Athens Land Trust says recapturing $125,000 in ARPA housing funds would jeopardize five homes under construction

At the agenda-setting meeting on Feb. 17, the commission considered staff recommendations to recapture unspent ARPA funds from several programs. The largest single contested item was a staff recommendation to recapture $125,000 previously advanced to the Athens Land Trust for construction of 10 permanently affordable homes.

Demetrius Jordan, executive director of Athens Land Trust, told the commission the organization has completed five of the homes and has five more under construction on Hawthorne Extension. He said the organization’s 2026 timeline projects three homes finished by April 30 and two more by Aug. 31, and argued that recapturing $125,000 now ‘‘introduces risk’’ and would slow or jeopardize construction. ‘‘A $125,000 recapture at this stage does not reduce risk. It introduces it,’’ Jordan said.

Staff explained their recommendation was based on a cost analysis tied to an advance payment that has not yet been substantiated by matching expenditures; staff said they will conduct a three-month review in March to re-evaluate expenditures and that recapture recommendations are intended to free funds for reallocation before the federal spending deadline for ARPA funds. Commissioners said they will review staff’s March update and that recapture decisions can be altered by the commission.

Several commissioners expressed support for allowing the Land Trust more time, citing earlier contract and administrative delays that slowed expenditure timelines. Commissioner Thornton and others asked staff to consider the circumstances of delayed contract execution before recapture. Staff said they will re-run the expenditure analysis in March and return with updated recommendations.

Next step: The commission will receive a March update and can accept, modify or reject staff recapture recommendations then. No recapture vote was recorded at the agenda-setting meeting.