Five new single-family homes are coming to a single block of Villa Esta Avenue, replacing abandoned and blighted property and structures and completely changing this quiet street that runs along the side of Bruce Elementary School.

The most traffic you’ll see on this street off Houston Avenue is at the start and finish of school as parents queue up to drop off and pick up their children, and before a few months ago, their view would be of houses falling in on themselves. Houses with windows missing and doors hanging ajar, trees and weeds growing up along the sides and through sections of them.

In the past few weeks though, parents have been watching something else happen: construction, revitalization, and rejuvenation. And soon, instead of a mostly abandoned stretch of road, there will be life again. People will occupy that space, sitting on porches, enjoying each other’s company, and watching children play in the area.

The new homes come thanks to Macon-Bibb County, the Affordable Housing Fund, the Land Bank Authority, and Stafford Construction working together to identify the property, remove the blighted structures, find a contractor to do the work, and build homes that will fill truly improve the neighborhood.

“This is about creating opportunities for families while continuing to build up neighborhoods that deserve investment and attention,” said Mayor Lester Miller.

“One thing about being a part of a project such as this one is the immediate impact that is has upon a family’s life,” said Kesia Stafford with Stafford Construction, who detailed the level of care and detail that is going into the houses’ construction to make sure it is of high quality. A bonus with these houses is that when the homeowner becomes qualified, they will be able to choose the finishes on the house. “They become invested in the house from the very start” and make it their home.

“In terms of building the homes, it’s an incredibly important part of what we’re doing here, but beyond that, we are looking to build connections with the community,” says Natalie Bouyette, Executive Director of the Affordable Housing Fund.

The involved groups, Bruce Elementary School leadership, 100 Black Men of Middle Georgia, city leaders, and more gathered on May 12 to celebrate the construction and recognize what the new homes will mean to families and the neighborhood. They held a frame signing ceremony when people left inspirational phrases and quotes and words of encouragement on the wooden frame. Those words will forever be part of the homes and the families’ futures. To watch the ceremony click here.

“Community work is not just about programs and projects, it’s also about people, places, and purpose,” Neighborhood Coordinator Jerry Battle told the group. “Today, we’re not just recognizing five new homes, we’re celebrating what these new homes represent. They represent stability, hope, and a foundation for stronger families and stronger neighborhoods.”

Speaking at the event was also County Manager Dr. Keith Moffett representing the 100 Black Men, a group who has adopted Bruce Elementary the past several years and is also a Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) program partner. They work with children and teachers on classroom learning, experiences outside of the classroom, and leveraging community resources to provide any needed support.

“One of the things we talk about [with the students] with empowerment and wealth is having a home, having a place to live, not just stay,” said Dr. Moffett.

Stafford is moving quickly on this construction, recognizing the sooner they finish, the sooner a family can move into their new home. From week to week, progress is very evident on each of the houses, so when children return to Bruce in August for a new school year, it will be a completely different street. Parents will have a very different view as they wait in the carpool line.

And soon, maybe some children will be living in the houses, able to just walk across the street to their school.

About the Houston Avenue Revitalization

The construction along Villa Esta is part of a broader effort to strengthen the neighborhood around Houston Avenue through significant public investment. This includes using voter-approved SPLOST funds to create the nearby Cliffview Park and Frankie E. Lewis Park, which includes a playground, pavilion, trail, and basketball courts…and replacing several blighted structures that were there previously. There have also been several miles of road repaved as part of the county-wide Paving the Way program.

Macon-Bibb allocated $250,000 in ARPA funding to support a new healthcare facility, First Choice Primary Care, which provides affordable primary care and pharmacy services to uninsured and underinsured patients.

An additional $500,000 in ARP funds – which was matched by the Peyton Anderson Foundation – was provided to Habitat for Humanity to take the newly created empty lots in nearby Lynmore Estates, build new homes, and help families become strong homeowners. The mortgage payments from those homes will create a revolving fund that would help build new homes for many years to come.

“We must be purposeful and intentional about strengthening our neighborhoods, and I’m proud of the work being done here along Houston Avenue to remove the blight and begin building it all back up,” says Mayor Miller, pointing out that more than 150 blighted and dangerous structures have been removed from the Houston Avenue area since the Blight Fight began in 2021.

About the Macon-Bibb County Affordable Housing Fund

The Macon-Bibb County Affordable Housing Fund partners with public and private developers to expand and preserve affordable housing, strengthen neighborhoods, and support homeownership for Macon-Bibb County residents making 120% area median income or less.

The Affordable Housing Fund was originally created and funded with a $7.5 million investment by Macon-Bibb County from the American Rescue Plan Act to be used as a match for other funding sources to create more affordable housing for people and families. It is part of a larger initiative involving multiple organizations, including NewTown Macon, Historic Macon Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Knight Foundation, and Peyton Anderson Foundation. All total, nearly $12 million has been invested by Macon-Bibb County to help create affordable housing.