Lyons, UGA Partner In Community Project

On Monday, May 23, and Tuesday, May 24, students from the University of Georgia’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program will be in the City of Lyons collecting information about housing and neighborhood conditions.

“This information will aid the City in future community development planning efforts and may assist with future applications for aid from the federal government,” said Lyons city Manager Jason Hall.

Residents may see teams of two students walking through city neighborhoods entering information on smartphones. The students will wear safety vests and UGA shirts for visibility. The teams will collect information from the street or sidewalk. The student teams will not knock on doors and will not have direct questions for residents. Students will provide the City with the data and a summary presentation when the project is complete.

“We look forward to this opportunity to work with the City of Lyons,” said Dr. Eric Zeemering, Associate Professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy. “Our students come from across the state, and spending time in Lyons will help them better understand how communities in our state use data to make decisions about reinvestment and community improvements.”

Lyons Mayor Willis D. NeSmith Jr. said, “The City Council is excited about the data that the University will help us collect. The community needs quality housing, and the information we gather can be used to obtain funding for improvements.”