Mayor Kelly Girtz answers questions asked by Reporting I students at the University of Georgia about the Athens-Clarke County Future Land Use Plan on April 19. The plan was completed in 2023 in order to accommodate both current and future housing needs. (Photo/Anna Kadet)
by Anna Kadet
Mayor Kelly Girtz explained how the Athens-Clarke County Future Land Use Plan will create affordable housing for residents living in poverty at a University of Georgia news conference on Friday.
Girtz spoke to students about the Affordable Housing Investment Strategy, which includes recommendations for the plan based on current housing analysis. The recommendations given involved a local affordable housing fund, low-income housing tax credit development and down payment assistance.
The Future Land Use Plan targets areas of growth primarily in urban centers, such as Downtown and the Georgia Square Mall, as well as in town centers, such as Beechwood.
The plan was outlined in response to population growth pressures and decreasing affordability. Over 4,700 households in Athens-Clarke County earn under $35,000 each year, meaning they are “severely cost-burdened.” Additionally, the county expects 30,000 new permanent residents by 2045.
Girtz said that he is confident the government will act responsibly through the anticipated development similarly to its responsible actions during past city growth by increasing supply and density. By the end of next week, he will propose a $1 million Affordable Housing Fund to the county commission.
“You know, it’s almost like a game of musical chairs,” Girtz said. “If there aren’t enough chairs, and there are too many people, every one of those persons is going to be swirling around looking to buy a home. But if you’ve got more chairs than you have people, people are going to find a place to live.”
The Future Land Use Plan also addresses local residents’ desires and concerns following a series of eight public hearings taking place through March and April.
Girtz said that the public, aside from affordability, values green spaces, proximity to amenities and an accessible variety of public transportation. He said that residents want to be able to buy their groceries and return to their living space by way of a short walk. Building vertically over businesses, Girtz said, would help accomplish this.
The conference also covered concern over student housing in the wake of increasing enrollment. Girtz said that he believed the county is able to accommodate the rising population through conversion of parking lots and abandoned spaces close to the University of Georgia’s campus, much like the current construction of the Rambler.
Sophia Perkins, a first-year intended graphic design student at the University of Georgia, has only found housing for the fall 2024 semester.
“Everything is like, $1000 per month, which is just insane,” Perkins said. “It’s so difficult, especially for someone supporting themselves through college. And it makes me so sad because I mean, Athens-Clarke County is incredibly poor and I didn’t even realize that until I moved here.”
Topics: affordable housing, Athens-Clarke County, University of Georgia, Future Land Use Plan, Mayor Kelly Girtz, poverty
Source Information:
Mayor Kelly Girtz, kelly.girtz@accgov.com, (706)-613-3010
Sophia Perkins, snp11002@uga.edu, (404)-683-2324
Why I Wrote This Story
Although University of Georgia students like myself temporarily live in Athens, long-term residents of our college town experience a housing crisis often unknown to us. I wrote this story because it is both timely and impactful. It is important to highlight local government efforts to mitigate this crisis and provide a higher quality of life to Athens-Clarke County residents. Furthermore, the Future Land Use Plan will affect every aspect of our daily lives in Athens, even beyond just infrastructure.