VIENNA - The city of Vienna has received notification that it has been selected to participate in the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH).
Five Georgia communities were selected from a field of ten applicants. Along with Vienna, Brunswick, Hawkinsville, Rome, and Sandersville/ Tennille/Washington County were selected.
GICH is a three-year program developed to assist communities with their housing needs. It is a collaborative initiative of the Housing and Demographics Research Center at the University of Georgia, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the Georgia Municipal Association.
GICH is partially funded by the Georgia Power Company, the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Rural Development, the Wachovia Foundation, and the AGL Resources Foundation and is supported by the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation and the University of Georgia Archway Partnership Program through in-kind services.
Any city, county, or public housing authority in Georgia was eligible to apply, on behalf of a community housing team.
Vienna’s Community Development Office submitted a written application that also included a site visit. As part of the site visit the local team presented a PowerPoint presentation and a windshield tour of the community’s neighborhoods to a review panel.
"Nothing is more important to a community's viability than having an adequate supply of decent, safe and affordable housing," said Jim Higdon, GMA executive director.
"We applaud the local governments selected to participate in this program for their commitment to involve a broad cross-section of their community to address this critical issue."
Vienna’s Housing Team consists of 16 members made up of a cross section of the community that includes local government, bankers, realtors, builders, nonprofit housing organizations, the public Housing Authority, and the Chamber of Commerce.
