GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga.,None — Gwinnett County's top leader announced a new program Wednesday to rehabilitate neighborhoods hit hard by the foreclosure crisis.
Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Charlotte Nash introduced the program during the annual State of the County address.
She said while Gwinnett continues to grow and prosper, abandoned and blighted homes are bringing down neighborhoods across the area.
"We can't ignore our empty homes and businesses," Nash told a crowd at the Gwinnett Center.
Nash said for all of Gwinnett's successes, the foreclosure crisis is still looming large. She said she plans to tackle it head on.
"To combat decline in properties and neighborhoods, we need help from residents and from the private sector," she said.
Nash said the help will come through a new program called Operation Good Neighbor. She released very few details but said the program will call on nonprofits, businesses, the religious community, homeowner's associations and residents to address what the county cannot handle directly, and in some cases, what code enforcement can't keep up with.
Despite the foreclosures, there are some bright spots.
Nash highlighted half a dozen corporations that have expanded or relocated to the county in the last 12 months. Channel 2 Action News was at the groundbreaking for Mitsubishi Electric's Suwanee expansion in January.
Nash said those companies are part of the reason Gwinnett's unemployment rate has fallen 3 percentage points to 8.4 percent, the lowest level in metro Atlanta's five core counties.
Nash also discussed the county's need to scale back due to declining revenues. Despite that, she insists it is not the time to raise taxes.
Gwinnett takes on foreclosure crisis
This browser does not support the video element.