MACON, Ga. — Macon is the fourth largest city in the Peach State, according to a study by the American Community Survey. With that kind of population, people need places to live and call home.
As the city of Macon continues to grow, there is a need for more housing, and the county has been working to approve new apartment builds across Macon-Bibb County.
Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Executive Director Jeff Ruggieri says in the last two years, they've approved 15 apartment complexes, meaning hundreds of new units.
He says about 90% of the units they've approved are supposed to be workforce or market-rate apartments.
That means the rent is set based on the average income in Bibb County, which is about $50,000 per year. He says someone looking to live in one of those new apartments, must make at least 60% to 80% of the average.
"If you're making $40,000 a year, you can qualify to live in this housing. It's not Section 8 voucher housing or anything like that. That's a most common misconception when people hear apartments that they think it's some kind of low-income housing and that's totally not the case," Ruggieri said.
Apartments are under construction or have been approved all across Macon. For example, an apartment with 146 units on DT Warren Sr. Way in downtown Macon, a 168-unit apartment on Lamar Road, and a 120-unit on Napier Avenue were all approved.
Vera Clowers has lived in Macon for over 50 years. She says she likes that people are moving to Macon but hopes some apartments can be approved for seniors but some "seniors are on a fixed income."
Clowers says her current apartment used to be for seniors but then they changed it to allow anyone. She says rent has gone up and hopes the city will have someone manage the prices so they do not go up.
Low-income apartments do exist in Macon, but Ruggieri says 90% of the new apartments are based on the average come in Bibb County. He says apartments take time before they're approved.
"They're financing and their further approvals are all contingent, even purchasing the property is contingent upon Planning and Zoning and getting their approval for the site so that's literally the first step in the process," Ruggieri said.
He says as new apartments come, you won't see your property value decrease.
"Usually their property value increases simply because the value added of all those units right next to you creates more value there and that value spreads out around the area," Ruggieri said.
Ruggieri says they want to provide more housing for people who are looking to move to Macon. He says his office and the Mayor's office are working to house more people as they move here and says the growth of the county is good for everybody.