
Atlanta city leaders break ground on $63 million housing project
City leaders in Atlanta broke ground on a $63 million housing project on Wednesday.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The land along Yates Drive in northwest Atlanta is where the old Bowen Homes once stood. Those buildings were torn down 16 years ago.
This marks the start of construction for the first phase of a $40 million HUD Choice Neighborhoods Initiative.
City leaders, Atlanta Housing and its partners are redeveloping the property into a mixed-income community.
The first phase will have 151 homes.
TRENDING STORIES:
On the Border closes all GA restaurants, files for bankruptcy
Jonesboro mayor resigns as council calls for audit of city's finances
DeKalb deputy fired, charged in thefts from Publix where he worked as security
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Clay County Schools faces $10M budget hole ahead of new school year
Clay County Schools Superintendent David Broskie says the district is facing a $10 million budget shortfall heading into the 2025-2026 school year. 'Right now, the county's costs are more than the money that we make,' the superintendent shared. In a May workshop meeting, the county leader named inflation, uncertainty with the state budget, and decreased enrollment as some reasons the county is facing a loss. The superintendent's budget presentation showed 500 fewer students enrolled in the county, resulting in millions of dollars in losses. 'So if you look at it... The difference of about 500 students... you're looking at about 4 million dollars just there,' Broskie said. The report also detailed the millions of dollars in local and state funds going towards Family Empowerment Scholarships (FES), or private school vouchers. Related: Mayor Deegan signs resolution calling on Florida to continue funding advanced courses It's something the superintendent named as another contributor to the county's budget deficit. In fiscal year 2024- 2025, over $24.3 million in aid went towards the vouchers. That's a jump from the $16.8 million that local and state governments paid out in FY 2023-2024. By the next fiscal year, the superintendent said that early estimates show that number will increase to $30 million. To better manage the county's budget, district leaders are reviewing all district and school allocations. The move will affect hundreds of school employees. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Clay County Spokesperson, Terri Dennis, sent Action News Jax this response: 'To proactively manage our resources and align with our projected budget, we have made adjustments to approximately 200 employee allocations. We want to assure our community that all employees impacted by these shifts have been offered new positions for which they are certified or qualified. These opportunities span a variety of roles, including instructional, support, and administrative positions, ensuring that we continue to leverage the talents of our dedicated staff. Superintendent Broskie also says the county is making other adjustments to better manage its resources during this financial challenge, like; Renegotiating district contracts Evaluating the profitability of all district programs Pausing all travel expenses Initiating a hiring freeze Florida lawmakers continue their state budget negotiations in Tallahassee. The legislative session was supposed to end on May 2nd. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
City of South Fulton gets $500,000 grant for environmental assessments, cleanup
The City of South Fulton was awarded half a million dollars by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to assess, clean up and develop what are known as brownfield sites. A brownfield is a site that could be used or redeveloped except there's some type of pollutant or contaminating substance at the location, keeping it from being safe enough to rebuild or use. The $500,000 awarded to the City of South Fulton will allow officials to look at a variety underused properties in the city and then clean them up to turn them into assets the city can use for growth, the city said in a statement. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Officials announce new area code coming to some Georgia phone customers Fake Uber Eats killing suspect in court, victim's family removed from hearing Asian needle ants crawling across US, now found in 20 states, sting cause life-threatening reaction 'The EPA's Brownfields Grant program represents a meaningful intersection of environmental justice and economic redevelopment,' Sharon D. Subadan, City Manager of South Fulton, said. 'This funding allows us to methodically address properties that have constrained local development as we move forward with a clear, sustainable vision for reuse. It is a powerful affirmation of our commitment to environmental stewardship and community resilience.' The funds will be used in a targeted manner, according to officials. The city said it plans to focus on historically underserved areas and use the funds to help redevelop their potential. 'This $500,000 award is both a strategic investment and a recognition of the City's leadership in equitable redevelopment,' Carmen Davis, Assistant City Manager, said. 'We are committed to deploying these resources through data-driven planning, interagency coordination, and inclusive community partnerships.' For 2025, the EPA awarded $267 million in funds from the Brownfields Assessment Grant program. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gwinnett County Public Library gets $350,000 grant from Carnegie Corporation
One of the oldest philanthropies in the United States gave the Gwinnett County Public Library (GCPL) a major grant. According to the library system, the Carnegie Corporation of New York awarded $350,000, which they plan to use for expanding English language classes, in partnership with Gwinnett County Public Schools. The Carnegie Corporation said GCPL was one of 11 libraries across the U.S. to get an award from the Libraries as Pillars of Education and Democracy initiative. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'Andrew Carnegie believed libraries were ladders upon which anyone and everyone could rise, and that belief continues to guide us,' Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie, said in a statement. 'At a time when trust in public institutions is fraying, libraries retain public trust. We are delighted to support these grantees as they provide essential programs and community services.' TRENDING STORIES: 'Black Mecca' no longer? Atlanta prices cause families to move out of the city Atlanta Public Schools announces new first day of school, 13 new principals Georgia father drowns after getting caught in Gulf rip current Through the additional funding, GCPL said they'll be able to increase the number of free English classes and recruit more community volunteers. The funding will also go toward stipends for volunteer English teachers and bus passes for those participating in the program. 'Fluency in the English language is essential for everyone to participate in American society, culture, politics, and business. We are delighted that the Carnegie Corporation has recognized the importance of English language classes and libraries in general to maintain a literate and engaged citizenry,' Charles Pace, Executive Director of Gwinnett County Public Library, said. 'Thanks to this generous award we will be able to better support the English language learner needs of the Gwinnett Community than ever before.' The Carnegie Corporation said more than 1,400 applicants sent requests for funding from the program. The organization said they 'prioritized initiatives' that had shown both strong demand from their communities and success either teaching Adult English language and literacy to build job readiness, or college access programs for teens with academic, civic and leadership skills, college admissions knowledge and with support from families as they transition to college. 'Libraries are places where people build knowledge, skills, and agency,' said Ambika Kapur, an Education program director at Carnegie. 'This initiative reflects our belief in investing in civic participation — wherever people come together to learn." [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]