The partner connection, Mar. 2013

March 2013

NEWS AND EVENTS
Atlanta's Auburn District Named Newest Opportunity Zone

Appalachian Regional Commission
Supports Appalachian Studies
(L-R) Commissioner Mike Beatty, Mrs. Shirley Miller, Senator Zell Miller and Kathy
Cox, President of Young Harris College.
The Appalachian Regional Commission awarded $2,000 to the Zell and Shirley Miller Library at Young Harris College to support the study of the character and history of the Appalachian region in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the Georgia ARC office are establishing the "Zell Miller Appalachian Hero Award" with the assistance of the ARC regional partners and Young Harris College. This award will be presented annually to recognize significant

The Department and Invest Atlanta recently announced the newest Opportunity Zone in Atlanta, in the Sweet Auburn Historic District.

Commissioner Mike Beatty

noted that the City of

Atlanta has ten other OZ designations, generating over 1900 new business

Commissioner Beatty celebrates the Auburn Avenue Opportunity Zone.

licenses and over 180 new

jobs, but the Auburn Avenue designation shows another aspect of

DCA's work. Commissioner Beatty continued, "The Georgia General

Assembly created the Martin Luther King, Jr. Advisory Council,

chaired by Senator Emanuel Jones, to promote the legacy and

teaching of Dr. King, and it's housed at DCA. This Council has sought

ways to partner with local communities to bring the power of Dr.

King's legacy to bear on improving our communities, and supporting

an Opportunity Zone in the Sweet Auburn Historic District was a great

way for the Council to begin that effort."

"By creating an Opportunity Zone in the Auburn District, we give businesses an additional incentive to invest in an area that is rich in history and potential," said Mayor Kasim Reed. The Opportunity Zone comes at an important time for the Auburn Avenue community. The Sweet Auburn District has been listed as endangered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in part because the area needs a more robust business community to ensure a thriving area worthy of Sweet Auburn's rich history.

For more information about Opportunity Zones, contact Joanie Perry at joanie.perry@dca.ga.gov. For more information about the Martin Luther King, Jr. Advisory Council, contact John Turner at john.turner@dca.ga.gov.

contributions to the Georgia mountain region.

Beatty and Isakson Share Podium at NCHSA Conference

Downtown Day at the Capitol 2013

At the National Council of

State Housing Agencies

annual legislative

conference in Washington

DC, Commissioner Beatty

introduced Senator Johnny

Isakson as he delivered a

US Senate update to the

conference. Senator Isakson, a new member of the Senate

Senator Johnny Isakson addresses the NCSHA in Washington, DC.

Finance Committee, praised Housing Finance Agencies and their

affordable housing programs, particularly the Housing Tax Credit.

Isakson said that the Housing Credit has done an outstanding job

since its creation in 1986, and he praised the states for their

administration of it.

Members of the Georgia Downtown Association gathered at the Capitol Tuesday, March 12, 2013 to meet with legislators and Governor Deal. The hard work of staff, elected officials and board members in Georgia's downtowns is leading to great successes in terms of redevelopment and economic development.
The Department supports downtown development through the Main Street and Better Hometown technical assistance programs, and funding programs like the Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund and the Redevelopment Fund. In 2012, Georgia's Main Street and Better Hometown communities:
rehabilitated 385 buildings in downtowns Saw 523 new businesses open in downtowns Created 2,669 new jobs in downtowns
For more information on supporting growth and businesses in Georgia's downtowns, contact Billy Peppers at billy.peppers@dca.ga.gov.

As Georgia's Housing Finance Agency, the Department manages the Housing Credit program, provides down-payment assistance for firsttime homebuyers, promotes affordable housing options statewide, and manages the HomeSafe Georgia program, providing mortgage payment assistance to Georgians who face unemployment or underemployment due to the national recession. For more information about Georgia's housing programs, contact Don Watt at don.watt@dca.ga.gov.
Americorps Program, DCA Board Member
Honored by Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro
Atlanta

At its recent annual

awards ceremony,

The Boys and Girls

Clubs of Metro

Atlanta recognized

the Americorps

program at Inner

Harbor as the

Volunteer Team of

the Year; and

recognized DCA

and Georgia Commission for Service and

Simon Bloom and Inner Harbor Americorps members.

Volunteerism board

member Simon Bloom as Board Member of the Year.

DCA Board member Simon Bloom dedicates a significant portion of his time to volunteer activities. As well as serving as the secretary of the Board of the Department of Community Affairs, he is now serving a second term on the board of the Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism, and is a board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta.

Georgia's Codes Task Forces
The Office of Construction Codes and Industrialized Buildings is hosting the 2013 meetings for the Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, and Fuel Gas Code task forces.
If you have questions or would like to receive information on upcoming meeting dates for these Code Review Task Forces, please contact the Office of Construction Codes at constructioncodes@dca.ga.gov or 404679-3118.

The Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism administers the Americorps program, which provides volunteers for community service projects around Georgia. Inner Harbor in Douglas County is one of GCSV's oldest partners, participating in Americorps for the past thirteen years. The program serves emotionally disturbed youth, but the Americorps members find time to share their services with the larger community. As well as working with Inner Harbor residents, the members provide homework assistance and afterschool support to the Douglas County Boys and Girls Club. When Bartow County was struck by a tornado early this year, they spent more than 200 hours lending their hands to the recovery effort.
"Simon and the Inner Harbor Americorps volunteers are great role models for all of us," says Commissioner Mike Beatty. "They are examples of how we can all be involved in our community, in a variety of ways. I'm honored to serve with Simon through his work with the Department, and I'm proud of the work that the Inner Harbor Americorps volunteers do, wherever they see a need. Congratulations for a job well done."

For more information about the Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism and Americorps, contact Amieko Watson at Amieko.watson@dca.ga.gov.

UPCOMING DEADLINES, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES

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.
Landlords can register in a five-minute 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.
GeorgiaHousingSearch.org is 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.

Community Planning Institute: Water Resources Management:
February 21, 2013
The Office of Planning and Environmental Management is sponsoring a one-day educational opportunity for elected officials, local government staff, community volunteers and others interested in learning about how land use affects water supply and quality.
Join us in Savannah at the Coastal Georgia Center from 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM, Tuesday, April 30, 2013. Click HERE for an agenda and registration information. For more information, contact Annette Henson at annette.henson@dca.ga.gov.
HomeSafe Georgia
The Department will provide information about how to apply to the HomeSafe program for mortgage assistance at the following events:

Veteran's Spring Career Fair 2013: March 21, 2013; 1-4 PM; Valdosta Career Center, 221 South Ashley Street, Valdosta

2013 Spring Career Fair: April 16, 2013; 10 AM - 2 PM; DeKalb Campus - Conference Center, 495 North Indian Creek Drive, Clarkston

Salute to our Heroes Hiring Expo: April 18, 2013; 9 AM - 3PM; VFW Post 2681 Marietta, 140 Powers Ferry Road SE, Marietta

Operation Stand Down Columbus: April 27, 2013; 7 AM - 3PM; Columbus Convention and Trade Center, 801 Front Avenue, Columbus

Thanks to you, our readers, Constant Contact named The Partner Connection one of its 2012 All Star Award Winners!
We work to share the most current information about the Department of Community Affairs with you each month. If you have ideas or requests for information about DCA that you'd like to read here, click HERE to share them with us. We're here to partner with communities to create a climate of success for Georgia's families and
businesses!

As always, more information, eligibility requirements and applications are available on the HomeSafe webpage: https://www.homesafegeorgia.com/.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FINANCING February Financial Awards
Region Three Dunwoody Development Authority
$250,000 REBA Grant $2.52MM in private investment Creates 173 jobs Assists in the location of a headquarters facility

Region Seven Augusta-Richmond County
$400,000 EDGE Grant $100MM in private investment $140,000 in public (non-DCA) investment Creates 100 jobs Assists in the location of a chemical processing facility

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

Region Nine City of Eastman
$32,969 in Immediate Threat and Danger funds Assists 1,830 people Provides financial assistance to replace components of a city well

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