Selma receives $1 million grant for affordable housing initiative after 2023 tornado

The City of Selma has received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support an affordable housing initiative for those who were affected by the tornado of January 2023. 

The grant is a result of a partnership of Auburn University’s Rural Studio Front Porch Initiative with with the City of Selma Planning and Development Department, Selma Housing Authority, Black Belt Community Foundation, Auburn University Outreach and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES).

“Bringing together partners from across the state and region to work with the city in addressing the housing shortage will help position Selma for a strong future and respond to growth opportunities,” Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr., said.

Funds are being matched from Regions Bank, Wells Fargo, Auburn University’s Office of the Provost, University Outreach, ACES and the College of Architecture, Design and Construction.

“This grant is an important starting point to create a network of supporters who are invested in long-term planning for the City of Selma,” said Auburn President Christopher B. Roberts.

“This collaboration across Auburn’s campus and with local, state and national partners will help address the immediate crisis caused by significant storm damage, as well as more persistent challenges in the city.” 

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Also supporting the effort is the Front Porch Initiative, which is an extension of Rural Studio’s place-based housing research. 

“We are excited to work in partnership with Selma to address critical housing needs,” said Mackenzie Stagg, project lead and Front Porch Initiative research faculty. “We believe that increasing equitable access to high-performance homes is key to community resilience."

"We strive to provide resources and increase capacity to underserved and overburdened communities throughout the Southeast, but having the opportunity to work in our home state and in important communities such as Selma is an honor.”   

Additionally, University Outreach will work with the partnership on community engagement with assistance from Dallas County Extension representatives that will lead workshops on finance and home ownership. 

“The impact of this project will be far-reaching, not only for Selma but as the catalyst for supporting other communities who may face similar challenges in the future,” said Hollie Cost, assistant vice president for University Outreach and Public Service. “We are honored to work with such a dynamic network of partners.”

“The Front Porch Initiative advances our shared goals of alleviating housing disparities by focusing on affordability, accessibility and recovery, but also celebrates the importance of partnerships to small rural communities impacted by disaster and disadvantage," said Selma Planning and Development Director Danielle Wooten.