Government Can Be Part of the Solution, Not Just More Paperwork
- The Georgia Brand Company
- Oct 1
- 1 min read
I saw the recent OnlineAthens piece about using rental homes as a pathway to ownership. That is the kind of idea we need more of in Athens.

Homebuliding Policies Like These Are Consistent With What Kris Ward Wants for Athens
We need more starter homes that working families can actually afford. To get there, we have to make it easier for developers to break ground and start building moderately priced homes. Government should be a partner in making that happen, not another barrier.
Here are a few things we should be looking at:
Express permitting that fast tracks housing projects meeting affordability goals
Bond-backed financing programs that reduce risk for developers who are building for working families
Land banking where the city holds property for projects that commit to affordability
If we do this right, more Athenians will be able to buy homes instead of getting stuck in high-rent cycles. Our neighborhoods will stay diverse and our families will have a chance to put down roots.
This is the kind of action I want to see more of. Not lip service, not endless studies, but real tools that help people. That's why Kris Ward for Athens exists. To push great ideas like this into policy.. and policy into action.