‘Crucial’ agreement puts Yamacraw Residents Council on board for village demolition

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The Housing Authority of Savannah and the Yamacraw Village Residents Council signed an agreement Thursday on a plan to demolish and rebuild Yamacraw Village, one of Savannah’s oldest villages.

The agreement includes a plan to help relocate current residents and a plan for the village’s future that is in writing.

Talks began after demolition plan announced

The housing authority had a plan to demolish Yamacraw Village for years. Since the announcement, residents and advocates have asked what the project looks like, said Opollo Johnson, a Yamacraw Village advocate.

Members of the village residents council and the housing authority started talking soon after. The residents council initially were not on board with the plan.

Korey Lundin, a senior attorney with the National Housing Law Project, said the housing authority first had only a demolition plan.

“Initially the housing authority only had a plan to demolish Yamacraw, but not a clear plan in writing to redevelop Yamacraw,” Lundin said.

This agreement dealt with that redevelopment plan, offering affordable housing and relocation assistance.

Written assurances

Johnson, who has attended housing authority meetings, said it was important to get the assurance on paper rather than only as a promise.

“With this administration, it’s a roll of the dice,” Johnson said.

“Once the die is cast, it’s hard to then put the genie back in the bottle or the toothpaste back in the tube, right,” Johnson said.

“Their asks are being met, the things we have been sitting in and advocating for and being loud about are on paper where they can sign and be agreed to,” Johnson said.

Affordable housing units

Relocation was not the residents council’s only concern. Another concern was where residents will move back into. The housing authority has promised at least 100 affordable, income-based housing units for residents to move back into.

WTOC asked about the affordability aspect, given Yamacraw’s placement next to the heart of downtown Savannah.

“Yeah it can be difficult but there are various programs,” Lightbourne said.

Lundin said the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development can help through the federal Rental Assistance Demonstration.

“That will convert the public housing in Yamacraw to project-based vouchers for project-based rental assistance, which will mean that the housing is subsidized by the federal government,” Lundin said.

Relocation support

Specialists will help residents with relocation, cover moving expenses and offer vouchers to some residents.

Lightbourne said this is to put the residents first in this process, which she says has been the Housing Authority of Savannah’s primary concern.

Demolition has not started

None of the demolition has started. The housing authority said it is waiting to hear back from HUD on a request it sent in December 2025.

The housing authority hopes the agreement with the residents council will help speed up that process and allow demolition and reconstruction to be completed sooner.