Q: Can you describe the push for housing development in the area, and subsequently the changes we are seeing around town?
A: This housing push has been several years in the making, and certainly not something that has happened overnight. When we speak of economic development and bringing in new industry, the issue of available housing is an important variable. Companies consider the availability of housing when they look at Rome as a potential landing spot.
Our previous mayor, Craig McDaniel, put together a special committee on housing after hearing the outcry of our citizens about the shortage of available housing. Right now, we have numerous teachers and healthcare workers commuting to Rome from out of town because they are unable to find adequate and/or available housing in our city. Every week, our population nearly doubles Monday through Friday.
People come to Rome to work at our healthcare facilities, schools, etc. and to attend one of our institutions of higher education. Many of these commuters face upwards of a 30–45 minute drive each way. Hopefully, as new single-family homes, apartment complexes, etc. are built, commuters will be able to work, live, and spend their money here in Rome.
Rome has a lot of new development activities happening right now. There is a substantial revitalization project happening in South Rome. South Rome Alliance is helping our community answer the call for the need for more affordable housing. When the word affordable is used, it doesn’t always mean subsidized.
The South Meadows project is mainly workforce affordable housing. The South Rome Alliance is an example of people working together. While receiving input from different voices in the South Rome neighborhoods, public and private entities are joining forces to create the South Meadows community.
In West Rome, we have several new projects in various stages of development. Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Big Dan’s car wash are examples of new retail development in West Rome. North Rome will soon be home to The Varsity, an iconic Georgia restaurant. In East Rome, the Northwest Georgia Housing Authority is near completion of a new 80-family housing development. Upgrades to several of our parks are on the horizon. The moral behind these stories is that success is much easier to obtain when we are willing to work together.