Paces, Gainesville Housing Authority break ground on 100-unit senior community

Paces Preservation Partners and the Gainesville Housing Authority kicked off construction on Lakeside at Harrison Village, a 100-unit affordable apartment community for seniors in Gainesville, Georgia, on Aug. 19. The project uses tax-exempt bond financing and is slated to welcome residents in 2027.

Why it matters: - Lakeside at Harrison Village adds 100 affordable apartments for adults 55 and older in a fast-growing Gainesville metro area. - The project targets seniors earning at or below 80% of area median income. - Sixty-five apartments will be priced at roughly 30% of residents’ adjusted income for rent and utilities. - The remaining units will be priced under federal housing income limits, with expected monthly costs of $1,000 to $1,500.

What happened: - Paces Preservation Partners and the City of Gainesville Housing Authority held a groundbreaking ceremony for Lakeside at Harrison Village on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. - The event marked the start of construction on the four-story affordable senior community in Gainesville, Georgia. - The development is a public-private partnership involving state and local government agencies, nonprofits and private businesses.

The details: - Financing comes from tax-exempt bonds allocated by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and issued by the City of Gainesville Housing Authority. - Additional financing partners include BWE, JPMorgan Chase and U.S. Bank. - Paces Preservation Partners is a partnership between the nonprofit Paces Foundation and Soho Housing Partners. - The partnership works with local housing authorities to redevelop public housing. - The development will include indoor spaces for connection and engagement, plus outdoor areas designed to support an active lifestyle. - The apartments are planned as one- and two-bedroom homes for seniors. - Beth Brown, executive director of the Gainesville Housing Authority, said the project addresses a pressing need for modern affordable housing for seniors in the Gainesville metro area. - Steve Bien, president of Soho Housing Partners, said residents are expected to move in in 2027.

Between the lines: - The project reflects a broader strategy to pair affordable senior housing with public financing and private capital. - The design emphasis on shared indoor and outdoor spaces suggests the development is aimed at both affordability and resident connection. - Steven Bauhan, chief development officer of The Paces Foundation, said locating senior and family communities side by side can strengthen neighborhood stability and continuity.

What's next: - Construction is now underway at the Harrison Drive site. - Developers expect to open the community and begin welcoming residents in 2027. - The Gainesville Housing Authority said it expects to have secured more than $220 million in investments by the end of 2027, supporting 439 new affordable apartment homes in the city. - Gainesville Housing has also issued bonds enabling the development or preservation of 616 apartments to date.

The bottom line: - Lakeside at Harrison Village is a sizable bet on senior affordability in Gainesville, combining government-backed bond financing, private lenders and nonprofit housing expertise.