Augusta Wins Grant for Harrisburg-Laney Walker
11/15/21, 5:00 PM
Augusta wins housing grant for Harrisburg, Laney-Walker project tied to Augusta National
Originally from https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/news/2021/11/15/augusta-ga-wins-housing-grant-tied-augusta-national-funded-project/8623221002/
Augusta has been selected to receive a $450,000 planning grant to develop affordable housing in conjunction with ongoing efforts to revitalize three of the city's poorest areas – Harrisburg, Laney-Walker and Bethlehem.
The U.S. Housing and Urban Development grant is tied to ongoing efforts by the Community Foundation of the CSRA, MCG Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club of the CSRA to redevelop the three areas, starting with "The Hub for Community Innovation" under construction in Harrisburg.
"This grant is an expression of belief in these communities and Augusta – not just by those who put this complex grant together, but by HUD and our development partners,” said Ian Mercier, MCG Foundation president and CEO. “It is also proof that perhaps even the unlikeliest partners can collaborate to do something far greater than themselves – to be led by the residents of Laney Walker and Harrisburg in bettering their neighborhoods and homes.”
The project is an extension of the MCG Foundation effort to redevelop the 15th Street corridor, where it owns the site of the former Kroger and other land in Harrisburg, which had been a housing village for mill workers. The Community Foundation for the CSRA, which has donated millions toward the projects, is used by Augusta National Golf Club as its main charity disbursement mechanism.
The Augusta National's initial $2.5 million gift was matched by AT&T, Bank of America and IBM, when the project was announced in November 2020.
The funds will go toward development of a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy to direct resources toward affordable housing, people and neighborhoods, according to a city statement.
“Affordable housing is one of the driving forces for economic prosperity," Administrator Odie Donald II said in the statement. “I applaud the Augusta Commission for their continued leadership in finding creative ways to provide resources to uplift neighborhoods that have been neglected far too long."
Laney-Walker and Bethlehem have long been the target of city revitalization and housing strategies. The historically Black communities have seen the addition of numerous new affordable and market-rate housing units, including some developed by Augusta Housing Authority.
"This collaborative effort of the Augusta Commission and Augusta Housing Authority further emphasizes a commitment to maintaining affordable housing in a rapidly-developing urban core," said Shawn Edwards, executive director for Augusta Land Bank Authority. The Land Bank has been a key player in obtaining land for the efforts.