Cherokee County Will Commit $225,000 for New Senior Development

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners is set to approve a $225,000 commitment of HOME Program funds to the construction of a new rental development geared towards low-income seniors.

The Commissioners will vote on whether or not to approve the commitment during their 6 p.m. meeting, which will follow their 3 p.m. work session. Both events will be held at the county's administrative building in Canton.

The Hardwick Commons development, which will be built at 401 Marietta Hwy. in Canton, will contain 74 units. The community will consist of a single building with multiple floors. Outside the building, the site will feature a swimming pool and garden area. Additionally, the development will boast meeting areas on each floor, a business center, and a community room.

In order for the developers to attain the HOME funds, they must receive a Low Income Housing Tax Credit from the Department of Community Affairs. The county expects to recoup its HOME Program funds once the tax credit funds are exhausted.

The developers, Wendover Housing Partners, LLC, are asking for $8,451,655 in tax credit funds and are requesting that two percent of the project, or $225,000, be paid for by HOME Project funds. Currently, the county has almost $400,000 in HOME Project money available to be spent. Wendover is prepared to match 50% of the HOME funds committed to this project.

Wendover has built over 5,000 income housing tax credit units in Florida, Georgia, and Texas. 

According to a timetable provided to the county, construction should begin in December of this year, with an estimated completion date of late fall 2014.

The commissioners will also:

• Approve a $10,000 increase in the Animal Shelter's Budget. The money was bequeathed to the shelter by the Mary Jean Payne Charitable Trust.
• Consider purchasing roughly 1.86 acres of land at North Industrial Way south of Univeter Road for $125,000.
• Consider approving an automatic aid agreement with Pickens County for supplemental fire suppression and joint training exercises.
• Award a $35,046 purchase order to Contech Engineering Solutions for 284 linear feet of corrugated aluminium alloy pipe for the road work on Roscoe Collett Road.

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