Centers. DCA recently released
a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Regional Development Centers for training and education related to affordable housing toward helping Signature Community Program (SCP) and Georgia Initiative for Community Housing communities achieve their affordable housing goals.
DCA has set aside approximately $60,000 under this RFP for housing related activities. The deadline to submit a response to the RFP is May 28, 2008.
Additional questions may be directed to Malisa Thompson at mthompso@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 326-1048.

Healthy Marriage Initiative Awards To Help Georgians Statewide. In March, DCA awarded
approximately $86,975 to four agencies - Northwest Georgia Marriage Initiative, Thomasville Family and MarriageNet, Inc., Gainesville-Hall Co. Community Service Center and Lutheran Services of Georgia, Inc. - to provide Healthy Marriage training services to low and moderate income citizens.
The purpose of the Healthy Marriage Initiative is to promote marriage as a viable lifestyle option for low and moderate income Georgians through improved perceptions, attitudes and skills for developing a healthy marriage. The program is funded with Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds.
Additional questions may be directed to Malisa Thompson at mthompso@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 326-1048.

Magnolia Award Nominations Now Open. It's that time again! The DCA mailbox is "open" and ready to
receive your nominations for Georgia's best affordable housing projects.

Nominated projects will compete for the prestigious 2008 Magnolia Awards for Excellence in Affordable Housing. The awards will be presented at the annual Housing Georgia Conference. The conference is scheduled for November 20, 2008 at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta.
The Magnolia Awards recognize outstanding achievements in affordable housing. Awards are given in six categories: Affordable Rental, Creative Partnerships, Homeownership, Neighborhood Revitalization, Special Needs and Superior Design.
DCA is currently accepting nominations for the awards for online. Nomination forms and guidelines are available at www.magnoliaawards.org. The deadline for receipt of nominations is June 30, 2008. Finalists will be announced in mid-August and award winners will be announced at the event. For more information, please contact Malisa Thompson at mthompso@dca.state.ga.us or (404) 326-1048.
Planning & Quality Growth News
CCPAC Meeting Highlights Committee Action - Citizens Urged To Comment on Coastal Draft Plan. In March 2008, Georgia's Coastal Comprehensive Planning Advisory Committee (CCPAC)
reviewed and discussed all comments received on the Plan during the comment period. The Plan is currently being amended to include comments and to elaborate on several issues needing further explanation or clarification. After final edits have been incorporated, the Plan will be posted to DCA's website and also officially transmitted to the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center for execution.
The next steps in the Plan's evolution are two-fold. First, the CGRDC will begin establishment of a work program for Plan implementation. Second, the RDC will begin expanding the Plan to include the 4 inland counties of Bulloch, Effingham, Long, and Screven which are also members of the Coastal GA RDC.
Additional questions may be directed to coastalplan@dca.state.ga.us.
31 Earn Certificates of Achievement In Hawkinsville - Helen To Host Next Community Planning Institute. Following 12 hours of education in land use, comprehensive planning and legal issues, 31
planning commissioners, planning professionals, citizens and local leaders from cities and counties in Georgia earned "Certified Planning Commissioner Status" from the Community Planning Institute (CPI). Hawkinsville hosted the CPI in early April.
The next CPI will be held July 15-16 in Helen, GA. Advance registration is required as class size is limited; registration is $150.00 per person. For more information on how the Community Planning Institute can improve the quality of life in your community, please contact DCA at (404) 679-5279 or visit www.georgiaplanning.com.
Toolkit Helps Local Governments Manage Growth. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Office of Planning and Quality Growth is pleased to offer local governments and citizens a Best Practices Toolkit.
Hammers, saws, and drills are just some of the equipment in the toolkits of contractors commissioned to build the apartments, houses, businesses, and attractions that make up the state of Georgia. However, in order to make quality growth and protecting the environment a priority, not only do contractors need a toolkit but so do local governments and citizens.

The Best Practices Toolkit was designed to provide advice to local governments on tools that may be used to put quality growth principles into practice at the local level. It is easy to use and allows users to obtain information via "Search by Index of Tools, Search by Issues Affecting Community, or Search by Keyword". In addition, the site also provides detailed "Tool Descriptions" in the effort to inform and educate the user.
For more information regarding The Best Practices Toolkit and other resources, please call DCA at (404) 6795279 or visit www.georgiaplanning.com.
Other Interesting Tidbits That Just Didn't Fit Anywhere Else
Traderoots Estimates Impact Of Trade In States. Arkansas exports $3.9 billion in manufactured goods
to the world, yielding about 47,000 jobs for the state. Tennessee's manufacturing exports top $19 billion, accounting for about 137,000 jobs. Seventy-one percent of the nearly 850 West Virginia businesses that sell products overseas are small and medium-sized companies. South Carolina's $13.9 billion in manufacturing exports accounted for 10% of the state's total economy in 2005.
All of these facts and more are from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's TRADEROOTS initiative. One page data resources on any state can be downloaded at http://www.traderoots.org/fsmain.asp?i=m.
New Smart Growth Scorecard Available. The Livable Communities Coalition, dedicated to encouraging
smart growth projects, has developed a 50-question smart growth scorecard. The scorecard, while developed for the Atlanta metropolitan region, is applicable to cities large and small across the south. The scorecard can be downloaded here: www.livablecommunitiescoalition.org/uploads/100012_bodycontentfiles/100636.pdf.
Call For Entries For Awards For Excellence In Affordable Housing. Enterprise Community
Partners, a nationwide leader in community development and affordable housing, is offering community-based and regional nonprofit organizations awards for excellence for the design and management of affordable housing and the operation of supportive housing for special needs populations.
Award recipients will receive a grant of $40,000 for first-place, $30,000 for second-place, and $20,000 for third place. Submissions for the 2008 awards must be received no later than May 16, 2008. To learn more about the awards, visit http://www.enterprisecommunity.org/programs/awards/metlife_foundation_awards.
HUD Releases Regional Report On Housing Market Activity. The U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development released a quarterly report on housing market conditions for the final quarter of 2007.
The report provides the most recently available data for economic, employment and population trends in the South, and details their effects on local housing markets. The full report can be downloaded at http://www.huduser.org/periodicals/ushmc/winter07_1/USHMC_q4_07_3.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 June 6, 2008. If you wish to be removed from the DCA Newsletter distribution list, please send an email to unsubscribe@dca.state.ga.us.
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