Cordele opens 24 subsidized farm‑labor housing units at Christian Homes

Cordele — Southwest Georgia United and local leaders on Tuesday cut the ribbon on Christian Homes, a 24‑unit subsidized housing development officials said is targeted to people who earn a substantial portion of their income from farm and agricultural work.

"I am so proud to stand here this morning," said Charlotte Dobs, deputy director of Southwest Georgia United, who traced the project from a roughly cleared, debris‑filled lot to the new buildings and described the units as "state‑of‑the‑art" one‑, two‑ and three‑bedroom farm‑labor apartments.

Supporters said the project — 4 one‑bedroom units, 8 two‑bedroom units and 12 three‑bedroom units — includes an office with a conference and gathering room, a tenant‑accessible kitchen, a laundry room in addition to hookups in each unit, and a computer lab. Jared McCarthy, chief executive officer of Southwest Georgia United, said the site also will have a service coordinator to link residents to external services.

"We still have units available and we want people to come down and apply," McCarthy said, listing the application phone number as 229‑276‑1811. He described basic eligibility as broadly defined farm‑labor work, including domestic and migrant farm workers, people who receive a substantial portion of household income from agricultural work, and retired or disabled farm laborers. Applicants must provide documentation of citizenship or eligible immigration status and pass criminal‑history and rental‑history checks. McCarthy gave household income examples: a one‑person household qualifying at up to $48,200 and a four‑person household qualifying at up to $66,450.

Funding for the project, officials said, came from USDA Rural Development, the Housing Assistance Council and board funds from Southwest Georgia United; the organization also credited local city and county staff for help with annexation and coordination.

"This project has taken seven, eight years to get to this point," Cordele Mayor Wesley Rainey said, calling the development a marked improvement in Ward 2 and thanking the nonprofit and elected leaders who supported the effort.

Dicky Dowy, chairman of the Crisp County Board of Commissioners, said the development will meet an important need in a rural economy that still depends on agriculture and supporting businesses.

Former Southwest Georgia United executive director Robert Cook, who spoke at the ceremony, thanked staff and partners and appealed for continued investment from counties and cities to build the infrastructure needed to pursue similar projects. Cook, who disclosed he recently discovered he had a minor stroke and said he has had "trouble keeping up with names and events," urged local officials to "reach across the race barriers" and work together to bring jobs and investment to the region.

Organizers invited attendees and viewers to tour the property at 610 West 25th Avenue and to contact the project office for applications and more information. The ceremony concluded with a ribbon cutting and tours of the new units.