Housing Authority Picks Gorman for Yamacraw Rebuild
The Savannah board selected Gorman and Company as preferred partner to redevelop the aging Yamacraw Village complex.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in City Hall
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The Housing Authority of Savannah board voted Tuesday to select Gorman and Company as its preferred development partner for Yamacraw Village, authorizing negotiations on a proposed development agreement. The plan calls for demolishing 315 existing units and replacing them with at least 100 income-based affordable housing units.
Why it matters
Mayor Van Johnson said the aging units no longer meet the needs of many families, citing small rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and limited parking and playground space. Any proposed agreement must return to the board for review and approval before it can be signed.
The board selected Gorman and Company from 14 submissions after an evaluation committee reviewed firms' experience, financial capabilities and redevelopment approaches. A 2023 assessment found more than $51 million in needed repairs at the 315-unit complex, while the plan calls for at least 100 replacement affordable units.
The players
Housing Authority of Savannah
The local public agency that owns and operates Yamacraw Village and oversees affordable housing in Savannah.
Gorman and Company
A developer selected as preferred partner to redevelop the Yamacraw Village complex.
Van Johnson
The mayor of Savannah who publicly described the aging units as no longer meeting the needs of many families.
The details
An evaluation committee visited developer properties before recommending Gorman. The housing authority will provide relocation help to the 62 people currently living at the complex, including moving expenses, security and utility deposits, and transportation, and eligible families will have the opportunity to return once the new development is complete.
Timeline
2023: An assessment found more than $51 million in needed repairs at Yamacraw Village.
Tuesday (prior to November 10, 2026): The Housing Authority of Savannah board voted to select Gorman and Company.
Roadmap
Public housing authorities nationally have increasingly turned to private developers to rebuild aging complexes, often replacing a larger number of units with a smaller set of new affordable ones. The Yamacraw plan, which replaces 315 units with at least 100, follows that model while leaving the final terms to negotiation.
Residents of Yamacraw Village will need to relocate during redevelopment, with the housing authority offering help with moving expenses, deposits and transportation. Eligible families will have the opportunity to return once the new development is complete.
The takeaway
Residents facing relocation should track the housing authority's negotiations and board votes, since the final agreement is not yet signed and its terms on phasing and financing will shape when families can return.
What happens next
Negotiations on the proposed development agreement covering strategy, construction phases, financing, budgets and resident engagement are expected to continue, and the agreement must return to the board for approval before signing.
Further reading
For the latest on local housing and development decisions, see City Hall coverage for Savannah.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC 22 - WJCL Savannah.
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