Written By Dyana Bagby Reporter, Atlanta Business Chronicle, Atlanta Business Chronicle
The city of Savannah wants to boost its technology industry so much so that it is willing to pay people to move there.
The Savannah Economic Development Authority announced this week it would pay qualified technology workers $2,000 to those willing to move to Georgia’s oldest city located just a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean. As teleworking becomes part of the new normal due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there could now be a battle to attract a workforce that can work from anywhere.
“This incentive is a great way for technology workers that can work remotely to think about relocating to Savannah as a permanent location. We know once these technology workers arrive, Savannah – and its diverse offerings and high quality of life – will sell itself,” said SEDA President and CEO Trip Tollison in a news release.
The new Technology Workforce Incentive reimburses individual moving expenses up to $2,000 for qualified technology workers currently located outside of Savannah. SEDA will allocate funds for the incentive, opening it up for 50 people to apply by the end of 2020. The $2,000 reimbursement would cover expenses such as moving service charges, vehicle rental, utility deposits and gasoline, according to the news release.
To qualify, applicants must have at least three years of verifiable experience, must relocate to Chatham County with a minimum one-year lease or purchase property and must have resided in the county for 30 days before applying for the incentive, according to SEDA. Applicants must also provide receipts from their move, have a Georgia driver’s license and a Chatham County address.
Savannah was recently named a Logistics Technology Corridor by the General Assembly. The most famous logistics technology corridor is Silicon Valley in California. Such corridors are designed to activate economic development by creating a cluster of tech companies in a region and focus workforce development in the specific area.
Read the full article here: https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2020/06/11/savannah-pay-tech-workers-to-move-city.html
