Columbus, Ga (WRBL) – Hosting an open house event can be very stressful. Sellers have to make sure every little detail has to be right to make sure the home is appealing for a potential buyer. However the brand new homes in “Elliott’s Walk” won’t lose their shine anytime soon.

“Wow! I mean you know I come from a real estate background and what these folks have accomplished in this short period of time is nothing short of amazing,” said Mayor of Columbus Skip Henderson.

Elliott’s Walk is a brand new affordable housing neighborhood just off of Victory Drive in Columbus. The first phase of Elliott’s Walk is complete with 20 new homes built in just 12 months. This neighborhood was a dream of the late Hal Averett, a home builder who believed this was a mission from God to build houses like this for families that need it. Everyone involved in this project stayed true to this dream. Cathy Williams, NeighborWorks Columbus Inc. President and CEO, says these new homes are going to the people Hal would have wanted to live in them.

“There is no inventory in these homes. These are brand new, minimum three bedroom and two bath homes, 80 percent of these homes went to moderate and low income families. That’s incredible,” said Cathy Williams.

Elliott’s Walk is not only just a neighborhood for moderate to low-income families, there’s also an economic impact on this part of the Fountain City.

“The dream is becoming a reality. Not just in building the houses here but also in the effect it’s having in the community and that was in the master plan,” said Jimmy Elder, a pastor at First Baptist Church.

This master plan executed because of a unique partnership between the City of Columbus government, First Baptist Church, Columbus NeighborWorks Inc., private businesses and so much more. Cathy Williams described it as a “public, private, for profit, not for profit, faith based collaborative.”

Elliott’s Walk is proof that when all of those different entities come together an incredible project like neighborhood is possible, and Mayor Henderson hopes to see this happen again.

“To see a church come together with a charitable organization to all work together and try to make this a reality. It’s amazing. Let’s do it again,” said Mayor Henderson.

Others have said while this is Hal’s dream, he described it as God’s dream that was placed in him. In what could be considered a sign from above, there are some homes built on the intersection of “Hals Way” and “Providence Lane”. It’s a way to honor Hal’s mission along with his faith.

“To be able to say it’s on the intersection of Hal and Providence. It goes from dream to what God blesses and makes a reality,” said Elder.

Phase 1 of Elliott’s Way is complete and all 20 homes have been sold. Williams says construction on phase 2 is already underway and their goal is to build another 23 to 35 houses.