COMMUNITY HOUSING
The receipt of grants by Jones County and the City of Gray has gotten a little more difficult with the loss of certification of the GICH designation for the city and county.
That situation is hoped to be a temporary setback.
The loss of the certification was discussed at the April 28 meeting of the Jones County/ Gray Housing Committee that had more bad news at meeting’s end. Committee Chairman Donald Black, who had led the committee since 2009, resigned from the position but not from the committee.
Since the Jones County / Gray Housing Committee received its Georgia Initiative on Community Housing designation in November of 2009, every Community Block Development Grant and Community Housing Improvement Grant application by the city and county has received an additional point for being a GICH Community.
One point may seem like a small thing but makes a big difference due to the competitiveness of the grants.
Low-Income Housing Tax Credits is another program the Gray/Jones County Community will no longer be eligible to utilize.
Black said the team fell short in one category, which was the number of team members attending continuing education in 2021. Four team members are required to attend training, and the local committee had two.
The good news is that Jones County does not have to start over and can be recertified in 2024 as long as the continued education requirement is met this year, without restarting the process. The benchmark was met in 2022.
The committee was notified of the certification April 4 by Craig McLean with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
The most recent CHIP application was approved in January for $400,000, which was before the loss of the certification was announced.
Dean Nelson, Government Services Specialist with the Middle Georgia Regional Commission, who will be the grant administrator, said the county should soon be receiving formal notification of the grant receipt.
He said there will be a webinar explaining conditions of the grant.
“The administration of the grant is difficult and is not a speedy process,” Nelson said.
He added that the grant covers all the unincorporated area of Jones County, which means everything but the City of Gray.
The specialist said the city had also received a CHIP grant for $400,000. He said the program is for the rehabilitation of owner-occupied homes. He said with the additional point received for the GICH designation, communities must add more matching funds to be competitive.
Nelson said it would be announced when applications for the grant funds could be accepted, and he emphasized the homes would have to have a clear title. He said a housing survey was completed in Haddock in January and sent to County Administrator Jason Rizner.
Family Connection
Jones County Family Connection Coordinator Joy Carr said this year’s Back to School Bash would take place July 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gray Station Middle School.
She said digital connectivity in Jones County is being helped with state money. That is for both internet to homes and devices inside of the homes, including training.
Carr said the connectivity map would be updated in June, and one of the big pushes is the Affordable Connection Program that is available for any household that qualifies for the SNAP, TANF or free and reduced lunches.
She said the program gives a credit to the internet provider, but the catch is there has to be an existing provider.
Carr said water assistance is accessible for seniors and low-income families with applications available at the Jones County Neighborhood Service Center located next to Head Start. She said heating and cooling assistance will also be available.
Retreat
Nelson reported on the GICH Spring Retreat held last month in Cartersville. He said some of the highlights were the importance of housing surveys and continuing to educate. The specialist said it is also necessary to set priorities and then stay on mission to complete the project.
He announced the date of the fall retreat, Oct. 10-12 at the University of Georgia.
