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City of Pembroke selected to join GICH Senior Year Program
Pembroke city seal

The City of Pembroke has announced that the city has been selected to participate in the 2026 Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) Senior Year Program, alongside Canton. Pembroke was selected through a competitive application process, making the city 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 the city secure funding towards 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 its participation in the GICH Senior Year Program, Pembroke hopes to: _ Receivetechnicalguidanceonheirs’ property resolution strategies.

_ Learnaboutnewtoolstohelpproperty owners with rehabilitation and reconstruction.

_ Developtoolstocreateacentralized housing resource system.

_ Strengthenstrategiesforleveraging funding across CHIP, CDBG, and LIHTC.

_ Identifyscalablehousingmodels 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,” city officials wrote in a press release.

To learn more about GICH, visit the City of Pembroke website or stop by City Hall to speak with officials at“Coffee and Conversations” on Monday, July 20th.