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Chatham County, Port Wentworth and Habitat announce $5 million DCA award to fund 83‑unit Port Wentworth housing project
Summary
County grant staff announced a $5 million award from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to support infrastructure for an 83‑unit Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity project in Port Wentworth; City of Savannah received $2.5 million for a separate project.
Chatham County staff and municipal partners announced that the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) awarded roughly $5 million to support a housing development in Port Wentworth that will be built by Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity. County grant staff said the DCA funds are expected to pay for infrastructure — including streets — needed to allow Habitat to “go vertical” on an 83‑unit development.
“...it just so happened that we also were invited to participate in a big check giveaway. This check represents a check from DCA ... which will pay for infrastructure to build the street and then Habitat will be able to go vertical with 83 units,” Miss Jennings, county grant staff, said at the commission meeting. County officials said the state award is part of a broader set of DCA commitments; the City of Savannah received $2.5 million for another project the same week.
Steve Davis, city manager of Port Wentworth, called the project a “multi‑faceted” partnership that includes the county, the city and Habitat. “It is the first new development in the historic downtown Port Wentworth in over 50 years,” he said, and described the award as a step toward moving dirt and starting construction. Representatives from Port Wentworth — including Mayor Pro Tem Gabriel Nelson and council members — attended the presentation.
A volunteer board vice president for Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity said the organization is “extremely excited” and hopes the project will be a “shining example” of regional partnership to produce homeownership opportunities. County commissioners framed the award as part of a larger effort to expand workforce or obtainable housing across municipalities and to partner with federal entities serving military housing needs at Hunter Army Airfield.
County staff did not report a formal vote on the grant at the meeting; the presentation was informational and stakeholders answered commissioners’ questions. Officials said additional steps remain for contracting and infrastructure design and that more details will follow as the project advances.
