About DASH

DASH for LaGrange (Dependable, Affordable, Sustainable Housing) formed in 2002 to address growing concerns of inadequate housing in this west Georgia town near the Chattahoochee River. Founding of the nonprofit corporation came on the heels of a joint report by the City of LaGrange, the Callaway Foundation and LaGrange College that named affordable housing a priority issue in this city of 25,000 residents, where out of 11,000 units of housing, almost 3,000 were found lacking in terms of construction and safety.

DASH began purchasing properties in 2003, paying as little as $18,000 for some. With the City of LaGrange granting redevelopment authority to the nonprofit and working alongside it to improve infrastructure, DASH started rebuilding aging houses and selling them, often to first-time homeowners.

To date, DASH for LaGrange has attracted and reinvested $25 million in capital. DASH channels all proceeds from home sales into a revolving fund to continue the cycle of rehabilitating and building more homes.

Along with building structures, DASH builds up people by providing homeownership opportunities via the DASH Homeownership Center, which works closely with buyers before, during and after home sales. More than 1,000 clients have been served through the Center with more than 62,000 hours of credit counseling and education.