Georgia Department of Community Affairs newsletter, 2015 July

DCA's Ted Miltiades recognized with BOAG
President's Award

NEWS AND EVENTS

July 2015

DCA team makes a splash
at June's GMA Convention
Georgia Municipal Association's 2015 'Creative Impact' gathering well-covered by DCA's best -- past and present

At the annual conference of the Building Officials Association of Georgia (BOAG) in May, President Tracy Hester presented DCA Director of Construction Codes and Industrialized Buildings Ted Miltiades with the President's Award. He thanked Ted for sharing his guidance and experience with their organization as BOAG worked to have their organization's certification recognized by the State of Georgia for Qualified Building Inspector. DCA Division Director of Community Development Rusty Haygood congratulated Ted and added, "One of DCA's goals is for employees to provide the highest level of customer service to the Agency's various

Three DCA Commissioners, two former and one current, shared the stage at the GMA Convention in Savannah June 26-30. From left are UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government Director Laura Meadows, Great Promise Partnership President &
CEO Mike Beatty, and current DCA Commissioner Camila Knowles.
Georgia DCA and the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) share common missions and visions -- to provide leadership, tools and services to assist the state's communities in becoming more effective and responsive and, ultimately, to help make life better for Georgia's citizens. During the 2015 GMA Annual Convention, called "Creative Impact," DCA

constituencies. This recognition validates that the Building Officials Association has taken note of excellent customer service provided by Ted."
Congratulations, Ted, from all of your DCA colleagues as well!

team members showed up in full force to underscore to GMA's voluntary membership of more than 520 municipal governments what DCA's resources and programs can do to help them be successful cities.
DCA Commissioner Camila Knowles helped kick off the 5-day gathering of city and state leaders during the GMA Board meeting on June 26 with two former DCA Commissioners, UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government Director Laura Meadows and Great Promise Partnership President & CEO Mike Beatty, along with Georgia Cities Foundation Board President Mike Starr. Commissioner Knowles presented a "State of DCA" address covering topics such as the annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Revitalization Area Strategy (RAS), and Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant application cycles.

She also announced the hiring of the first geospatial information officer, a statewide mapping professional who will coordinate GIS services and special projects, in partnership with the Georgia Association of Regional Commissions (GARC). The Commissioner closed by discussing DCA's new Community Services Division which provides a regional representative located in and dedicated to each of the 12 Service Delivery Regions.

DCA releases announcement of grant awards to serve the homeless and those living
with HIV

In a second GMA Convention venue, Commissioner Knowles addressed the Community Development Policy Committee on June 27 and also joined a panel of State legislators which included Sen. Frank Ginn, Rep. Brett Harrell, Rep. LaDawn Jones, Rep. Ron Stephens, and Rep. Brian Strickland, along with panel moderator and GMA Board Chair Andrea Gibby, mayor of Young Harris.

DCA Director of Homeless and Special Needs Housing Don Watt announced the selection of funding recipients under the State FY 2016 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), Shelter Plus Care Matching, and Shelter Plus Care Harm Reduction programs on June 30. Watt said, "Across all four programs, DCA received 315 requests totaling over $16.8 million. Of these requests, DCA has awarded over $9.1 million to organizations which will implement 200 programs to serve individuals across Georgia who are homeless, threatened with homelessness, or in assisting people living with HIV in their service areas."
Funding for each award comes from either (1) the Federal Emergency Solutions Grant Program, (2) the Federal Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program, or (3) State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Commission. A synopsis of the program awards is provided followed by an alphabetical listing of all awards by program type.

DCA was also well-represented during other sessions and meetings at the June 26-30 convention. In the exhibit hall, DCA's Housing and PlanFirst/Radon programs were highlighted and assistance was provided for the Georgia Downtown Association booth. Community Services Division Director Saralyn Stafford contributed in her position on the GMA Training Board, while DCA Board member Larry Hanson of Valdosta served as a presenter to the City Managers session. Additional DCA subject matter experts were on hand to help with training sessions: Corinne Thornton, through DCA's Georgia Academy, taught an economic development course; and Annaka Woodruff, of DCA's Appalachian Regional Commission office, led a planning and zoning course.
In other GMA Convention news, DCA congratulates: Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker who was elected president of GMA; Ringgold Mayor Joe Barger, former Atlanta Mayor Sam Massell, and Barnesville City Manager Kenny Roberts who were inducted into the Municipal Government Hall of Fame; and the cities of Brunswick and Grantville who were recognized for earning the "Cities of Ethics" designation.
For more information about GMA and its convention, visitwww.gmanet.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
Click here to access the synopsis and
listing of the FY 2016 awards granted. Statewide Fair Housing Outreach Meetings

If you have any program-specific questions, please contact Christy Hahn at 404-679-0571 for ESG, Phillis Thomas 404679-0651 for HOPWA, or Libby Tyre 404982-3577 for either Shelter Plus Care related program.

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs is currently conducting a study concerning fair housing. Known as the "Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice" (AI), the study is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a condition for receiving federal housing and community development funds.

As part of this process we are holding a series of outreach group meetings to afford the public ample opportunity to offer their perspectives, commentary and experiences with fair housing in the state. Meetings have already been conducted in Waycross and on Sapelo Island. Please plan to attend one of the remaining events in your area. If there are any special accommodations required or general questions, please contact Antonette Sewell at 404-679-5291.

GET to KNOW DCA July Topic of the Month
The Appalachian Regional Commission:
Now accepting pre-applications to alleviate isolation and poverty in 37
Georgia counties

Augusta: July 24 at 10:00 AM at the Augusta Housing Authority, Administrative Building Conference Room, 1435 Walton Way
Macon: July 27 at 9:00 AM at the Buck Melton Community Center, 150 Sessions Drive
Dublin: July 27 at 2:00 PM at the City Hall Council Chambers, 100 South Church St.
Columbus: July 29 at 10:00 AM at the Warren Williams Homes, 1349 Warren Williams Road
Gainesville: July 30 at10:00 AM at the Gainesville/Hall County Community Center Conf. Room, 430 Prior Street

Georgia is one of 13 states that partner with the federal government to manage the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). Our 37 counties in the northern third of the state have participated in the ARC since it was formed by the U.S. Congress in 1964 to alleviate the isolation and poverty of the region, which ranges from western New York to northern Mississippi.

Please take a moment to let us know about your experience with fair housing as either a citizen or as a housing industry professional/advocate by completing this online survey.
HomeSafe Georgia events in July & August

Each year, Georgia's ARC receives about $3.3 million to invest in business development, education and job training, telecommunications, infrastructure,

community development, and transportation. We make investments based on projects' abilities to create jobs; improve local water and sewer systems; increase school readiness; expand access to health care; assist local communities with strategic planning; and provide technical and managerial assistance to emerging businesses.
We are now accepting pre-applications for investments in Fiscal Year 2016. Local governments, development authorities, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations are all eligible to apply for funding.
Contact Annaka Woodruff at 706-5664200 or annaka.woodruff@dca.ga.gov or the Regional Commission in your area (Atlanta Regional Commission, Georgia Mountains RC, Northeast Georgia RC, Northwest Georgia RC or Three Rivers RC) for application information and assistance.
Pre-applications must be postmarked by AUGUST 31.

Events for July 2015:
Job Fair 2015, July 22, 10 AM - 2 PM; New Life Community Center, 3592 Flat Shoals Road- Bldg 2 in Decatur
North Georgia Job Fair, July 25; 10 AM - 2 PM; Free Chapel, 3001 McEver Road in Gainesville
Career and Community Connections Day, July 29; 10 AM - 1 PM; Goodwill Industries of Southern Rivers, 1000 N. St. Augustine Rd. in Valdosta
Events for August 2015:
Congressman David Scott's Health Fair, August 15; 9 AM - 2 PM; Mundy Mill High School, 9652 Fayetteville Road in Jonesboro
H.O.P.E for Homeowners, August 22; 10 AM - 2 PM; South Clayton Recreation Center, 1837 McDonough Road in Hampton
About HomeSafe Georgia: It is a free, state government program to help homeowners who are unemployed, underemployed or face other types of financial hardships save their homes from foreclosure. There is no cost to apply and no fee if approved. A homeowner who has experienced a financial hardship within the last 36 months -- such as hardship associated with loss of a job, military service, death of a spouse, or medical problems -- may be eligible for HomeSafe Georgia assistance. We encourage potential eligible homeowners to attend one of the events listed above. Churches, clubs and community organizations are encouraged to inform others about the above events and to help those without Internet access to apply for these funds. For more information, visit www.HomeSafeGeorgia.com.

Follow Us on Social Media
DCA on Facebook DCA on Twitter DCA on Instagram DCA on LinkedIn HomeSafe Georgia on Twitter Georgia Main Street on
Facebook

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FINANCING
June Financial Awards
Region 2: Hart County Hart County and the City of Hartwell will use $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) EIP funds to assist with sewer system improvements to serve Lake Foods LLC's existing poultry processing facility, creating 110 net new jobs and investing approximately $3,288,585.
Region 5: Greene County The City of Greensboro, through its Downtown Development Authority, was awarded $500,000 from the CDBG Redevelopment Fund Program (RDF), of which $470,000 is a loan, toward the acquisition and stabilization of a blighted historic commercial building, the former Chero Cola Bottling Company facility. With private investment of $1,519,000 and $19,917 from the City, this project is expected to create two net new full-time jobs.

Region 5: Barrow County The City of Auburn, on behalf of the Auburn Downtown Development Authority, was awarded $500,000 in CDBG Redevelopment Fund Program (RDF) grant funds to rehabilitate and repurpose the former 1902 Perry Rainey Institute dormitory.
Region 9: Laurens County The Dublin-Laurens County Development Authority was awarded $237,466 in OneGeorgia Equity grant funds to assist with the acquisition of a 333-acre rail-served industrial site. The DA is providing $2,580,000 in matching support for the project and has purchased 10 parcels of land.
Region 11: Brantley County The City of Nahunta was awarded $500,000 in OneGeorgia Equity grant funds to construct an elevated water tank and augment supply in the Brantley County Industrial Park. The project will retain 60 jobs, generating $200,000 in private investment from E-Pellets Group/Nahunta Pellets.
Region 11: Coffee County The Coffee County Board of Commissioners was awarded $500,000 in OneGeorgia Equity grant funds for street and drainage improvements to benefit Premium Peanut, LLC and others interested in locating inside the developing Barrington Agri-Business Park. Premium Peanut will invest $48 million in its new peanut shelling facility and has committed to create/retain 100 jobs. Indirect jobs in six counties - Coffee, Appling, Bacon, Berrien, Irwin and Jeff Davis - will have an additional private investment of $7 million and create another 50 new jobs.
Region 12: Bulloch County The Bulloch County Development Authority was awarded $300,000 in EDGE funds to assist in the expansion of Viracon Georgia, Inc., an architectural glass manufacturing facility. The company will retain 283 full-time jobs, create 125 new jobs, and make a private investment of at least $2 million within 36 months. Total project cost is $2,315,000.
Previous issues of The DCA Newsletter
This email is prepared and emailed by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. If you wish to be removed from the email list, please be sure to click on the SafeUnsubscribe button below.