FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (July 17, 2020) Smyrna, GA — Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta is the recipient of a $600,000 Community HOME Investment Program (CHIP) Grant for homes to be built for veterans in the Veterans Place neighborhood in Douglasville, GA.
Five homes for veterans in need of safe, reliable shelter will be built between August 2020 and July 2022. This is the first CHIP money to be awarded inside the City of Douglasville.
“The City of Douglasville has been an amazing partner and a driving force behind making this grant a reality,” said Jessica Gill, CEO, Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta. “Out of 1,200 affiliates nationwide, we are one of two affiliates to build a military-only neighborhood for the unsung heroes in our community.”
Douglasville city leaders completed the three-year Georgia Department of Community Affairs’ Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) program which offers communities collaboration and technical assistance related to housing and community development. The objective of the initiative is to help communities create and launch a locally based plan to meet their housing needs.
In the last year, students in the Alexander High School Habitat Club in Douglasville successfully raised money to build a home in Veterans Place. After raising part of the needed funds, The Winn Family, on behalf of the Winn 3 Charitable Fund, donated $45,000 to complete their efforts. The fund’s executor Frank Winn made the donation to honor his U.S. Marine Veteran father and grandparents who were raised in Douglasville. The students will be helping to build the first home to break ground.
MBE/WBE CONTRACTOR APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Subcontractors may be hired to provide various services not provided by Habitat volunteers. Services may include: Grading, Concrete, Framing, Roofing, Plumbing, Electricity, Energy Star Certified HVAC, Flooring, Siding, Insulation, Drywall/ Sheetrock and Interior Trim.
Interested Minority and Women-Owned Businesses (MBE/WBE) should contact Jessica Gill, jgill@habitatnwma.org to be added to the bid process.
MBE/WBE will be included in all contracts which the NW Metro Atlanta Habitat for Humanity enters related to the provision of affordable housing under the HOME program to the maximum extent possible. Preferential treatment is not given, unless there is a tie between bids. When economically feasible, the Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta will divide total requirements into small tasks and quantities to permit the maximum participation by MBE/WBE. When economically feasible, the Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta will establish delivery schedules which encourage MBE/WBE participation in programs.
VETERAN APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Veterans who wish to apply must meet the requirements of service and an honorary discharge from any branch of the U.S. Military. Requirements are available at: https://habitatnwma.org/homeownership/qualifications/. Qualified veterans interested in applying should contact Lisa Letner, Director of Family Services, lletner@habitatnwma.org or 770-432-7954, ext. 100.
About Veterans Place — Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta broke ground on Veterans Place in August 2017. Initial home sponsors have included The Home Depot Foundation, The Church at Chapel Hill, Lockheed, Cato Fashions, DeNys Cares Foundation, St. John Vianney Catholic Church and St. Theresa Catholic Church, Hamilton State Bank, Ameris Bank, Stallings Insurance, First Presbyterian Church of Douglasville, The Douglasville/Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority, Gordon Food Service, Atlanta Custom Fabricators, Brasfield & Gorrie, Greystone Power, Knights of Columbus, Modern Woodman of America, the Winn Foundation, Mother Teresa Assembly, Dorothy Blackmon, Nancy Londroche, Phillip Alvers and John and Vikki Hughes of Marietta.
About the Community the HOME Investment Program (CHIP) —The purpose of the Community HOME Investment Program (CHIP)is to provide safe, decent, and affordable housing in Georgia by granting funds to city and county governments, public housing authorities, and nonprofits to rehabilitate owner-occupied homes and build and renovate affordable single family homes for sale to eligible homebuyers. The CHIP program is funded with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME Investment Partnership Program funds.
About Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta —In the 34 years since its founding, Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta has built, renovated or repaired 513 homes in its service area — Cobb, Douglas and Paulding counties. In 2020 Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta will embark on its first Neighborhood Revitalization initiative in Austell, GA. More families can be served by responding to community aspirations with an expanded array of products, services and partnerships that empower residents to revive their neighborhoods and enhance their quality of life. By focusing on a specific neighborhood, quality of life improvements can be quantified, while creating a safe and stable community that connects neighbors to one another and nurtures the ties that sustain relationships.