12 new or renovated affordable homes are coming to Macon for the Tindall Fields Development Project
“What we hear about is people need more housing and not only just housing, but housing that people can afford, housing that they can build wealth in, housing they can own,” said Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Macon-Bibb County Affordable Housing Fund, Land Bank Authority, and Investment Group Development held a Groundbreaking Ceremony for its new Tindall Fields Development Project.
Local elected officials and business leaders discussed and reminisced about the area revealing that the project will feature 12 new or renovated homes in the surrounding areas, in an effort to combat blighted areas and bring more affordable housing to families in Macon and those who want to move to Macon with the first of the project being one renovation, a three bedroom, two bathroom home and one new four bedroom home right next to it on Plant Street, both homes will be built by LifeStyle C.C. LLC and are planned to be completed by the end of the year.
(Photo Credit: Godfrey Hall/41NBC)
According to Natalie Bouyett, Director of the Macon-Bibb County Affordable Housing Fund, the project began a year ago, but was rooted in a vision that’s been six years in the making. A $1.2 million dollar commitment has been made to this particular project and to date they have committed over $5.5 million for affordable housing, leveraging about $80 million in other funding sources like federal and private funding and with this investment 285 new units are expected to be completed in the next 3 years.
“Our city has been hard at work even before the pandemic, trying to design a housing fund to be both adaptable and catalytic, investing in neighborhoods that open markets will often overlook and so we’re here with the fund, now, armed with a flexible and responsive tool,” said Bouyett. “That means the housing crisis can be addressed head on and it’s supporting a broader range of our workforce today.”
“What we hear about is people need more housing and not only just housing, but housing that people can afford, housing that they can build wealth in, housing they can own,” said Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller.
According to Mayor Miller over 800 empty, blighted houses have been torn down in the last year and are currently being rebuilt to breathe new life into the county.
“We’ve heard it so many, so many times before,” said Miller. “This is not a handout, but a handup. We want these folks to be able to be homeowners to build wealth and we’re going to have something for everyone.”
(Photo Credit: Godfrey Hall/41NBC)
“That’s our goal, is to go into neighborhoods that people already know and love. They already have fond memories and they go back to those,” said Allen Wells, Managing Partner for Investment Group Development. “So it’s not really just to build houses, but we really want to build houses for families to build homes. So for those of you that are interested, welcome home.”
Wells says the group is currently setting up programs with various lenders for median income range home buyers and more detailed information will be available for interested homeowners in a few days.
