WHAT WE DO
Mixed-Income Housing
The HUB for Community Innovation was always meant to be one of the first pieces of a bigger picture. The Collaborative also has plans to increase the community's access to affordable housing, with the team bringing together the pieces for a submission to HUD for their prized Choice Neighborhoods grant. This grant - which includes both planning and implementation phases - awards competitive grants to redevelop severely distressed HUD housing, catalyze investments in the surrounding neighborhood, and improve the lives of residents of the HUD housing. Similar to the HUB Collaborative, the Choice Neighborhoods program focuses on three core goals: the development of high-quality mixed-income housing, improving the lives of residents in the targeted housing related to their income and employment, health, and education outcomes; and creating strong, safe, and sustainable neighborhoods.
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The Collaborative also hopes to draw upon the guidance of Purpose Built Communities, which started with the East Lake community in Atlanta, continued with the Bayou District in New Orleans, and now comprises 30 comprehensive community transformation projects across the U.S.
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The Collaborative will look to engage the community in the planning process beginning as early as 2026.
AUGUSTA'S CHOICE
The Choice Neighborhoods project represented a continuation of the investments started at the HUB. The MCG Foundation invested the capital necessary to prepare for the grant’s submission and the team engaged several organizations to provide additional leverage support to closely match the expected $500K commitment from HUD. Other partners committing capital included the Community Foundation, the Augusta National Golf Club, the Augusta Housing Authority, BLOC Global, MCG, the Economic Development Authority, Augusta Tomorrow, Cranston Engineering, and Augusta Locally Grown. This nearly $400,000 investment was accompanied by letters of commitment from over 40 local organizations, each supporting the Choice Neighborhoods transformation planning process.
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On December 9, 2021 after its second attempt, Augusta won a Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant. This marked the official start of the planning process.
HOUSING PLAN
TARGET COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS
FULL CHOICE DRAFT PLAN
