The partner connection, Oct. 2013

October 2013

NEWS AND EVENTS
Board Meets in Rome

The Georgia Main Street Program is now on Facebook! Like us and see what's happening in downtowns from
Blairsville to Brunswick.

DCA board members and staff met with City of Rome staff to learn about Rome's success with DCA's funding and technical assistance programs.
On October 1 and 2, the Department of Community Affairs Board of Directors visited the City of Rome for a two-day meeting. Board members focused on the Department's community and economic development programs, and how successful communities combine financial and technical assistance to create places that are attractive and productive for their residents and conducive to new industry. Rome is an excellent backdrop for this focus, as the elected officials, staff and non-profit community have made use of a variety of DCA's programs in order to help them meet their community goals.

Congratulations, Laurel Hart!
The Atlanta Business Chronicle named Laurel Hart, Housing Finance Division Director, to its inaugural Who's Who Sustainability List.

Under Laurel's guidance, Georgia's Housing Tax Credit program has incorporated green building principles into its competitive processes and has placed more than 1,800 units of affordable, certifiedsustainable units. Thank you, Laurel!
Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism
Continues Fifteen AmeriCorps Programs

Commissioner Corbin and Leamon Scott Commissioner Gretchen

provided background information during the Corbin, Leamon Scott,

trolley tour.

Region One Manager, and

Billy Peppers, Office of

Downtown Development, led the board on a trolley tour of the community,

highlighting the work the city has done in conjunction with the Department of

Community Affairs over a ten-year period. Andy Johnson, the General

Regional Manager of the Lowe's Regional Distribution Center, guided the

board and staff on a tour of the new facility in north Floyd County, which is

big enough to house 32 football fields and employs more than 500 citizens

of northwest Georgia.

The City of Rome has partnered with the Department for technical assistance with a Resource Team visit, The Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, becoming a WaterFirst community and creating an Opportunity Zone. The Department has provided financial assistance to help Rome meet its goals through CHIP funds, the Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, HOME funds, the CDBG program and EDGE funds.

We'd like to offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to the following people:

The Board of Directors of the Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism is pleased to announce that fifteen AmeriCorps programs are beginning a new year of service. Each program has a contract agreement with DCA and is beginning to recruit for new AmeriCorps members. This year, through DCA, the Georgia Commission will manage fifteen programs totaling $3.5 million, supporting over 700 AmeriCorps Members. For more information on AmeriCorps programs in Georgia, please visit www.servega.org.

Staff of the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce: Executive Director Al Hodge (also secretary of the DCA Board), Jo Ann Patty, Executive Assistant; Heather Seckman, Director of Economic Development; Ken Wright, Director of Business and Industry Services, and Blake Buford, Communications Coordinator.
Staff from the City of Rome: Assistant City Manager Sammy Rich, Community Development Supervisor Bekki Fox, Downtown Development Director Ann Arnold, and Director of Environmental Services Eric Lindberg.
Etowah Terrace Senior Residences and Mercy Housing Southeast Andy Johnson, Regional General Manager at the Lowe's Regional
Distribution Center in Floyd County.
Their generosity and time provided our board members with an inside view of community development, economic development, and the importance of leadership in building a firm foundation to attract industry. They graciously shared their expertise and left no detail to chance during our visit, and truly defined the "southern hospitality" of which Georgia is so proud.
UPCOMING DEADLINES, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
Celebrating Rural Georgia Conference:
October 30, 2013

4.250%
Georgia Dream First Mortgage FHA/VA/RD/Conventional Uninsured

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tifton UGA Campus Conference Center
This year's Celebrating Rural Georgia event, sponsored by the Department of Community Affairs and the Georgia Rural Development Council, will feature a keynote address by Governor Nathan Deal, remarks by new DCA Commissioner Gretchen Corbin, and expert panels on three Georgia Rural Development Council policy initiatives:

with or without a Georgia Dream Down Payment Loan
For complete information, click HERE.

Digital Broadband AgriTourism Rural Access to Healthcare Dr. Jeff Humphreys from the University of Georgia Selig Center for Economic Growth will present a commissioned study, "Evaluating Retiree Based Economic Development in Georgia," as our luncheon speaker.

Registration is open, and the $20 fee includes a continental breakfast and an outstanding "Georgia Grown" lunch.

Use this link to register, and scroll to October 30 under "Events."

We look forward to seeing you there!

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 - the key to linking tenants with landlords. We offer FREE property posting, bilingual assistance, and a toll-free number (877-428-8844) available to those without internet access. Landlords can register in a fiveminute process or work with DCA staff to register large-scale listings. For more information, please contact Ron Pounds at 404-3276864 or ron.pounds@dca.ga.gov.

DCA staff will be partnering with Department of Labor and other agencies to provide information on HomeSafe Georgia at the following events:
Veterans Fall Fair: October 23, 1913; 1-4 pm; Moody Field Club, Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta
National Disability Recognition Expo: October 24, 2013; 10 am - 1 pm; St. Philip AME Church Family Life Administration Center, 240 Candler Road, Atlanta
Telfair County Job Fair/Career Expo: November 5, 2013; 1-4 PM; Telfair County Recreation Building, 408 E. Oak Street, McRae
Veteran's Appreciation Fair: November 12, 2013; 2-5 PM; Carroll County Recreation Department, 1201 Newnan Road, Carrollton
For more information, please see the HomeSafe website.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FINANCING September Financial Awards

Region Two

Rabun County $300,000 in Employment Incentive Program (EIP) funds Leverages $2 million in private investment Leverages $200,000 in public (non-DCA) investment Creates 30 jobs Funds will be used for the purchase of machinery and equipment to benefit GAP Partners, Inc.

Region Three Cherokee County Development Authority

As of September 30, HomeSafe Georgia has assisted over 4,200 individuals and families, committing over $85 million in U.S. Treasury funding to help keep homeowners from foreclosure.

$400,000 in Regional Business Assistance (REBA) funds Leverages $17 million in private investment Creates 300 jobs Funds assist the Cherokee County Development Authority in the
location of Inalfa Roof Systems, Inc., a manufacturing facility in Cherokee County.

Region Eight
City of Vienna $323,000 in Redevelopment Grant funds Leverages $37,000 in private investment Leverages $371,000 in public (non-DCA) investment Creates 2 jobs Part grant/part loan. The grant portion of $227,724 will be used for faade easement improvements, architectural fees and grant administration of the Henley Building. The RDF loan of $96,080 will be used for building renovations of the Henley Building in downtown Vienna.

For previous issues of The Partner Connection, click on our logo or HERE.

Region Eleven
City of Quitman $132,500 in EIP funds Leverages $398,000 in private investment Leverages $75,000 in public (non-DCA) investment Creates 20 jobs The funds will benefit Georgia Bottle Company, Inc., a manufacturer of extrusion blown molded bottles from polyethylene or polypropylene resin materials.

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