Legacy Park South Housing Village
The City of Decatur purchased the former United Methodist Children's Home consisting of 77 acres in August of 2017. Following the acquisition, the City conducted a yearlong planning process to complete a full master plan that is located here: Legacy Park Master Plan .The City then completed a Housing Addendum that defined what the affordable housing should look like in the Northern and Southern Housing Villages. This Housing Addendum contemplates approximately 130 housing units with a focus on affordable housing. In the fall of 2021, the City of Decatur engaged DHA, and its nonprofit housing developer Preserving Affordable Housing, Inc (PAHI) through an Intergovernmental Agreement to develop, own, and operate the affordable housing at the Southern Housing Village. The City of Decatur will continue to own the land at Legacy Park and will enter into a long term ground lease with the Decatur Housing Authority (DHA).
DHA is excited at this new opportunity to produce more affordable housing for the City of Decatur. DHA has been working on the financial and housing strategy for the site. DHA will use low income housing tax credits issued by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) as the primary source for financing. More information on tax credits can be located here: Tax Credit Information The City of Decatur will fund the costs for the infrastructure for the property, and DHA will finance the development of the affordable housing. Guided by the components in the Housing Addendum, plans call for 132 family housing units in a two-phase development. The one-, two-, and three-bedroom units will be distributed among residential building ranging from duplexes to walk-up multiplexes situated around a common community center and greenspace. .
DHA was awarded tax credits for Phase I of the Village at Legacy in November 2022. The process is competitive and DHA contended with all the other private affordable housing developers in Georgia for an allocation of tax credits. DHA is currently preparing for the real estate closing for the property in the spring of 2023. The construction period will be approximately 18 months with the first housing being available for occupancy by low to moderate income families in late 2024 or early 2025.
DHA will file an application for tax credits for Phase II in May of 2023 to continue the project. Results of this competitive process are expected in October or November of 2023.