Housing Grant Projects

Housing Improvement Initiative

The City of Waynesboro has begun work on a Housing Improvement Initiative to address current and future housing needs within the city. Its goal is to eliminate slum blight, to prevent slum and blight in older deteriorating neighborhoods, to increase home ownership among city residents and to provide affordable housing for existing residents and new incoming persons. To achieve this goal the city conducted a housing assessment, adopted the Urban Redevelopment Plan, Unfit Housing Ordinances, enforced code enforcement, and joined the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH).

The Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (“Initiative” or “GICH”) offers communities a three-year program of collaboration and technical assistance related to housing and community development. The objective of the Initiative is to help communities create and launch a locally based plan to meet their housing needs.

Thus, the Initiative provided a solid foundation for the city, community organizations, and the private sector to address current and future housing needs. As a result, the city gained community support from private partners.

Homeownership

Strong communities depend on stable households. Homeownership provides stability for working families and is vital to the development of our communities. The City of Waynesboro partners with the Department of Community Affairs and other agencies to promote homeownership through Financial Literacy Training and Homebuyer Education Workshops. Participants at the Homebuyer Education Workshop will obtain a certificate of completion required for the Georgia Dream Homeownership Program, which offers down payment and closing cost assistance for those who qualify.

The Georgia Dream Homeownership Program is available to qualified borrowers statewide who meet certain income guidelines and who are purchasing homes within certain purchase price limits. In addition, borrowers must have modest assets and meet the flexible credit underwriting criteria for the loan program they have selected.

Grants

Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG)

The Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) provides funding to assist a wide range of eligible activities, including housing improvement projects, public facilities such as water and sewer lines, etc.

The primary objective of the CDBG Program is “the development of viable communities through improvement of living conditions, housing and the expansion of economic opportunities in cities and counties.” All projects must substantially benefit low and moderate income persons.

The City of Waynesboro will notify the public when CDBG funds are awarded. For more information you may contact Planning & Development Coordinator Shelley Broxton at 706-554-8006.

Community HOME Investment Program CHIP

The Community HOME Investment Program (CHIP) uses a portion of DCA’s HOME funds to assist local governments to address the needs of affordable housing development in their communities. CHIP funds may be used to provide down payment assistance or homeowner rehabilitation funding to eligible low and low-moderate income households.

Annually, DCA releases a Notice of Funding Availability and Program Description for funds that will be awarded to projects.

The City of Waynesboro will notify the public when CHIP funds are awarded. For more information you may contact Planning & Development Coordinator Shelley Broxton at 706-554-8006.