ATLANTA – State Representative Penny Houston (R-Nashville) was recently appointed by Camila Knowles, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), to serve as a member of the Rural Revitalization Task Force. This task force will work with DCA to draft rules and regulations to accompany the designation of revitalization zones and the implementation of a tax incentive program for rural Georgia downtowns.
“I’m thrilled to serve on this task force to continue my work on House Bill 73 to revive Georgia’s rural downtowns,” said Rep. Houston. “Unlike Georgia’s urban and suburban areas, our state’s rural communities face a number of unique challenges, and rural businesses are especially impacted by these challenges. HB 73 will provide a much needed economic boost to Georgia’s struggling downtowns, and I look forward to serving on the Rural Revitalization Task Force to assist DCA in implementing this necessary program.”
Sponsored by Rep. Houston during the 2017 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal, House Bill 73 will provide tax credits designed to promote the revitalization of rural downtowns. The legislation will offer tax credits for business owners within a revitalization zone, rehabilitation projects and investors who acquire and develop property within a revitalization zone. The commissioners of the Department of Community Affairs and the Department of Economic Development will work in conjunction to designate vacant rural downtown areas as revitalization zones and administer the program to approved areas.
For more information on HB 73, please click here.
Representative Penny Houston represents the citizens of District 170, which includes all of Berrien and Cook counties and portions of Tift County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 1997, and is currently the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development. She also serves on the Banks & Banking, Budget & Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Economic Development & Tourism, and Ways & Means committees.
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