MACON, Ga. — A new addition is coming to the Beall's Hill neighborhood very soon -- or should we say, additions?
The Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission approved the Historic Macon Foundation's plans for 12 rental units in the neighborhood, near Mercer University.
Nicole Dennis is a graduate student at Mercer who just moved to Macon. She lives near the Beall's Hill neighborhood.
"Macon does have a lot of room for growth," Dennis said
The Historic Macon Foundation is doing their part to contribute to Macon's "growth" by rehabilitating and building homes in the Beall's Hill area.
Next year, the foundation plans to turn these empty lots into something they say could benefit many people.
"Behind me, we have five lots around Oglethorpe Street here, and the Historic Macon is going to be developing a low income housing project," Christopher Haun said.
Haun is the director of the Historic Macon Foundation. He says they've been rehabilitating homes in Beall's Hill for almost 20 years.
Now, they're giving people who can't afford the homes, a chance to live in the neighborhood.
"This provides a need for housing where it's been difficult for people to get housing during the COVID epidemic. A lot of people have fallen behind on their mortgages or their rents. This will give people a chance to move into these affordable houses," Haun said.
"Being new to the Macon area, I think it's really encouraging to see that the foundation is putting it's resources back into the community," Dennis said.
Dennis says this project has her full support.
"The services rendered give people a place to live and it's going to help them become very independent in the long run." Dennis said.
All 12 of these new units will be one-story duplexes.
Meaning, each structure has two apartments, and two of the units will be handicap accessible.