The Georgia Ports Authority made a historic investment in 2023 with its $6 million investment in the Savannah Affordable Housing Fund.
GPA provided an update this week on the work done through its investment. This installment of On Our Radar brings the updates. Additionally, registration for the Savannah Children’s Choir’s 2026-2027 season is now open. Learn how to register here.
If you have neighborhood updates, organization events, or news tips you think could be of service to Savannahians, send them to elasseter@usatodayco.com. Also reach out if there are stories here you would like to know more about. Deadline for the On Our Radar series will be the end of day each Friday.
Master Plan
GPA housing efforts
GPA’s investment in the SAHF has already impacted 230 Savannah-area families through home repair, purchasing assistance or new construction since the launch of the authority’s Workforce Housing Initiative in September 2023.
“Affordable housing is essential to building and retaining the workforce that keeps Georgia’s economy moving,” said Georgia Ports CEO Griff Lynch. “GPA is excited about its commitment to improving housing options for our neighbors and workforce. We encourage other employers to join us to help address our community’s affordable workforce housing needs.”
The authority’s program has committed over $2 million to housing since its launch and targeted those improvements in near-port neighborhoods. The breakdown of assistance supported by the investment includes 139 owner-occupied home repairs, 44 home purchases and 23 new construction projects, the press release said.
The home purchases are supported by affordable loans through the City of Savannah’s DreamMaker program for down payments, closing costs and financing gaps.
“GPA’s investment provides critical capital that allows us to preserve existing homes, help families achieve homeownership and leverage additional resources for affordable housing,” said Anita Smith-Dixon, executive director of the Community Housing Services Agency, the organization that helps administer the SAHF. “That partnership expands our ability to make a lasting difference for families and neighborhoods.”
GPA’s initiative was launched through the $6 million investment in the SAHF, an investment that is spread across eight years. The port-funded improvements specifically focus on the neighborhoods around the Port of Savannah’s Garden City Terminal and Ocean Terminal.
The program also supports port workers, “linking workforce retention with housing affordability” the press release said.
Savannah Children's Choir registration
Children ages four through 16 can now register for the Savannah Children's Choir.
The SCC will allow young singers to explore a variety of musical traditions including Gullah music, Appalachian folk music and jazz, according to a press release announcing the opening of registration.
"At the Savannah Children's Choir, we want every young person to discover not only what their voice can do musically, but what they can achieve when they come together as an ensemble," said John Tisbert, executive & artistic airector of the Savannah Children's Choir, in the press release. "Music teaches focus, listening, and teamwork, and those lessons stay with our singers long after they leave rehearsal."
Tisbert has more than 40 years of experience and guided young musicians to nationally recognized performances, including at the historic Carnegie Hall, the press release said. Anyone interested in registration can do so at the choir's website.
Evan Lasseter is the City of Savannah and Chatham County government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at ELasseter@savannahnow.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Georgia Ports touts progress on housing investments
