The partner connection, Feb. 2012

February 2012

NEWS AND EVENTS
Martin Luther King, Jr Advisory Council Sets Ambitious Agenda for First Year

After months of traveling through each of Georgia's Service Delivery Regions, listening to local leaders and seeking
advice, the members of Governor Deal's Georgia Competitiveness Initiative have
issued their final report, detailing the challenges and opportunities we have as we work to ensure that Georgia's future is bright. CLICK HERE to read the report.
Exceeding Excellence Winner: Rick Heermans

Commissioner Beatty and Rick Heermans.

L-R: Dr. Thomas Lee Smith, Senator Emanuel Jones, Christine Miller-Betts, Mayor Bill Austin,
Commissioner Mike Beatty, Toney Collins, Rita Jackson Samuels. Not Pictured: Lauren Elizabeth Gaia, & Dilyana Kovacheva
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Advisory Council met for the first time on January 20, 2012 and elected Senator Emanuel Jones of Decatur its chairman. The Council was created by the Georgia General Assembly in 2011 and is staffed by the Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism. Governor Nathan Deal appointed the following members:
q Mrs. Rita Jackson-Samuels, who worked for Operation Breadbasket at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in the 1960s
q Dr. Thomas Smith, a teacher at DeKalb County's Martin Luther King High School
q The Honorable William "Bill" Austin, Mayor of Riceboro

Congratulations to Rick Heermans, this quarter's Exceeding Excellence winner!
We're recognizing Rick for his compassionate work that went far beyond his job duties in December 2011. Rick is a dedicated member of the Office of Special
Housing Initiatives, and in his "normal" capacity, is a Planning and Policy
Development Specialist. He works to ensure that the Department reports its spending and program work in an open, understandable way to our constituents,
the Governor's Office, the General Assembly, and the federal government. But
we selected him as the Exceeding Excellence winner because Rick showed that "doing his job" as a state employee can sometimes mean far more than his job
description entails.
Two weeks before Christmas, an unemployed mother of three found herself
suddenly homeless. She quickly discovered that area homeless shelters were not equipped to accept families with special needs children. Out of options, she
contacted the Department's Office of Special Housing Initiatives for assistance. Rick and other OSHI staff members helped
the family find temporary housing assistance, but knew that those funds were
only available for one week. Rick took matters into his own hands and contacted
the Atlanta news station WXIA to ask if
they'd tell the family's story. Within days of the news story, Atlanta area citizens had donated money, Christmas gifts, and job offers. Throughout the month, Rick stayed

q Christine Miller-Betts, head of the Lucy Craft Museum of Black History in Augusta
q Lauren Gaia, a student at Agnes Scott College q Dilyana Kovacheva, a student at Georgia Perimeter College.
Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle appointed Senator Emanuel Jones and House Speaker David Ralston appointed Toney Collins, a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives. Commissioner Mike Beatty serves as a member of the Council, as outlined by the enabling legislation.
During its first meeting, the council agreed on an outreach agenda for 2012, including statewide education about the legacy of Dr. King, recognition of service and connecting the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement to the current generation. Senator Jones, one of the sponsors of the Senate bill that created the council, said the new council "can fulfill the dreams" of Dr. King and help Georgia lead the nation in promoting Dr. King's teaching. DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty, in his welcome to the new council members, said he hoped the council would help educate current and future generations about the importance of Dr King's work. "I want my grandchildren to understand the leadership principles of Dr. Martin Luther King," he said. "Our children need heroes."
State Small Business Credit Initiative
The US Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 created the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) and allocated $47,808,507 to Georgia. The Department's Community Development Finance Division worked with the US Department of the Treasury to create three programs to help Georgia's businesses:
q $20 million to fund Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs): this program provides access to capital for small businesses to create job opportunities in low-to-moderate income, minority, and other underserved communities, including women- and minority-owned

in contact with the family, offering guidance and encouragement through a very difficult
period in their lives.
This commitment to helping those who come to us in need is the essence of "exceeding excellence" and sets an example for all of us who work in the public
sector. Thank you, Rick, for your compassion and dedication, and for your willingness to extend your "normal" daily
job duties!

small businesses. q $17.8 million to fund the Georgia Small Business Credit Guarantee
(SBCG): the program provides lenders with a unique loan guarantee program to help small businesses throughout the entire state. Under a delegated-lending model, lenders will receive an initial 50% credit guarantee on an individual loan and the opportunity to build a risk reserve pool that can provide a loan guarantee up to 80%. q $10 million to fund the Georgia Capital Access Program (GCAP): the program assists small businesses with obtaining loans through participating financial institutions (lenders). Our program encourages GCAP lenders to make loans to small businesses whose requests meet "traditional" underwriting standards but whose assets have lost value during the ongoing economic restructuring.

Congratulations to the City of Kingsland, one of the Department's Main Street Cities! After a nationwide search, the Oprah Winfrey Network and BBC
Productions have selected Kingsland as the location for an upcoming matchmaking
series. For all the details, CLICK HERE.

Commissioner Mike Beatty stated, "We designed these programs to help small businesses access needed funding, helping them to grow and create jobs." Brian Williamson, Assistant Commissioner for Community Development and Finance added, "Our staff will conduct a thorough outreach program to inform and educate lenders and small businesses about Georgia's SSBCI programs. We're going to work with lenders in traditionally underserved areas, and areas with high unemployment to ensure that the program will cover 100% of Georgia's communities."
The State Small Business Credit Initiative will be most successful when local banks, credit unions and Community Development Finance Institutions are aware of the available programs and how to use them. CLICK HERE to register now for our first workshop in Tifton, March 15, 2012, 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM.
For complete program information, please see THIS PAGE. For detailed information or questions please contact: Holly Hunt, Program Manager at holly. hunt@dca.ga.gov or 404-679-3144.

UPCOMING EDUCATION, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES AND DEADLINES

Are you a new member of an Economic Development Authority, or have you
recently appointed a new member? The Fanning Institute provides a variety of
training programs for new and experienced development authority board members. CLICK HERE to learn more and register!

Governor's Water Supply Program Application Workshops: February 24, March 2 and March 9, 2012
The Governor's Water Supply Program aligns and mobilizes the resources of the State of Georgia to assist local governments with developing new sources of water supply to meet future water demand forecasts. To provide program details and application information, the Department and the Georgia
Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) will
sponsor two Application Workshops:

The 2012 course schedule for economic development professionals is now
available through Georgia Tech. From the
Basic Economic Development Course through Real Estate Development and Reuse, these classes provide a wealth of information to help local government staff
and officials improve their skills and knowledge about community and economic
development. CLICK HERE for more
information and to register.

q February 24, 2012; 1:00 PM. Gwinnett Technical College, Lawrenceville
q March 2, 2012, 10:30 AM. Macon State College, Macon q March 9, 2012; 10:30 AM. University of Georgia Tifton Conference
Center, Tifton
Registration is not required. For more workshop details, see THIS PAGE.
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Applicants' Workshop: February 28, 2012

The 2012 workshop, at the Cobb Galleria Centre, will provide an overview of requirements and criteria for applicants intending to submit applications for Federal and State Low Income Housing Tax Credits and
HOME loan funds during the 2012 Competitive Funding Round. This workshop will concentrate on 2012 scoring requirements. For workshop information, CLICK HERE. To register online, CLICK HERE

Housing Tax Credits help grow Georgia jobs and boost local economies.
THIS ARTICLE from the Atlanta Business Chronicle provides these details and more:
In one year, 324 new family units create: $28.4 million in income for Georgia residents,
$5.6 million in taxes and other revenue for the state and local governments in Georgia
451 jobs in Georgia

Community Planning Institute: Planning and Zoning March 9-10, 2012 in Covington
Join us at The Center in Covington for the next CPI: Planning and Zoning workshop. The Community Planning Institute provides training for citizens, staff and elected officials involved in planning and land development in their communities. We emphasize the importance of a community vision in planning for the future, the role of the planning commissioner in helping define that vision and how to work with your community's citizens and governing body to make that vision a reality. Registration information is available online at The Community Planning Institute, or contact Adriane Wood at adriane.wood@dca.ga.gov. You may be eligible for a $100 scholarship through the Georgia Planning Memorial Foundation, Denise Abboud Fund. For more information go to: http://georgiaplanning.org/about-gpa/memorialfoundation/

Rates Effective February 2:
Georgia Dream First Mortgage: FHA/VA/RD
Conventional Uninsured 4.375%
Georgia Dream First Mortgage Combined with Any
Georgia Dream Downpayment Loan: FHA/VA/RD
Conventional Uninsured 4.625%

National Civilian Community Corps - Concept Proposals Due April 2, 2012
The National Civilian Community Corps is taking applications for its fall service projects. The NCCC focuses on the following areas of community need:
q Disaster services q Environmental stewardship and
conservation q Urban and rural development q Energy conservation q Infrastructure improvement

If your community could benefit from a team of young people committed to serving their country through public service, consider completing the Concept Form by April 2, 2012. For Georgia-specific assistance, contact John Turner at

The Department launched HomeSafe Georgia in April 2011 to assist
homeowners affected by the recession. Since its inception, the program has:

john.turner@dca.ga.gov or Candice Gunn at Candice.gunn@dca.ga.gov .
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCE DIVISION

q Received 5,514 completed applications
q Recruited 97 loan servicers to participate in the program
q Closed 647 loans
q Applications under review: 1,268
q Determined 3,599 applicants to be ineligible
For complete program information, including how to apply, see the HomeSafe
Website

January Awards by Region
Region 2 City of Baldwin
q $20,000 from the Immediate Threat and Danger grant q Install pressure-reducing valves to stabilize water supply to Baldwin
Mountain q Will benefit 700 people, 585 of whom are low to moderate income
Region 5 City of Jefferson
q $174,000 in Employment Incentive Program funds q $475,000 in private investment q $1.68MM additional public investment q Creates 205 jobs q Assist the construction of public water treatment facility improvements
to serve Systemax, Inc.'s new facility location.

Region 10 City of Meigs

q $21,538 from Immediate Threat and Danger grant q Repair the City's primary well q Will benefit 1,039 people, 840 of whom are low to moderate income

Region 12 Savannah Economic Development Authority

q $3MM in OneGeorgia EDGE funds q $325MM in private investment

Georgia citizens need quick and easy access to affordable housing options and we can help! Whether you are searching by price, number of bedrooms, or even proximity to work, school or transportation, finding a home that meets your needs is easier with GeorgiaHousingSearch.org.

q Creates 500 jobs q Assist in the location of Mitsubishi Power Systems manufacturing
facility

Landlords can register in a five-minute process or work with DCA staff to register large-scale listings. We encourage property owners to post their affordable rental units to help make this site as useful as possible. For more information, please contact Sheila Roberts at 404-679-4855 or sheila.roberts@dca.state.ga.gov

GeorgiaHousingSearch.org is the key to linking tenants with landlords. We offer FREE property posting, bilingual assistance, and a toll-free number (877428-8844) available to those without internet access. The website provides information on rental assistance, community resources and special needs housing.
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