Warner Robins explores affordable housing options, encourages resident input

Community's feedback sought for CHIP grant application to develop accessible housing, Warner Robins Community and Economic Development Office Director Kate Hogan says

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – If you’re interested in buying a home but have concerns about the cost of home ownership, the city of Warner Robins wants to hear from you.

Owning a home is expensive. For low-income families, home ownership may even seem out of reach.

That’s why the Director of the Warner Robins Community and Economic Development Office, Kate Hogan, says the city is asking for input from its residents about the need for affordable housing.

“I think providing good opportunities for affordable housing within our community is two fold,” Hogan explained. “One, reinvesting within our current housing stock, and two creating new opportunities for housing.”

In 2022, Warner Robins received grant money from the Community Home Investment Program (CHIP) to help low income homeowners repair and modernize their home.

Based on the successes of that program, Hogan says the city is formalizing its application for another CHIP grant.

“We are looking forward to potentially providing some new construction for utilizing the CHIP grant with Department of Community Affairs again in 2024,” she said.

If approved for the grant, Warner Robins can begin construction on new housing units that would fall within an affordable price range.

So who would be eligible?

Hogan says it depends on how many people are in your household and if the household qualifies as moderate to low income.

Approved applicants would go through a traditional lending process with the help of a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) certified counselor to qualify for a mortgage.

“We will have a formal application process, and there will be a formal mortgage process in order to obtain one of these homes,” Hogan said.

More than 100 people have already expressed interest in the affordable housing program.

Hogan says home ownership can have many benefits for families and that the program is about providing those opportunities to residents.

“In order to create, hopefully, hopefully some socioeconomic mobility, but then also creating pride in place and higher education attainment values,” she said.

Hogan says the city expects to know by May if the program will be funded and hopes to deliver new housing units by 2025.

If you are interested in learning more about this program, you can contact the Community and Economic Development Office at (478) 302-5518.