‘Helps fight blight and brings back hope.’: New housing to come to Historic Pleasant Hill

On Wednesday, September 18, Macon-Bibb County leaders announced the Historic Pleasant Hill Neighborhood will be getting new housing for 64 families.

The Macon Housing Authority received $17.5 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the Department of Community Affairs, to go towards building 64 new high-quality affordable rental properties. Macon-Bibb County will add another $2 million from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that has already helped fund housing with Habitat for Humanitybuilding homes on Carmen Placeand, housing in Beall's Hill, Napier Heights, and Lynmore Estates.

"The space where you see the empty, overgrown playground and around it behind me will again be a place where children and families can gather, play, and enjoy each other's company," said Mayor Lester Miller. "In short, this abandoned area will once again live as a center of the community, and that is truly what makes today a great day."

The 1-3-bedroom units will go up on the corner of Walnut and Madison Streets. They will be income restricted to limits set by the Department of Housing & Urban Development, but there will be more mixed income housing.

"Everybody knows you can't turn on the news these days and not see a story about the demand for affordable housing. Not just in Macon, but throughout the entire United States," said Macon Housing Authority CEO Mike Austin. "It is very hard to obtain these days, and that's why it's important that we take on projects like this and provide more affordable housing for the residents of our community."

The abandoned former school building will be demolished to make room for the housing.

"This project helps fight blight and brings back hope," said Historic Pleasant Hill Neighborhood Organization Chair Erion Smith. "We must ensure that the best interest of the Pleasant Hill neighborhood, one of the great treasures of Black Macon are served and protected in this process."

This project is in its early stages but is expected to cost about $18 million.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.