Recommendations


Affordable Housing
[ Print Version of All Affordable Housing Recommendations ]

  1. Affordable housing should be dispersed throughout the community, not concentrated in a few areas. Neighborhoods should be integrated with different house and unit sizes, types, and prices (to rent and buy), to provide opportunities for housing choice throughout the community. At the same time, to be truly affordable for those at the lowest income levels, housing must be accessible by public transportation. Read more...
    Strategies:
     

    • Athens-Clarke County Comprehensive Land Use Plan should place an emphasis on housing choice and opportunity for all residents of Athens.
    • ACC should encourage the development of mixed-income and mixed-use neighborhoods through all available means, including zoning, development standards, tax policies and planning policies.
    • Use inclusionary zoning and density bonuses to entice developers to build affordable rental and homeownership units.
    • Allow for accessory uses, granny flats, in-law suites, mixed-use, mixed-income housing to create more appropriate housing choices.
    • Develop a fast track planning approval process for developments creating housing that is affordable for low to moderate income residents.
    • Place limitations on construction of new high-end apartment complexes to help keep existing apartment complexes from falling into disrepair. Increase the number of units reserved for income-eligible families and individuals within existing and new apartment buildings.
    • Encourage the redevelopment of existing apartment complexes by providing incentives.
    • Re-examine the Definition of Family Ordinance.
    • Protect existing lower-income, elderly homeowners from losing their homes by providing a targeted property-tax freeze or other means to slow gentrification.
  2. Our community should provide adequate funds to ensure that our Affordable Housing needs are met for the entire housing continuum from rental to homeownership. ACC should create a flexible, dedicated Affordable Housing Fund that will be funded locally through appropriations from the general budget. This fund could be supplemented by a variety of methods including voluntary citizen donations, initiatives such as a check-off donation on utility bills, interest on real estate related escrow accounts, etc. Read more...
     
  3. ACC and local nonprofit housing providers should develop a comprehensive housing strategy to increase homeownership among families with low to moderate incomes. A comprehensive strategy must take into account that different families are starting at different points on the housing spectrum, and a wide variety of programs is needed to help them progress while allowing them to live in safe, decent affordable housing now. These include affordable rentals; limited-equity, permanently affordable home ownership opportunities; affordable open-market home ownership opportunities; and programs to help families with low to moderate incomes who already own homes retain them. Access to public transportation must be considered as part of the affordability equation. Read more...
    Strategies:
     

    • ACC and local nonprofit housing providers should ensure an adequate supply of affordable rental housing for those for whom homeownership is not yet a viable option.
    • ACC should protect existing affordable housing stock by supporting a rehab program for elderly and low-income homeowners.
    • Use the Community Land Trust Model to develop a significant percentage new affordable housing that remains permanently affordable.
    • ACC should create a Land Bank for future affordable housing. County surplus property should be used for affordable housing when appropriate.
    • Large employers should help increase homeownership by providing down payment assistance or matching funds for their employees.
    • Residents of Athens-Clarke County must make the commitment to accept their neighbors.
    • Bankers and lenders must make a commitment to support the underserved by utilizing available loan programs to assist lower income, first-time homebuyers.
       
  4. ACC, local nonprofit service providers, and the other PPA conveners should develop a comprehensive affordable housing marketing and education plan. The goals of this program should include informing residents about affordable housing opportunities and services and informing the community at large about affordable housing issues. Read more...
     
  5. Our county government, the other PPA partners, and the general public should take active steps to support the creation and retention of affordable housing. Read more...
     


Special Populations
[ Print Version of All Special Populations Recommendations ]

  1. Create a Housemate Match Service for older adults and people with disabilities. Read more...
     
  2. Support the conversion of local manufactured housing parks into resident controlled parks, including support for the People of Hope, Inc. program. Read more...
     
  3. Create a Small Houses program to support transitioning the Homeless into permanent housing. An organization, akin to Habitat for Humanity and Hands on Athens, will identify projects, perform new construction and rehabs, and coordinate volunteers and sponsorship to provide shelter for the immediate needs of homeless families and individuals in Athens and to provide services for their transition into a safe and stable place to live. The families and individuals will be connected to the web of existing service providers. This program will include the creation of a matching list web site to provide a connection point between people who have things to give, i.e. volunteer hours, donations, mentoring / training, and household items, with those who have specific needs. Read more...
     
  4. Create one-stop-shop for immigrant and ESL translated information on rights when buying a site-built house or manufactured home, borrowing money, seeking a mortgage, opening a bank account, getting an ITIN, or accessing the building permit process for rehabbing manufactured homes and dilapidated structures.Read more...
     
  5. Expand a home repair program for older adults and people with disabilities. Youth Build should be explored for the Athens community. Read more...
     
  6. Create a housing program with support services for formerly incarcerated individuals. Read more...
     
  7. Have UGA create a Community Housing Resource Assistance Center (both a website and physical location) for information including an:
    1. Inventory of Affordable Rental and Homeownership opportunities
    2. Inventory of Special Assistance programs
    3. Inventory of Accessible dwellings for people with disabilities
       

    Read more...
     

  8. Promote the construction and retro-fitting of homes to be accessible and visitable for people with disabilities. Create incentive for contractors, re-modelers, or builders to build accessibility features as they build or re-model. Read more...
     
  9. If the Navy School is used for residential development, require that a percentage be set aside as affordable, accessible, and visitable housing. Read more...
     


Transportation
[ Print Version of All Transporation Recommendations ]
 

  1. Increase the capacity of Athens Transit within Athens-Clarke County. Athens Transit does a good job of providing public transportation with the resources it has, but those resources are not sufficient to allow it to fully meet the needs of those who depend upon it as their sole means of transportation. Athens Transit needs additional resources to allow it to:
    • Increase hours, extent, and frequency of The Bus (general fixed-route service) to 24 hour per day, 7 days per week.
    • Increase the number of available vans and drivers for The Lift (on-demand service for people with disabilities) and expand coverage times and area.
    • Expand county-wide routes (The Link).
    • Increase marketing and advertising of routes, services, etc. Create, post at bus stops, and distribute comprehensive route map and schedule.
    • Make the Multi-Modal center more accessible to downtown. It is currently difficult for elderly people and those with disabilities to get to downtown locations from the Multi-Modal Center.
    • Be affordable to those with low incomes.

    Read more...
     

  2. Establish a regional public transportation system. Expanding the geographical scope of public transportation to include our neighboring counties, as well as access to the Atlanta area, would expand the economic opportunities of those who rely on public transportation to get to work, shopping, and services. Read more...
     
  3. Increase safety and infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. For some low-income Athenians, walking or biking are their only means of transportation. Read more...
     
  4. Explore ways to make local taxi service more affordable to low income families. Read more...
     
  5. Explore other innovative alternatives to individual automobile ownership (i.e. car-sharing, van pools, low-cost ownership programs, etc.). Read more...
     
  6. UGA should establish a graduate-level interdisciplinary service learning course to provide support for PPA committees as they continue to explore solutions to Athens-Clarke County's poverty problem. Read more...