UPDATE (6/30/26): Due to requirements of the ACC charter, the vote to select Envision Athens has been overturned. All purchases beyond a certain threshold require a request for proposals (RFP) process unless seven of ten commissioners agree to waive this requirement. In this case, only six commissioners were in favor of it. Therefore, ACC Manager Robert Cowell, Jr. informed the commission on June 26 that he will direct staff to put out an RFP so that any agency that wishes can request to run Athens’ affordable housing trust fund. The RFP process may take the remainder of the year before a final selection is made.
The ACC Commission has selected Envision Athens to manage the county’s affordable housing trust fund in a split 5-4 vote.
Envision Athens is a nonprofit focusing on community issues like mental health, workforce development and food security. While housing is one of its focus areas, the group does not work directly to provide housing in the community. That’s a good thing, according to LEH Consulting Group, the firm that recommended Envision Athens to administer the housing fund. That’s because housing providers would have a conflict of interest, since they might want to apply for some of the fund’s money for their own organizations.
LEH Consulting, which has experience setting up similar housing funds in communities across Georgia, also advised against keeping the fund entirely within the local government where it might run up against the state’s gratuities clause. This constitutional provision prohibits local governments in Georgia from directly handing over public assets to individuals without adequate payment or a clear public purpose.
LEH Consulting considered three other organizations to administer the fund which were disqualified for different reasons. For example, the Athens Housing Authority has a conflict of interest, First American Bank’s for-profit mission is not aligned with the fund’s purpose and the Athens Area Community Foundation had “capacity and readiness constraints,” according to LEH Consulting who interviewed the staff. Therefore, only Envision Athens remained as a viable option.
However, there could be other organizations in the community who are ready and able to administer the housing fund. At last week’s meeting, Taylor proposed putting out a formal request for proposals so that the selection of an administrator could be made in a more open and competitive manner.
“We get a pretty bad rap when it comes to transparency,” Commissioner Tiffany Taylor said. “This is a way for us to open the door for other organizations who feel that they are also ready [to manage the fund]. If not, we can come back to awarding it to Envision Athens.”
Commissioners Ovita Thornton and Carol Myers also spoke in favor of a more competitive process, but Commissioner Mike Hamby made a counter-motion to award the administrator position directly to Envision Athens. He did so because a request for proposals would delay implementation of the affordable housing fund by about a year, which Hamby argued was valuable time that shouldn’t be squandered.
“It’s a one-year allocation to this group [Envision Athens] who will help us get set up and get the ball rolling,” Hamby said. “We don’t have time to waste. It’s a one-time expense in this budget – if it doesn’t work, we’ll get somebody else next year.”
Taylor, Fisher, Myers and Thornton voted against Hamby’s motion, which passed 5-4. Commissioner Stephanie Johnson was absent.
As a result, Envision Athens will receive $373,952 for operational costs related to the planning, launch and implementation of the affordable housing trust fund, with First American Bank and Trust as a fiscal partner. While the fund will need continued contributions from the local government to reach its full potential, the expectation is that it will eventually become self-sustaining by charging fees, collecting interest payments and leveraging private donations. Local housing funds typically are able to leverage $8 for every dollar of public investment, according to ACC’s affordable housing investment strategy.
Envision Athens will need to restructure and phase out its current work in order to take on these new responsibilities. Sally Kimel-Sheppard, the executive director of Envision Athens, told APN that her organization’s current efforts will be continued by its nonprofit partners like the Athens Homeless Coalition. She also said that her organization will move forward on this important project in a spirit of collaboration with the community.
“I look forward to listening to the direction provided by those who live in Athens and those who do work around housing in Athens, as we develop what will work best for Athens. This is a time for us to be innovative on how we decide to use this funding,” Kimel-Sheppard told APN.
You can contact Kimel-Sheppard at sally@envisionathens.com.
ACC staff anticipate that the local housing fund will launch in early 2027.
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