Perry City Council approves support for Commodore Manor apartment extension, renovation

PERRY — An apartment complex in Perry may get a spruce-up. At the recent city council meeting, Mayor Randall Walker and the council approved support for the expansion of Commodore Manor Apartments, located at 1603 Macon Road. 

The expansion includes adding eight units and rehabilitating 53 rental units.

The request was made by In-Fill Housing, a nonprofit affiliate of the Macon-Bibb Housing Authority. The organization was created in 2001 to deliver affordable housing to low and moderate-income citizens in Macon-Bibb County and nearby communities. 

Jamion Nash, representing the authority, made the presentation during the city’s work session on Monday. He requested the city provide a letter of support to pursue low-income housing tax credits through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. 

According to council documents, Commodore Manor is a longstanding affordable housing community serving residents since 1986. 

Nash said the authority is addressing a statewide housing crisis, and since it has made a significant impact in Macon, it decided to continue that impact in other areas. The expansion will be funded by the USDA, a rural development agency and program, according to Nash.

He said the current apartments are outdated and have poor-quality infrastructure. With the renovations, they hope to upgrade both the interior and exterior of the units. 

According to Nash, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,100 per month, and for a two-bedroom, it is about $1,300 to $1,400 per month. Their goal is to maintain the Commodore Manor’s more affordable rate: $650 for a one-bedroom and $850 for a two-bedroom. 

“The overarching goal is to not only improve the quality of the housing but keep the rent affordable for the current residents and the new residents that may come with the growth of Perry,” he said. 

Nash expects the renovations to be completed in 12 to 18 months. While construction is underway, current residents will be relocated to either local hotels or another unit on the property. Nash shared that they anticipate residents being displaced for about two to six weeks. 

The new units would be close to Macon Road, which caused concern for Councilmembers Dan Peterson and Amy Fouse. Nash later clarified that the buildings would not be close to the roadway and would provide an updated rendering to give the mayor and council a better idea. 

Peterson mentioned that the road has heavy traffic, which Fouse agreed with. She also noted that the apartments are in close proximity to Perry High School and could pose a problem for students who walk to school. She also shared concerns about displacing families, which could also cause problems in school transportation. 

During the regular council meeting on Tuesday, the proposal was approved unanimously. 

Mayor and Council will hold their pre-council meeting at 5 p.m. and the regular council meeting at 6 p.m. on April 21. Everyone is invited to attend, and the agenda is available here. Both meetings are also livestreamed on YouTube.