Selma Housing Authority gets community input on revitalization of GWC Homes area

The Selma Housing Authority hosted the first of at least four meetings to gather community input about revitalizing George Washington Carver Homes and the surrounding neighborhood. 

The SHA has been awarded a $500,000 Choice Planning Grant from HUD to devise a plan for the revitalization work. SHA hired Clesia Ventures out of Atlanta, which specializes in planning and redevelopment of public housing and neighborhoods. 

A draft of the Transformation Plan must be submitted to HUD by March 2025 and the final plan by September 2025. SHA President and CEO Kennard Randolph said that if the Transformation Plan is done properly, it could lead to a $50 million Implementation Grant to actually do the work. That revitalization could include homes, businesses and even parks. 

“This Choice Planning Grant is a tremendous opportunity for not only the Housing Authority GWC residents, but the broader community in terms of revitalization,” Clesia Ventures owner Damon Duncan said. 

Duncan explained to the residents who attended the first meeting at Selma High School Oct. 29 that at this point they want to learn what the people who live in the area want for their neighborhood. 

Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. said Selma needs housing. “The strategy for the city is housing, infrastructure and economic development,” Perkins said. “Housing is part of this, and it’s not limited to GWC. It’s the entire neighborhood area connected to GWC, and that’s huge.” 

Perkins said they want to get as many people as possible involved in the planning process. His advice to the community is, “think big, think bigger, think the biggest we can be. Let’sdon’t plan to be small.” 

Randolph said revitalizing GWC and the neighborhood has been part of his vision. He said the planning is for the whole community. 

“We want to be sure we are not only connecting resources for housing, but also giving community stakeholders a chance to give their feedback,” Randolph said. 

Duncan told the crowd that the next steps include more focus group meetings and more in-depth gatherings for community input. The next meetings will be after the first of the year. 

Clesia Ventures has recently finished a similar project in Montgomery and one in Fort Wayne, Indiana.