Augusta's first allotment of economic stimulus funds was announced Thursday -- a total of $7.6 million for programs to help low-income and homeless people.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is dispersing it, with $6.1 million going to the Augusta Housing Authority, which oversees public housing. The authority will use it to finish renovating Peabody Apartments off Walton Way and to reroof the Hal Powell Apartments off Broad Street, Executive Director Jake Oglesby said. Both are high-rises for elderly residents.
The rest of the money will go to the city's Housing and Community Development Department. It includes $927,319 from HUD's Homeless Prevention Grant Program and $606,372 from the Community Development Block Grant program, which is for rehabilitating affordable housing, improving public buildings and anti-poverty efforts.
Housing and Community Development Director Chester Wheeler wasn't in his office Thursday and efforts to reach other personnel in his office were unsuccessful.
The money is part of the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, pushed by President Obama to jump-start the economy, and comes out of the $10.1 billion being released to states this week by HUD.
U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, a harsh critic of the president who voted against the stimulus package, announced Augusta's awards Thursday.
Broun spokeswoman Jessica Morris said in an e-mail that despite his position the congressman "is fighting to ensure that Augusta receives their fair share of the pie and is working to bring the money to Georgia."
The HUD disbursements were based on formulas that take population into account. Augusta's designation as an "entitlement community" gives the city an edge in receiving federal funds.
Mayor Deke Copenhaver said the HUD awards are only the beginning. There will be competitive grant programs and disbursements from state agencies such as the Department of Transportation, he said. The city submitted a wish list of infrastructure projects totaling $417 million to the Georgia DOT.
"I fully expect us to be eligible for, and receive, more in stimulus funds," Mr. Copenhaver said.
Reach Johnny Edwards at (706) 823-3225 or johnny.edwards@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
Doesn't Paul Broun look positively cute in that picture announcing stimulus money for public housing? He didn't want to "waste" federal money on an interstate highway through Augusta from Savannah to the the mountains, but he takes this. Yeah, buddy.
yeah , " lets spend it on people whom don`t even pay taxes ! " boy, thats going to boost the economy don`t worry us tax paying workers will keep working
Riverman, this is some of the "stimulus" Ga would have been responsible for paying back whether it was taken or not. You can bet NO social programs money has the refusal option and Augusta is heavily invested in social programs. Now, while the economy is tight, would be a good time for Augusta to rid itself of as much of this albatross as possible. There's nothing to change with the elderly, but there's a LOT of young, healthy people with relatives that can take up their own burden or move to greener pastures. Either way, the Augusta area taxpayer will benefit.
Homeless prevention assistance , which is mortgage, rent and utility assistance, is greatly needed. Hope it is quickly dispersed to worthy organizations in Richmond County helping those in need like CSRA EOA and United Way.
Yeah those deadbeat do not pay any taxes.
I am very much against helping people who are able to work but since this money is allocated to assist the elderly, many who worked and paid their taxes. I don't see where there is a problem using this. As a society we are obligated to take care of our elderly and our truly disabled. Not the cons or the welfare queens or the druggies but the true deserving.
Are we "stimulated" yet?.....LOL this whole porkulous package is a joke and was crammed down the taxpayers throats in a hurry because the idiots who are pushing for all this spending know that the People are not going to take this for much longer and they want to push as much into law as possible before the tide turns and old barry is deposed.
I agree with you devilish, we are obligated to take care of our elderly and disabled and I'm glad they are using some of the money to renovate the Peabody and Hal Powel Apts. I just hope someone keeps accurate records of where all this money is being dispersed and how it's spent.
GOPers are still angry that THEY lost the election. Get on board with our new President and his intellectually-innovative methods of trying to fix George Bush's screwups. It's that simple. Bush messed it up, and Obama's role is to fix-it for our obviously inept former President and his poorly run administration. The Stimulus Pkg is to stimulate our nation, including Augusta and the entire South. All of us. We're in this together. It is what it is. God Bless America.
New digs for the welfare "broodmares" whose post office $check$ is determined by how many little hoodrats they can produce. And it will be a new place for all of the baby-daddies to "stays" in, while they plan out their daily criminal activities. It would be ideal for the elderly and disabled to have an opportunity to live in the new and improved facilities by themselves and to not be intimidated by residents whose only reason to be there is because they are irresponsible and amoral OR because procreation is their only vocation due to their laziness and stupidity.
voice...it's quite clear you are a sheep.....this is barrys mess...not Presidents Bushs.....live and learn little one.
Hello, the money goes to renovate the housing, which means they will have to let contracts to companies in the construction business, putting people to work. The money doesn't go to the people living in the housing. You just don't get it. All you listen to is that insane republican rhetoric and don't think for yourself. If that wonderful republican president bush would have done his job over his eight years, we wouldn't be in this predicament, so quite complaining that we now have a president who wants to DO something.
Noway is totally correct about the construction industry getting a boost by this allotment of stimulus funds to public housing. The thing to hope for now is that the construction workers spend part if not all of their pay checks in Augusta. This will have a positive impact on other businesses in the area. People like 55 F-100 are looking past the immediate impact of putting people back to work, and focusing too much on those with entitlement mentalities, which is a separate problem altogether. For now, you all should be happy that the money is coming to town and will actually do some good. The arguments about hoodrats and baby-daddies is not what this money is about. If some of those hoodrats and baby-daddies would go out and get a job with a construction company, then that would make an even greater difference, but I still don't think some of you would be happy with that either.
First Baptist Church in Augusta helps the poor with homeless prevention help but that too is mostly because of United Way funding. Heard United Way did not make goal this year, so maybe if they can get money from this they can reach goal and be able to help more in need. This is EXCELLENT news for those who have lost their jobs and really need this help to keep them from becoming homeless. Way to go Augusta just get the money out there fast.
Noway, the mess started before Bush in home lending to a large group pf people who had no business buying the high priced homes with the tricky mortages they could not afford. The mortages were then packaged and sold to banks in the form of mortage backed securities. The home owners rates went up according tothe terms of the mortage, payments stopped, the value of the securities went down , the payouts to the holders went down and presto the banks are in trouble because of cash flow. Pres. Bush notified Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac of the crisis to come but they ignored him. Both DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS had a hand in this cris because they are trying to make all people equal and that will not and cannot happen.
I doubt there are any baby-daddies at Peabody Apts. That is for Sr. Citizens, most who certainly DID work and pay taxes. Both black and whites there are of the generation that worked and did not aspire to be on the govt dole. Not everyone can live at BrandonWilde or take care of a house. My grandmother lived there from the time it was built in the 60s until she had to finally go to a nursing home. It was a great place for them and gave families piece of mind knowing that they had a safe place to live.
hypo- you usally defend the deadbeats. What's up?
Rep Broun voted against this bill but he is running around the state like he is the giver of relief. I have no problem with giving assistance to the people in need. If this is where they want to stay in life and this is their comfort zone and frame of mind, then so be it. Not everybody has the will power to move forward in life and for that I can't and won't judge them except respect that this is where they want to be in life. There are billions of dollars going overseas but you are not complaining about that money given to those people. I rather give something to the ones that live among us to help keep whatever peace within instead of creating a third world conditions on the back roads of Augusta. Now for Rep Broun, promote something that you have done and not something that you have voted against for the people of your state. Why did he jump the announce of this when Rep Barrow voted for it? Just like a Republican, always taking credit for somebody else work. The next time you vote against something, don't come home acting like you did something. Liar!
Gosh this makes me sick! People who don't even work can get a house before me because I make too much money. It's like a punishment sometimes when you try to do things the right way.
What the paper fails to point out is that our Mayor Deke failed to submit a list of projects to the government at the U.S. Conference of Mayors. So now all Augusta can do is try and get the money that is alocated to the state. Go to www.stimuluswatch.org and check out the projects other citys submitted for. As far as what we did get from HUD. Sure it's going to pay the construction workers, but most of that money will go to mexico, not into the local economy. Next time you see a georgia/carolina stucco truck check how many mexican people are loaded in the back and wonder how many are here legally.
GREAT----The people that do not really pay anything and get mostly everything handed to them are getting something else for free. Gotta love it
I have no problem taking care of our elderly, but 6.1 mil for finishing renovations to one complex and a roof??? I guess At least its going to the elderly instead of those in regular public housing which the residents are the ones who tore up thier complexes to start with!!
Fedup, that's why I said we should hope the construction workers spend part of their pay checks in Augusta. I am almost certain they will. They can't just go to the drive thru in Tijuanna everytime they get hungry and still be back to work in Augusta within the standard 30 - 60 minute lunch break. I don't care where the construction workers come from, each one of them will have to spend some money in the Garden City. They will probably all go to a hotel, and eat out at least a few times a week. They certainly won't push their trucks around, but will need to gas up at least a couple of times a week. And I'm sure they will need laundry facilities, or will need to buy new clothes. They can't realistically get those things from Mexico so they will have to buy them in Augusta. As for the amount that they will send home, well I don't see any difference in them sending money home than there would be if workers came to Augusta from Oregon, or Wyoming, or any other state. So long as they spend some money while they are in town, it won't matter where they send the remainder.
At least the elderly are people who worked while they could. The only subsistence most of them have is their monthly social security check, which they worked for and paid into all their working lives. The majority of these elderly people also worked to provide their children with an education so that they could have better lives. At least the money is not being used to fix up public housing.
GOPers are still angry that THEY lost the election. Get on board with our new President and his intellectually-innovative methods of trying to fix George Bush's screwups. It's that simple. Bush messed it up, and Obama's role is to fix-it for our obviously inept former President and his poorly run administration. The Stimulus Pkg is to stimulate our nation, including Augusta and the entire South. All of us. We're in this together. It is what it is. God Bless America.
Posted by voiceofconcern on Fri Mar 6, 2009 8:47 AM....Spoken like a true DIMocRAT. To call Obama's FDR only worse socialist programs intellectually-innovative is the joke of the day. They are nothing more than the old DIMocRAT agenda of tax and spend, spend and tax, tax and spend, spend and tax. The problem is, those who are productive will now quit being productive, quite hiring in small businesses and taxed to death for the effort.
the boost to the construction industry just means more illegals are going to get paid and just send the money south......so how does that help the u.s...........any company that wins the contract should be made to show that all their employees are u.s. citizens
The GOPers are not angry about losing the election, because we really did not have a true conservative candidate running. What I would conceive as an issue to get angry about is the debt these stimulus packages will leave the country in long after Obama has left office. I know Pres. Bush started these bailouts, with bailing out AIG and starting the bailout of the automakers,(see, the GOP shares some of the blame). But haven't these companies already come back to the table wanting more. Either these companies are awful greedy, or throwing money at the problem hasn't helped. I think any company that receives bailout money should be monitored to make sure the funds are used to promote business and not pad the bank accounts of their executives. I consider myself a conservative Republican, but I am also a working person who has to live on my salary, and if these companies expect mine and your taxpayer money to bail them out, then they damn well should be held accountable.
Yes king james, and when they get sick they will be at our local hospitals getting care from the taxpayers. When they don't even pay income/property taxes except sales tax on the money they keep locally. at least by sending it to Oregon, or Wyoming it helps the overall AMERICAN economy.
Fedup, do you ever see a silver lining in anything? What have you done to help a waitress who's tips are low because fewer people go out to eat? What have you done to help a salesperson at the stores that have closed because fewer people shop til the drop now? Those are the people who would be helped by the spending of construction workers. Besides, you don't know for sure that the construction companies will hire illegals. All hispanics don't come to this country illegally anyway. There are plenty who come here on work visas and find jobs with pay that Americans think are beneathe them. The real problem is that Americans won't willingly do dirty, thankless jobs for low pay, but people from other countries will. Until you know for sure that companies are hiring illegals, and that they are using our healthcare system for free, you should try to see some good that will come with this money. The problem with healthcare is that hospitals don't seem to report illegals to the authorities. Now that is a legitimate gripe that I agree with you on.
KingJames, you have a voice of reason. Wasn't there something about not requiring entities receiving stimulus money to verify legal status of the workers? There may be little hope for much of the construction money remaining in the local economy. Wonder why that requirement was not made, if the powers that be really intended this to be a stimulus for the AMERICAN people?
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