MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — Some people in Monroe County say the community needs housing as it continues to grow.
Now, the county is working on their five-year development plan to keep up with growth.
The plan covers several areas including land use, transportation, and broadband with five additional initiatives of economic development, natural and cultural resources, community facilities and services, public safety and health, and houses.
The plan says that Monroe County businesses need more workers, and its workers need places to live.
Madison Brown lives in Warner Robins but works in Forsyth. Although she’s comfortable with the drive, she says she'd move if there were more living options
“If they did build more affordable ones, I'd be definitely looking to move up here, so it will be closer, and I do like the area -- you know, small town vibes.”
Even though Monroe County is referred to as "bedroom community," Linda Walker says they are running out of rooms.
“We're a small town, but it's growing, and we need to catch up with what’s going on,” Walker said.
Walker has lived in Forsyth for 30 years. She says as the city grows, it’s been hard for her family to reconnect.
“My daughter, she wanted to move back home and she was looking for an apartment to get herself situated so she could eventually buy her home, and it was very hard,” she adds.
Joe Black with the Middle Georgia Regional Commission says the plan allows the county to prepare for the growth ahead, so having conversations surrounding housing will allow them to properly manage it.
“There was also a discussion about, how do we encourage more housing developments across, for all incomes. That way, teachers and firefighters and public servants have access to homes as well as families where they are both working,” he adds.
They also are considering how housing affects public health.
“We heard a lot about blighted property, so they want to be prepared to make sure there are steps the governments can do to make sure that they don’t get super-dilapidated or continue to pose threat to public health,” Black adds.
And Walker was on board.
“I think that would be great, Forsyth would really benefit from it,” she says.
The county's 2022 vision statement says they are committed to cultivating a small-town feel where all people are safe, embrace diversity, and experience an excellent quality of life.