GICH Senior Year Applications Now Open

Applications for the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) Senior Year program are now available. GICH Senior Year is available to all GICH certified alumni. This program is an advancement of the education and planning of the traditional GICH program by bringing technical assistance and training directly to participating communities.  GICH Seniors will receive tailored technical assistance from DCA staff and other subject matter experts to achieve advanced housing planning that delivers transformative results for local communities. GICH Senior Year focuses specifically on neighborhoods. Participating communities will designate a target neighborhood for technical assistance and investments.  

The GICH Senior Year has three key program elements:

• Neighborhood focus: Participants will narrow in on one target area within the GICH community geography. The program benefits will apply in this specific area, and the strategy will focus on development of a place-based strategy.
• DCA education: DCA will provide program education tailor-made to help the communities’ specific needs. Participating communities are expected to participate in discussions related to these programs and how they can benefit the target neighborhood.
• Technical assistance and subject matter expert facilitation: Participants will work with external technical assistance providers and/or third-party subject matter experts, as planned and provided by DCA, to develop their neighborhood strategy. These external partners will help the participants plan for housing with a focus on community building and provide both general and particular advice to accomplish the community’s plan for the target investment area.

Applicants are expected to provide:

• GICH alumni certified status  
• Proof of application to LIHTC, CHIP, or CDBG  
• Team roster  
• Current housing plan  
• Community narrative  
• GICH Senior Year plan  
• Map of the target neighborhood  
• Detailed list of the applicants housing programs  
• Detailed list of partner organizations  

GICH will host a virtual webinar on Friday, February 20th at 10:00 a.m. Join the webinar here.

Applications will be due on April 10, 2026, and can be accessed here. Please reach out to Austin Chancy at [email protected] with any questions.