If a few months of being stuck in the city has had you thinking about relocating to a less densely populated area, Savannah, GA, may be the place for you. The Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) just announced a workforce incentive program, which will reimburse qualified tech workers up to $2,000 to relocate to Savannah, GA. The program is intended to boost the local tech scene by taking advantage of the COVID-19 situation that promotes remote work.
According to SEDA President and CEO Trip Tollison, “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.”
Applicants must have at least three years of experience, relocate to Chatham County with a minimum one-year lease or purchase property, and must have lived in the county for 30 days before applying to the program. The $2,000 is meant to help cover moving expenses.
Jen Bonnet, the vice president of innovation and entrepreneurship at SEDA, told Smart Cities Dive, “I don’t want you to move here for the money, I want you to move here because you love it. I’m counting on some people reconsidering living in very, very large metropolitan areas and hoping that an area like Savannah — with the very high quality of life, lower cost of living, an art scene and walkable streets, bikeable streets, a really cool history — will attract some of these workers.”
SEDA will accept up to 50 workers to the program through the end of 2020.