With Invest Atlanta support, Hagar Civilization Training Missionary (CTM) will convert 7 vacant Vine City and English Avenue properties into 20 affordable housing units. At their monthly board meeting in May, the IA Board of Directors approved an $812,000 grant from the Westside Tax Allocation District (TAD) Community Improvement Fund and an $812,000 loan from the Vine City Housing Trust Fund to support the project.
“The work that you all [at Hagar CTM] are doing is really admirable, serving that community,” said IA Board Treasurer Randy Hazelton. “Unfortunately, organizations like yours don’t get the publicity they deserve, but we recognize and appreciate it.”
The plans for this project involve taking vacant single-family properties in various stages of disrepair and converting them into multifamily units and a single-family home. Kelly Brown, a recent graduate of Invest Atlanta's Community Builders program, is assisting with the project. Rents will be affordable for residents earning below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI). The Westside TAD Advisory Committee recommended approval of this project, and the Vine City Civic Association and English Avenue Neighborhood Association gave their positive recommendations.
Hagar CTM is a 501(C)3 nonprofit volunteer organization that provides unsubsidized affordable rental housing to low-income senior, disabled, and veteran residents. Hagar CTM’s work has significantly improved the quality and mix of housing stock in their target neighborhoods, while also creating new employment opportunities. Hagar also partners with organizations like the Atlanta Community Food Bank to provide wrap-around services to residents.
“Their primary business model is to serve the underserved populations, whether it's low-income seniors, the disabled, or veterans,” said Jennifer Fine, VP of Planning & Strategic Initiatives at Invest Atlanta.
Hagar recently completed—with matching funds from Invest Atlanta—a 10-unit senior citizen, veteran and accessible multi-family property that significantly improved the quality and mix of housing stock in the English Avenue community. (Read more here.)