For more information on the Affordable Housing Program, please contact Heather Benham at the Athens Land Trust: 706-613-0122 or email heather@athenslandtrust.org

Affordable Housing Program

What is it?
The Athens Land Trust (ALT) is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable housing for residents of Athens-Clarke County. The monthly payments (including taxes and insurance) on the homes we sell usually run between $500 - $650 at current interest rates. Our goal is to help people buy homes so that they aren't forced to rent their entire lives..

How does it work?
ALT sells the house to a family or individual and provides the homebuyer with a 99-year renewable ground lease for the land. The ALT homeowner has full use of the land just like any other homeowner. The owner of an ALT home can pass the home to their children just like any other homeowner. But if the homeowner decides to sell the house, ALT will buy the house back from them or help them find another low to moderate income family or individual to purchase the home.

Who is eligible?
Since we receive government assistance for our housing program, a family or individual cannot make more than 80% of the area median income. Check the chart below to see if you are eligible.

Number of Family Members	1	2	3	4	5	6
Maximum Family Income	$30,400	$34,750	$39,100	$43,450	$46,900	$50,400

How does it help the homebuyer?
ALT homes are less expensive than other houses on the market. In some cases, ALT is willing to allow a person to do a lease-purchase while they are working on clearing up their credit to be eligible for a mortgage. ALT is a long-term resource for an ALT homeowner, we are here to help you succeed.

How does it help the neighborhood?
ALT's renovation of vacant houses brings life back into the neighborhood and reduces crime. It strengthens the neighborhood by creating area homeowners-permanent residents of a community take care of their investment and look out for the best interests of their neighborhood. ALT houses also provide permanent affordable housing in a neighborhood where rents are constantly on the rise. It helps families and individuals stay in the neighborhood where they have grown up. ALT houses will never turn into rental houses with absentee landlords and expensive rents. ALT is interested in saving the character of the neighborhoods by fixing up historic homes which would otherwise be destroyed.

215 Colima Before	215 Colima After

130 Andrea Before	130 Andrea After

Why does ALT keep ownership of the land?
Because land has become so expensive, ALT makes the house more affordable by not selling the land. You buy the house and we keep the land, but you get to use the land without having to pay for it. This allows us to help more families. By keeping the land ALT can legally keep the house affordable forever.

Where are our houses?
Most of the houses we have are in the Hancock Corridor or East Athens, areas once thought of as less desirable but rapidly becoming some of the hottest in-town neighborhoods. If a family finds a house outside of these neighborhoods and wants to be part of our program, ALT may be able to help the family in purchasing the home.

What if my credit is bad?
Through our partnership with East Athens Development Corporation, Hancock Community Development Corporation, and Totally Free, ALT applicants receive housing counseling. ALT staff also helps potential applicants in working on their credit problems.

Recent Activities

Fourth Street Village Moving Forward

Fourth Street Village is now home to 100 families! Building construction was completed a few months ago and residents are moving in. ALT and our partner Ambling Development received financing from PNC Multifamily Capital and from the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

Fourth Street Village provides rental housing for 96 low-income families making 50% of Area Median Income or below. This project also includes 24 market rate apartments. There are many supportive services for residents, such as employment programs, homeownership counseling, resident involvement in decision making, a safety program, and tenant counseling. These services are administered by ALT and Ambling Management in partnership with many local agencies and businesses.

On May 29th, 2008 ALT hosted an open house for residents at the Fourth Street Community Center. About 40 residents attended the event. Pat Hale and Melody Hopp of Athens Transit provided information on bus schedules and ACC Recycling Coordinator Suki Janssen gave green bags for recyclables. Fourth Street is participating in a pilot recycling program with the support of ACC Recycling Division, Rolloff Systems, and Ambling Management. On July 9, 2008 Katie Jones of the ACC Police Department presented a program on setting up a Neighborhood Watch. Ongoing activities are computer classes, financial management seminars, and residents' association meetings.

Fourth Street Village is located directly across from Howard B. Stroud Elementary School (formerly called Fourth Street Elementary School) on a 9-acre tract zoned for multi-family housing. It is located along the bus line and is close to a grocery store, pharmacy and other desirable amenities. The property has a community center on site that includes a computer lab, fitness center, swimming pool, and laundry. For more information call 706-543-5915.

For more information about any of our programs or how you can help out, please contact the Athens Land Trust. Phone: (706) 613-0122

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