The City of Pembroke is proud to announce that our community has been selected to participate in the 2026 Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) Senior Year Program, alongside the City of Canton. Pembroke was selected through a competitive application process, making us one of only two GICH alumni communities chosen for this opportunity.
The GICH Senior Year Program is a two-year initiative administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). Its purpose is to provide targeted investments and advanced technical assistance to help participating communities implement their local housing plans and address long-term housing needs.
Through the Senior Year Program, DCA works to braid together multiple housing and community development resources, giving selected communities a stronger competitive advantage for funding opportunities such as the Community Home Investment Program (CHIP), Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). Participants also receive specialized guidance from DCA staff and housing experts on strategies to strengthen local housing initiatives.
Pembroke first joined GICH in 2013. Since then, participation in the program has helped position our community to secure funding that supported projects such as Ash Branch Manor, Saw Mill Landing, and the construction of eight affordable owner-occupied homes.
As part of the Senior Year Program, Pembroke selected one of its four voting districts as its focus neighborhood. District 1, located south of the railroad tracks and west of South Main Street, was identified in the City's 2024 Housing Study as having a higher concentration of housing-related needs. While this neighborhood will serve as the initial focus area, the City intends to develop strategies, partnerships, and resources that can ultimately benefit residents throughout Pembroke.
Through our participation in the GICH Senior Year Program, Pembroke hopes to:
Receive technical guidance on heirs' property resolution strategies.
Learn about new tools to help property owners with rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Develop tools to create a centralized housing resource system.
Strengthen strategies for leveraging funding across CHIP, CDBG, and LIHTC.
Identify scalable housing models that work for small communities with limited staff capacity.
The City of Pembroke is honored to be selected for this opportunity and looks forward to working with DCA and its partners to continue expanding safe, affordable, and sustainable housing opportunities for our community.
To learn more about GICH and how the past 12 years of participation in the program have helped bring an estimated $99 million in grants and investments to Pembroke, visit the city website or join us at our next Coffee & Conversation.