Development Authority reports job wins, housing starts and workforce training to Stephens County commissioners

At a meeting of the Stephens County Board of Commissioners, a representative of the Stephens County Development Authority presented the authority’s annual report, detailing project activity, workforce partnerships and housing efforts.

The authority said it worked 38 named projects during the fiscal year, completed 18 state requests for information (RFIs) and hosted nine site visits by prospective developers. Staff reported that existing industries reported roughly 20 new jobs and about $41,000,000 in investment during the reported year.

The presenter described several specific projects: a commercial project identified as “Project Right” that has opened locally; a manufacturing project described as a pharmaceutical operation retrofitting the former Robertson Furniture site on Peachtree Street; and continued outreach to hotel developers using a prior feasibility study.

Infrastructure and grant work were highlighted. The authority said it closed out a state grant enabling additional sewer infrastructure to make a 132‑acre industrial lot more marketable; county matching funds were credited for that work. The authority also reported it received a rural workforce housing initiative grant and that the county provided a $125,000 local match for associated infrastructure work. The presenter said preconstruction activity for the grant‑funded infrastructure is underway and that the related Heritage Drive apartments expect initial building readiness in spring 2026.

On workforce development, the authority said it worked with North Georgia Technical College, WorkSource Georgia and local partners to run industry tours, mock interviews and short‑term training programs. The presenter described a 10‑day training pathway that resulted in at least two students receiving job offers from local employers. The authority also said it received a Georgia Power Company grant to fund industry tours for the next five years.

Housing activity was presented in quantified form: the presenter said county and city permit records showed 181 single‑family residential permits, 49 mobile‑home permits and 164 multifamily permits in a recent 12‑month span; the authority reported selling 50 acres across from the industrial park (30 of those acres have four pad sites planned that together would contain 32 apartments) and a 20‑acre tract where a townhome development is planned.

Commissioners asked about rent limits for an upcoming 90‑unit planned unit development (PUD) tied to the rural workforce housing initiative. The presenter said rents for that project must comply with Department of Community Affairs standards tied to the grant and that the developer’s rents cannot exceed the community average established by that agency.

The Development Authority thanked the county for financial support on multiple projects and said it will publish a finalized annual report when outstanding industry data are received. Commissioners did not take formal action on the authority’s report during the meeting; the presentation was received for the record.