[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6378306,"mediaKeyId","2138124-186559635df395b877a636d2b04d3bed","parentId",2138124,"title","Johnson highlights $150 million in infrastructure spending, EV and industry expansions, $17 million in transit grants","audioSeconds",513,"startMs",708000,"endMs",1221000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138124-186559635df395b877a636d2b04d3bed&start=708&end=1221","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138124-186559635df395b877a636d2b04d3bed/thumbnail_708000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6378306/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Johnson-highlights-150-million-in-infrastructure-spending-EV-and-industry-expansions-17-million-in-transit-grants","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6378306-7959d7e1120092fac0e2763c288e9609/orig.mp4?Expires=1773616380&Signature=aeIpDKKpozc35seeuP5cySbD6pxtiEOBgQdBcxpBjIwSFDWvoLT4Sp1oECA3akLi64tBV0YyzI0u7KmMiVlJEfybqG4ZCW-65mZDs14qypSiXlMIBGYCPyNUO2mmBDbPKNJbP90RjDCzdVLcd9kPCI~SdxCJ7GLJDI~K6~b-~-jEbZpo1EIU33f~JoPrJIt3-S13wjrUjWvSwzDB2NbVyMOYaOpPSZfDTahQ6PW1l~FtWspPNLj0WBCe2OzTbAzuygnlKuo1etJlGjG9JBo-qgxzX2sDvEkk8O3hjVVhv5RrGxGCCL8Ufn6HGpv2xHYL3Pw39eJup8nbEhNzdANlBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-01-22T05:39:09Z","article","Mayor Garner L. Johnson told the State of the City audience that the administration dedicated $150,000,000 to road paving, storm drainage upgrades and sidewalk repairs and outlined recent private and public investments intended to expand jobs and tourism.

The mayor cited several private-sector expansions: she named a ScienceCO electric-vehicle materials plant expansion, a StandardAero hangar expansion, TF Casting Solutions and a new James Brown Arena project as examples of investments that the mayor said will bring thousands of jobs. Johnson also said the city’s partnership with the Biden–Harris administration designated Augusta as a workforce hub city and a regional tech hub, which she said helps connect residents to quality careers.

Economic and tourism figures offered in the address included a mayoral statement that visitor spending totaled $854,000,000 in 2024 and supported about 26,000 jobs; the mayor described tourism as the region’s fifth-largest industry.

On transit and clean energy, Johnson said Augusta Transit secured $17,000,000 in grants, including $12,100,000 intended for electric buses and workforce development; she said the department planned to deploy five electric buses in 2025, calling it the region’s largest clean-energy transit project. The mayor added that Augusta Transit planned upgrades to 619 bus stops to achieve ADA compliance.

Public-safety and infrastructure execution items the mayor cited included paving 24 roads, cleaning 77,000 feet of ditches, demolishing 45 vacant structures and conducting code-enforcement sweeps that produced more than 1,500 inspections and 205 new cases.

Why this matters: capital spending, grant awards and private-sector projects affect jobs, mobility and the city’s ability to recover economically from the storm.

The mayor concluded by saying the city will continue to partner with regional and federal partners to support workforce programs, secure grant funding and move projects into construction.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025 State of the City Address","oneSentenceSummary","Mayor Garner L. Johnson said the city dedicated $150 million to roads, drainage and sidewalks, touted industrial expansions and tourism figures, and said Augusta Transit secured $17 million in grants — including $12.1 million for electric buses and plans to deploy five buses in 2025.","taxTitle","Augusta City, Richmond County, Georgia","taxId",3794,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6378309,"Mayor Johnson outlines housing projects, bond authorization and Dogwood Terrace demolition plans",354,949000,1303000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138124-186559635df395b877a636d2b04d3bed&start=949&end=1303","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138124-186559635df395b877a636d2b04d3bed/thumbnail_949000.jpg","/articles/6378309/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Mayor-Johnson-outlines-housing-projects-bond-authorization-and-Dogwood-Terrace-demolition-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6378309-19ed8be19cf1cfce1ea87165272f0ff5/orig.mp4?Expires=1773616380&Signature=FriqXU2ErX4W9hLJgRWNXPEFKNKCUyMW8~gu9P8uR0EOQE7sOStLJRDSmLEqQb6w6TB4YHzD~msi56Oqe0qbhBroT42pP8Of1tdcR0mN0qP8fXH6WmjycvYotzgzKTBcj6ILSwKUMXZmN-Wm9YzSwSLMu-oTtRjEyJFGMxQ~FzR2dZEuEb5rOpJTW8t4-ndJXTXWc6Y5MlhII30yUSIbjDrcv5hAyn59sBy~LM8k4CAk0KDfmtPYPkCTfn0QfrsziaWNtfI-Gvc6Qe3nG7glkS2ach1pED72vtGssN1r9SHc1Wz5ugX1ENP5v60zFcuOJroJx~xzDvMJtLGkPDA0-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Garner L. Johnson used the State of the City address to summarize housing and neighborhood development moves through 2024 and plans for 2025, citing public-housing transitions, bond authorizations, and private development projects intended to add hundreds of units.

The mayor said residents of Dogwood Terrace (formerly Southside Terrace) began transitioning to other public housing units or receiving Section 8 vouchers; remaining residents are scheduled to move out by March and demolition of Dogwood Terrace is expected to begin this summer. She noted a new phase of Walton Green opened in May, creating additional public and market-rate housing.

The address recapped an Augusta Commission action from July 2024 authorizing the Augusta Housing Authority to issue $50,000,000 in tax-exempt revenue bonds to renovate Bon Air and Richmond Summit apartment units. The mayor also announced The Villages at Meadowbrook, a first phase valued at $63,000,000 that will consist of 236 family units; the housing authority anticipated closing and planned to start construction in early Q1. Separately, she said the Lennox — a mixed-use development with 64 rental units and a total development cost of $20,000,000 — broke ground and construction was expected to be completed early in the quarter.

The mayor described partnership activity with community groups and foundations. She said housing and community development provided 14 homebuyers with down-payment assistance in 2024 and that the city began a master plan work with the TD Jakes Foundation for a mixed-use downtown project the mayor described as a $60,000,000 development featuring a grocer, rental units and retail space that “will serve over 30,000 Augusta residents.”

Why this matters: the mix of public and private investments, plus bond financing for renovation of existing apartments, shapes near-term housing availability and longer-term neighborhood redevelopment.

Actions and status items mentioned in the address include the July commission resolution authorizing the Augusta Housing Authority bond issuance, the Walton Green phase opening in May, and the expected demolition schedule for Dogwood Terrace. The mayor said the Housing Authority expects to close on The Villages at Meadowbrook financing and begin construction in early Q1.

The mayor acknowledged Augusta has lagged neighboring jurisdictions in single-family home growth and said 2025 will include efforts to remove regulatory barriers, partner with private developers and increase single-family construction.

Ending: Johnson said the administration will focus on removing barriers to growth and work with private developers and investors to increase single-family and commercial development in Richmond County.","In the State of the City address Mayor Garner L. Johnson highlighted 2024–2025 housing actions including public housing transitions at Dogwood Terrace, a $63 million Villages at Meadowbrook first phase, authorization for $50 million in tax-exempt bonds to renovate Bon Air and Richmond Summit, and a $20 million Lennox mixed-use rental project.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6378314,"Mayor Johnson says Augusta has collected more than 2.7 million cubic yards of Hurricane Helene debris; commission hired EMA director",974,602000,1576000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138124-186559635df395b877a636d2b04d3bed&start=602&end=1576","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138124-186559635df395b877a636d2b04d3bed/thumbnail_602000.jpg","/articles/6378314/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Mayor-Johnson-says-Augusta-has-collected-more-than-27-million-cubic-yards-of-Hurricane-Helene-debris-commission-hired-EMA-director","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6378314-fd4ee7a3a7809f90e51b4483243d2413/orig.mp4?Expires=1773616380&Signature=Tw7iXSsQ2nNuneQEzU-Yu2dAsKB4eXK~8P-38oq2znHnlmt~XbVMt5voFy4ikRbBYOh6S1QVePA7n2UzS0IkB5QSTOPNNjG~9LsgL8~LzdeqpULEriU7RS0Fq1lWEGzj2PvqTVg2JMv8khFT6iF8swFzEsx34ZGChe25kLUdzCqNRtEec-UGL~q1MP9GRrpQd5ndRRII1ZbktBPML9ymnDtuTINDMZLGCJX5GhitRNBVlgRvC6WHBYP3tIt5O-2zb56lR9eUZYoI4DIdZJAQIkZakqQsq1RWMKe~nqsBkKrFDv3RijTjz3dIJ4RCa-yK8zPgF6Yhjsdy3WwM~mp~jQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Garner L. Johnson told attendees at the 2025 State of the City address that Augusta has collected more than 2,700,000 cubic yards of debris in the wake of Hurricane Helene and that city recovery work will continue until every street has received a final pass.

The mayor said the cleanup has included removal of more than 7,000 hazardous limbs and almost 800 dangerous trees, and she stressed the city's commitment to finishing the job. “Every ounce, every pile of debris will be picked up. No debris…will be left behind,” Johnson said.

Why this matters: large volumes of vegetative and construction debris affect public safety, traffic flow and utilities; completing the final pass is necessary before neighborhoods are considered cleared and before that work can be certified as complete.

Mayor Johnson outlined partners and steps in recovery. She said Team Rubicon is assisting homeowners and cemetery cleanup and plans to remain in Augusta through June. The mayor said FEMA has an ongoing presence in the city and that FEMA staff have processed applications and registrations for affected residents; she described recent FEMA staffing increases and a long-term lease to support on-site recovery work. Johnson also said the city contracted a consultant to assist with long-term recovery planning.

Operational details the mayor disclosed include inmate crews working in Cedar Grove Cemetery with completion expected within a week, then moving to Magnolia Cemetery and Westview Cemetery. The mayor said contractor final-pass work is organized by zone and that a supervisor will certify when a final pass on a street is complete; vegetative debris collection remains the current focus and separate collection for construction debris will follow. The city’s legal department is coordinating with the utilities commission to require telecom and utility companies to remove wires from roadways.

Formal actions and near-term direction recorded in the speech: on Jan. 7 the commission voted to hire a full-time EMA director; the mayor said the role will ensure a staff member is dedicated to emergency management and future disaster preparedness. The commission on Jan. 7 also approved an audit of the parks and recreation department, the mayor said, as part of broader accountability efforts.

The address included remembrance of residents killed by the storm and a public-safety update: sheriff's deputies and city first responders were credited for rescue and response work during the storm. The mayor closed the recovery segment by reiterating that the city will “build back stronger” and that final debris passes and certification will continue until cleanup is complete.

Looking ahead: the mayor said Team Rubicon and FEMA will remain engaged through the spring and summer, and that the newly hired EMA director will focus on preparedness for future storms and coordinating long-term recovery efforts.","At the 2025 State of the City address Mayor Garner L. Johnson outlined post-Hurricane Helene recovery progress — including debris removal, cemetery cleanup, FEMA support, contractor final-pass procedures and the commission's January 7 vote to hire a full-time emergency management (EMA) director.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Johnson highlights $150 million in infrastructure spending, EV and industry expansions, $17 million in transit grants

Mayor Johnson outlines housing projects, bond authorization and Dogwood Terrace demolition plans

Mayor Johnson says Augusta has collected more than 2.7 million cubic yards of Hurricane Helene debris; commission hired EMA director