Albany Housing Authority tries to secure $30 million grant - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Albany Housing Authority tries to secure $30 million grant

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ALBANY, GA (WALB) -

Trying to secure enough money to fund a major transformation project in the west central downtown Albany area is a tough task that the Housing Authority says they're ready to tackle.

"It is a very competitive process, but it does give housing authorities the opportunity to have the funding totaling $30 million to implement the plans," says Boulevard Group Planning Designer Grace Perdomo.

It's a federal grant that is part of the second phase to transform the city's public housing areas. But, officials say the likelihood of a small town like Albany beating out larger cities and securing the grant, is slim. Last year alone, nearly 40 cities applied but only 5 of those got the funds.

"We don't want to kid anybody here. That's a tall order and the bigger cities are probably the ones who are going to get the lions share; the big dollars from Uncle Sam but that's not to say dollars can't be found elsewhere," says Dennis Mobley with the Boulevard Group.

The funds would allow the city to redevelop McIntosh Homes right off West Society Avenue. The area is home to 688 public housing and section 8 units. But, officials say if the funds don't come the process to move forward will continue.

"The other people, the soft programs, the education programs - we are expecting to do that regardless because those agencies are bringing their resources to bear. They're not counting on the resources that we've got available to us so we are expecting great things if we get the big grant or not," says Executive Director of the AHA Dan McCarthy.

Planning officials say the housing authority secured a $250,000 grant last year to start the transformation planning process.

The city says they chose the McIntosh area because it fulfilled many of the grant requirements.

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