MACON, Ga. — "Under new management" and "leasing" signs sit outside the Madison on Mercer apartments.
Six years ago, a federal housing agency pulled its Section 8 tenants from the Macon Gardens due to mold, plumbing problems, insects, and more.
New property manager Patrice Jordan says they're completely renovating all the units. She says they'll be leasing one-bedroom apartments now, and then two- and three-bedroom apartments will follow.
Longtime Macon resident Ivory Courts says new ownership and affordable housing in west Macon is a good thing.
"Someone sees that there's some hope, that maybe they can do something different that the other owners of the complex didn't do, but evidently, they see some potential," he says.
Courts is a manager at Cotton Avenue Clothiers on Mercer University Drive. He says he's seen the area change drastically.
"There are great people in west Macon, then you have bad people and, sometimes, it only takes about one or two bad things to happen, then it just makes the whole area look bad."
Courts says he hopes the people moving in can help change that narrative.
"The people who's gonna move there, they can understand they can shop closer, and they can utilize the stores and the businesses we have in this area, so that would be a great opportunity," he says.
In total, the property manager says there will be 133 units. It will be a combination of conventional and Section 8 housing.
The official ribbon cutting for the Madison on Mercer apartments is Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be held at the site of the complex at 3601 Mercer University Drive.
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