Georgia Real Estate & Relocation Guide

Gainesville, Georgia

Population: 31,107

Located in Hall County

The City of Gainesville remains financially sound operating on a fiscal year budget. In cooperation with the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and other community organizations, the City has been aggressively recruiting new industry to the area while at the same time working with existing industry to encourage expansion, growth, and diversification.
 
Gainesville has received many titles over the years because of its' location
and because of its' people. The most notable are Queen City of the Mountains
and the Poultry Capital. The city¹s most recent designation came during 1996
when the City served as host for the 1996 Olympic Rowing/Kayaking Venue. An
NBC broadcaster called Gainesville, "Hospitality Capital of the World." The
people here are proud of their location and proud of their heritage.
 
There is much to see and do in this little corner of the world. Tourism in
Gainesville-Hall County is a $247.3 million industry.
 
Gainsville¹s most endearing qualities include: good infrastructure; close
proximity to Atlanta; transportation (rail, air, and I-85); Lake Lanier; and
seven industrial parks. Back in the 70s, Gainesville city leaders recognized
the importance of economic diversification and put Gainesville on the right
path. Today, the city¹s economic base ranges from family farms to Fortune
500 companies. Gainesville's housing market has been strong for many years
as more and more articles promote the city as a wonderful place to live and
raise a family. Gainsville offers its residents clean water, safe streets,
recreational opportunities and affordable housing.
 
Located on the shores of Lake Lanier and at the foothills of the Blue Ridge
Mountains, this City of Excellence is the economic center of Northeast
Georgia. The City of Gainesville, county seat of Hall County, is located in
Northeast Georgia, approximately 50 miles northeast of Atlanta and 100 miles
southwest of Greenville, South Carolina. Gainesville is the largest of six
cities in Hall County with a population of 165,771. The City's population is
31,107. As the business hub for Northeast Georgia, Gainesville's daytime
population is estimated in excess of 100,000.
 
The Gainesville Non-Profit Development Foundation, Inc., established by the
City in 1971, developed and marketed several subdivisions to help meet the
needs of affordable housing. In addition, the Foundation offers down-payment
assistance for new homeowners, deferred-payment loans, a lease-purchase
program, and has moved and rehabilitated donated houses for purchase by
low-and moderate-income families. Since the Main Street Program was
established in 1995, housing rehabilitation in the surrounding in-town
neighborhoods, together with upper-story housing in the downtown business
district, is adding new residential life to the center city and is providing
a stabilizing influence on property values, community pride and crime. The
total housing units in Gainesville stand at 8,912. The number is comprised
of 4,565 detached homes and 4,347 multi-family homes. Since Gainesville is
surrounded on three sides by Lake Lanier, the proximity to schools, parks,
shopping and medical facilities is very favorable.
 
The Gainesville City School system is a Georgia Charter System and has
received numerous accolades in the past few years. The system is made up of
five elementary schools, one high school and one middle school with
approximately 6000 students. The system is organized around an 'academy'
framework while teaching the basic Georgia curriculum.  A cooperative
partnership with Gainesville Middle School Science classes is to monitor and
test a creek that runs through three parks, and to test the ecosystem of the
creek as well as a program with Elachee Nature Science Center, which
provides training and educational opportunities for adults and youth.
Gainesville is also home to Gainesville State College and University, Brenau
University, Lanier Technical College, Riverside Military Academy and several
private schools.
 
To keep everything green and lush, the organization Friends of Gainesville
Parks and Greenways was incorporated to work hand-in-hand with the
Gainesville Parks and Recreation Department for the preservation and renewal
of a three-park corridor, making it an environmentally healthy green space
and an educational/recreational resource to enhance the quality of life for
all citizens.
 
The city¹s parks and recreation department operates and maintains 80
facilities including: 15 parks with over 400 acres, 13 picnic shelters, 13
playgrounds, 16 tennis courts, three multi-purpose courts, a football
stadium, a five-field softball complex, two little league baseball fields,
two public boat launching ramps, two girls¹ softball fields, the Frances
Meadows Aquatic and Community Center, the Gainesville Civic Center, and the
Olympic Rowing, Canoe/Kayak Center. Gainesville Parks and Recreation had a
banner year in 2008 in terms of the implementation of its extensive Vision
2014 Strategic Plan while continuing to offer outstanding and award-winning
programs and services. Gainesville Parks and Recreation continues its
commitment to play a major role in the health and well-being of area
residents. Increased health and fitness opportunities and promotion of the
benefits of participation in recreation were evident as more than 35,000
adults and children participated in fitness, aquatic and athletic programs.
With the recent opening of the Frances Meadows Aquatic and Community Center,
area residents have access to year-round swimming and expanded wellness
programs. More than 2,000 children who registered for summer camps were
physically active an average of 25 hours per week or 40 percent of the time
spent in at the facility.
 
Public safety is a priority for the City of Gainesville. The Gainesville
Police Department - 103 officers strong - is both nationally and state
accredited. The Department operates community policing precincts at the mall
and at several public housing communities in addition to the main
department. The precincts have been in place for more than 10 years and
report a 50 percent reduction in criminal activity.
 
This year, the City of Gainsville is celebrating the 9th session of the
Gainesville Citizens' Government Academy, which is a 10-week course designed
to inform citizens on city services and is hosted each week by a different
city department. The class is made up of a diverse group of 25-30 citizens
annually, and has provided unmatched positive publicity for the city based
on word of mouth.
 
The City is also a partner with the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce¹s
Vision 2030 Plan which is designed to identify the citizens¹ vision for
long-term goals and plans for the community, resulting in five major
categories: create a culture of community wellness, support and sustain
life-long learning; build an economy around emerging life sciences;
encourage innovative growth and infrastructure development; and promote
cultural integration.
 
Gainesville is recognized statewide as a City of Excellence, Trendsetter
City, and City of Ethics. Accolades are nice, but at the end of the day, the
citizens of Gainseville remain most committed to providing a wonderful city
for the 35,000 residents who call Gainesville home and the more than 150,000
who do business here each day.
 
For more information on Gainesville, visit www.gainesville.org/default.asp