Coastal communities land state housing grants

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ATLANTA — Coastal Georgia is the beneficiary of a fifth round of grants through Gov. Brian Kemp’s Rural Workforce Housing Initiative.

Brunswick and Chatham County will receive more than $4.8 million for infrastructure supporting 129 housing units, Kemp announced late last week. 

The governor launched the program early last year during his annual State of the State address to the General Assembly. The grants are overseen by the OneGeorgia Authority.

“We have made supporting communities in developing the infrastructure they need to meet the demand of historic economic growth a top priority,” Kemp said. “We look forward to these projects supporting the hardworking Georgians who deserve to be able to live in the same areas where they work.”

The city of Brunswick will get $2.5 million to build water, sewer, road and drainage improvements for the Reynolds Street Cottages development, enabling the construction of 46 new homes. The city and the nonprofit revitalization group Forward Brunswick will contribute nearly $1.4 million to the project.

Chatham County’s grant of $2.3 million will go toward infrastructure projects for an 18-acre development containing 83 new single-family detached homes and multi-family housing units. The city of Port Wentworth and Chatham County will contribute more than $3.7 million toward the project cost.

“The demand for workforce housing is growing throughout Georgia,” said Christopher Nunn, commissioner of the state Department of Community Affairs. “The OneGeorgia Authority is pleased to support local communities pursuing deliberate workforce housing strategies.”

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Capitol Beat News Service.