The City of Athens and the Athens Economic Development Corporation earned Merit Recognition for their submissions in the Economic Development Council (TEDC) annual Community Economic Development Awards (CEDA) for 2024.
Awards were presented at the Award Luncheon at the TEDC’s Annual Conference in Addison last month.
The Community Economic Development Award program recognizes exceptional contributions of TEDC member cities toward the economic vitality of their communities and the state of Texas through creativity, leadership, and partnership in the achievement of business retention, business recruitment and community improvement.
The submission from the City of Athens featured the Athens Reserve: Affordable Housing Initiative, a project in partnership with Wallace Ventures that addresses a critical housing shortage. This initiative repurposes the long-abandoned Quality Inn motel into a modern, affordable housing complex with 122 studio apartments, providing much-needed housing for the local workforce. Supported by a Chapter 380 economic development agreement, the Athens Reserve project transforms a vacant property while enhancing the surrounding area. Applications for the first units opened in August 2024, with full completion expected by early 2025, marking a significant step in local revitalization and economic stability.
The submission from the Athens Economic Development Corporation highlighted the Athens Cares: Childcare Workforce Initiative, a collaborative program with the City of Athens and Champions for Children. Launched to address a critical shortage of childcare workers affecting local families and businesses, the initiative recruits and trains new childcare educators while providing ongoing professional development for existing staff. Approved by the AEDC Board in February 2024, the program has already seen its first graduates placed in the workforce, enhancing local childcare capacity and economic stability. The initiative serves as a model for other Texas communities facing similar workforce challenges.
“Our Community Economic Development Award is one of the ways in which our organization honors the excellent work done by our communities, their leaders, and their economic development professionals,” said Carlton Schwab, President & CEO, Texas Economic Development Council. “Each community nominated achieved excellence in economic development and substantially improved the economic base of their respective regions. The recipient communities in each population category were recognized for extraordinary accomplishments in meeting the criteria set forth in the nomination process.”