MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — On Wednesday, Governor Brian Kemp emphasized the importance of rural affordable housing. He announced a Rural Workforce Housing Fund to make sure folks have a place to live.
“Transformational projects, good-paying jobs, and new investments are worth little if there aren't options for hardworking Georgians to live where they work,” says Kemp.
The fund would coordinate state and local government efforts to develop sites across the state for workforce housing.
Meanwhile, inflation continues to affect the budgets of renters and potential homeowners. 13WMAZ’s Jessica Cha went to Milledgeville to talk to folks about what their housing market is like right now.
While the rural housing fund isn't set in stone yet. Teachers and first responders in Milledgeville and Baldwin County say that there isn't enough affordable housing. They say it’s due to low salaries or lack of options.
"It's a little challenging trying to move out at an age like this, at a job with a salary so low,” says Amani Simmons.
Simmons is a 19-year-old Milledgeville firefighter. He says like many folks his age, "I stay with my parents.”
Simmons says including overtime, he makes around $35,000 a year. However, with apartments costing $1,000 or more, it's not enough.
"I have to pay paycheck to paycheck to afford something like that. It's something I don't want to rush into, so right now I'll just stay where I am,” he explains.
Simmons says some places are cheaper– around $500- $700. However, Baldwin School Superintendent Noris Price says there's a problem.
"A lot of the housing that's available is geared towards college students," Price said.
So, unless you want a roommate, Price says educators who are single, or have families have a tough time finding places to live.
"They go as far as Macon to find a place to live,” Price explains.
She says teachers' salaries are rising, but not enough.
“I am very appreciative of the governor’s initiative to raise teachers' salaries by $7,000, but we need more. It’s still not enough to really help our educators to have the quality of life that they deserve by having wages that are competitive with the businesses that are in our community,” she says.
Price says it’s affecting people in real time.
"We had a new teacher this year that we hired, and we discovered that he was sleeping in his car. He could not find an apartment that he could afford,” Price says. “We were able to find somewhere for him to live, but in 2023 we need to do better as a state.”
Price says they've held seminars to help teachers find housing. Third grade teacher Tasha Charleston wants to buy a house.
"It's expensive and sometimes I'll be like, ‘Lord, will I be able to afford it?’”
However, when Charleston sees the prices…
"For educators, you're like, 'Ooh, that's a little bit steep,'” she says.
Folks say Kemp's fund would help take a load off their shoulders. Price says that a state housing fund would be a great way to not only attract new employees to town, but also retain them.