The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) announced at the GICH Fall Retreat on October 16, 2024, that the following communities will join the 2025 GICH cohort:
- Blairsville-Union County
- City of Hampton
- Crawford County
- Murray County
- Waycross-Ware County
This year, these communities join the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing as the program celebrates its 20th anniversary, officially serving more than 100 communities across the state.
“We welcome these five new partners to the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing and applaud the investment they are making in their community,” said Philip Gilman, DCA Deputy Commissioner of Housing Assistance and Development. “As we celebrate the 20-year milestone of this incredible program, we are reminded of the positive impact that intentional coordination and peer-learning can have to drive creative housing solutions and critical local investments.”
GICH launched in 2004, growing out of Georgia’s experience with the National League of Cities’ Affordable Housing Program and the success stories coming from the annual Magnolia Awards for Excellence in Affordable Housing.
The Initiative provides each participating community with a three-year program focused on collaboration and technical support in housing and community development. Throughout the program, GICH communities develop and implement a localized plan tailored to address their housing needs.