Ribbon Cutting Held at New Gwinnett Homeowner Resource Center 

Gwinnett Housing Corporation (GHC) has opened Gwinnett County’s first Homeowner Resource Center. To aid in its development, GHC was proud to partner with Norcross’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to facilitate the building acquisition at 128 Lawrenceville Street in Norcross. The nonprofit also partnered with HomeAid Atlanta and Lennar to renovate the building. 

With its sights set on officially opening the center’s doors to the public in July 2023, GHC hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site on June 5. 

“The Norcross City Council and Staff, Downtown Development Authority and I are all honored that our city is the birthplace of this first-of-its-kind offering for families in need in Gwinnett,” said Mayor Craig Newton. “As a Place to Imagine, Norcross offers the ideal setting for aspiring homebuyers not only to imagine but realize their dreams of homeownership.”

Other local leaders in attendance included Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson; Gwinnett County Commissioner Kirkland Carden; City of Lawrenceville Mayor David Still and Council Members Marlene Crawford Taylor, Victoria Jones and Austin Thompson; City of Norcross Council Members Matt Myers and Josh Bare; and City of Norcross DDA Members Lauren Summers, Will Shipley and Jim Eyre. Martha Revello of Senator Raphael Warnock’s office and Kyra Reed of Congresswoman Lucy McBath’s office were also present.

The event opened with an address from GHC CEO Lejla Prljaca about the growing housing crisis. During her speech, Prljaca highlighted partners that will collaboratively work to ensure that more low-to-moderate-income residents in Gwinnett will have the opportunity to become homeowners. The Center and its partners will also provide resources to low-to-moderate-income homeowners in Gwinnett to help them retain ownership of their current homes. 

Through the Gwinnett Homeowner Resource Center, the GHC will provide programming in cooperation with other partner organizations, which include Habitat Gwinnett, Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, Inc. (ANDP), Money Management International, Catholic Charities, Community Sustainability Enterprise, the Gwinnett County Housing Department and Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA). Programs will include housing counseling, referrals for down payment assistance, access to non-profit developers, lenders, owner-occupied rehabilitation and home modification activities.

“We are very excited to offer this important resource to support Gwinnett families and preserve homeownership rates in Gwinnett County,” said Prljaca. “First-time home buyers are facing tremendous challenges today. …We are truly thankful to Norcross DDA and all of our partners for working with us to make this center a reality.”  

GHC also provides access to affordable rental housing, transitional housing and shelter assistance. Learn more about the Gwinnett Housing Corporation at GwinnettHousing.org.