Where and how we build housing is directly tied to land and resource consumption. That’s why Georgia Conservancy is approaching our state’s housing challenges through the lens of land and water conservation.
Through a new housing study for the City of Waycross and Ware County, Georgia Conservancy is helping local leaders better understand housing needs and development and conservation opportunities.
In July, Georgia Conservancy hosted a community symposium in Waycross to connect with residents and decision-makers to discuss their concerns and their hopes for the future. While presenting our findings, we gathered feedback, answered questions, and gained a better understanding of the community’s wants and needs.
The timing is critical: incoming economic development projects and population growth are straining the area’s housing supply. In addition to a shortage of available homes, residents have diverse and evolving needs, including workforce housing and options for seniors and young professionals. Georgia Conservancy’s role is to address these needs through practical, context-sensitive strategies.
Ware County also includes portions of the beloved Okefenokee Swamp, one of Georgia’s most treasured natural landscapes. The Okefenokee recently received UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, and national and international attention is increasing, with the potential to boost tourism and draw visitors eager to experience its unique beauty.
While nature-based tourism offers meaningful economic opportunities, it also highlights the need for proactive planning. A growing visitor economy can create jobs in hospitality and recreation, and those workers need attainable, quality housing. Thoughtful housing development can strengthen both local communities and the natural landscapes that define them.
The Waycross and Ware County Housing Study follows Georgia Conservancy’s recently completed housing assessment for the City of Cornelia in northeast Georgia’s Habersham County. It is one of thirteen community housing studies that we’ve facilitated across Georgia.
