Bibb County releases survey to assess affordable housing. Is Macon affordable?

Macon Housing Authority is looking toward the future of affordable housing in Bibb County.

The housing authority released a survey earlier this month to assess housing needs in the community, the first of its kind for Macon.

Gregory L. Brown, planning director with the Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Commission, told The Telegraph in an email Tuesday that results of the survey will be used to direct policy and planning related to improving access to affordable housing.

“The results of the housing study will take into consideration areas of the community to focus on redevelopment opportunities and policy recommendations to incentivize redevelopment efforts, to assess the types of housing that are most in need to include affordable housing options, and the study will help to make informed housing decisions to better reflect the needs of current and future Macon-Bibb County residents,” Brown said.

The survey seeks to measure housing suitability, which is whether or not current housing options meet the needs of the community, and housing affordability, which refers to Macon-Bibb County residents’ ability to afford safe and adequate housing.

Additionally, survey results will help forecast housing needs through 2050, according to a news release announcing the survey.

The cost of housing in Macon has risen significantly

According to data from Redfin, a real estate brokerage service that collects data on housing markets across the nation, home prices in Macon have increased significantly in recent years.

The average price of a home was up by about 21% in July compared to July 2024. That’s far above the national average of 1.4%, according to Redfin’s data.

However, Macon housing prices are still lower than other places in Georgia and in the U.S. The median selling price for a home in Macon in July was around $220,000. The median sale price for a home in Georgia was about $360,000, according to the Georgia Association of Realtors, while Redfin’s data showed the national median was around $443,000.

The county has taken steps in recent years to tackle affordable housing. It created the Macon-Bibb County Affordable Housing Fund in 2023 using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. The affordable housing fund works closely with the Macon-Bibb County Land Bank Authority to renovate existing homes or build new houses to provide affordable housing options.

The data will be reviewed by a committee of stakeholders that include county officials and departments as well as community organizations and businesses such as United Way of Central Georgia, Atrium Health Navicent and Macon Area Habitat for Humanity.

Where can you take the survey?

All responses to the survey are anonymous. The survey can be taken online or through hard copies that can be picked up at City Hall, the Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning Commission office, and at the Washington Memorial Library.

The survey closes Aug. 18 at 5 p.m., according to the release.