Albany, Colquitt receive $3.4 million in state grants fo fund infrastructure for housing developments

ALBANY — Southwest Georgia scored two hits, with two of the first four projects in Gov. Brian Kemp’s Rural Workforce Housing Initiative family housing developments announced for the cities of Albany and Colquitt.

The Albany project will bring 29 houses in the price range of $250,000 to $275,000 to Gillionville Road at Lockett Station Road. The city of Albany will receive a grant of $923,513 for infrastructure, with the city putting up a 10% match and the developer putting in a 15% match, state Rep. Gerald Greene, a Republican from Cuthbert, said.

“This is pretty big news,” Albany City Commissioner Chad Warbington, in whose Ward IV the development will be located, said. “I don’t know the last time we’ve had a 29-unit single-family housing development in the city of Albany. This is pretty exciting.”

Warbington and Greene worked together to help land the funding. The project had been in the works for some time, but the sewage infrastructure at the location was insufficient to allow for the construction of housing.

The biggest component for the city will be installing a sewage lift station, at an estimated cost of about $400,000.

“This particular part of Gillionville Road was struggling with sewer capacity,” Warbington said. “We will upgrade the lift stations to increase the capacity. It will also allow for additional development in the area.”

The four grants totaled $8.37 million and were part of an initiative announced in the governor’s State of the State address this year. The General Assembly provided $35.7 million to start the program aimed at providing affordable work force housing in the state.

“The state of Georgia has been creating jobs all over the state,” Warbington said. “We’ve had some pretty good job announcements the last year or two, but we didn’t have the housing stock.

“This project is shovel-ready. As soon as the sewer work is ready, they’ll start building.”

Others who were involved included the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission, Georgia Department of Community Affairs and state Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, Warbington said.

“It’s been a teamwork effort,” he said. “By them giving us this grant, it just shows the state knows we are viable in adding jobs.”

For Greene it was a double play of sorts, with both projects in southwest Georgia coming in his District 154. Like Warbington, the legislator couldn’t remember the last time Albany has seen a similar housing development funded.

The Colquitt project will provide 49 housing units, with the city receiving $2.4 million while putting in an investment of $100,000. It will help provide sewer and water improvements in the 22-acre Legacy of Colquitt area.

In the past, southwest Georgia has missed out on things, the legislator said, but the governor is keeping his word on including that often-neglected part of the state in economic development projects.

“That’s the part the governor is really emphasizing — work force housing, work force development,” Greene said. “And we’re not going to miss this one, this opportunity for economic growth.

“That’s two great projects for southwest Georgia, and I appreciate the governor calling and talking about the need for these things and working with us in southwest Georgia. He’s living up to his campaign promise.”

The projects also fit in with the goal of the House Rural Development Council, which Greene chairs, to provide work force housing.

“People want nice, single-family housing, and this gives us the opportunity,” Greene said. “It fits in perfectly with everything the Rural Council is doing, and I want to see this all over southwest Georgia.

“When we start doing these projects, I know people will know things are changing in southwest Georgia.”

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