Canton staff seek council OK to apply for Georgia Initiative for Community Housing 'senior' program

City planning staff told the council they have prepared an application to the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) senior program and asked members to review materials ahead of an April 2 decision.

Mister Batten (speaker 10) said the GICH program is intended to invest affordable-housing resources in selected communities and that senior-program designees receive targeted funding and other advantages for grant and LIHTC/LITEC applications. “If Canton is selected, there are targeted funds that would be earmarked for the city of Canton for projects that we identify and work on that other communities wouldn't necessarily have the ability to make use of,” Batten said.

Batten said the application package includes a proposed housing register and community narrative listing potential focus areas such as Jefferson Circle, the Hickory Flat Gateway area and the North Canton School project. He said DCA’s senior program also awards more points to certain light-technology applications from communities in the program, improving competitiveness for some state funding sources.

Batten told council members the application deadline is April 10 and staff will bring the item back for a formal council decision at the council’s April 2 meeting. Council members asked clarifying questions about differences between alumni and senior status, scoring (two vs. three points), and the program’s competitive statewide pool.

No vote was taken March 19; staff requested direction to continue refining the application and to return to council for formal approval.