Andrew Mattie SVP, Engineering | realtors.com
Atlanta is advancing its affordable housing initiatives with a plan aimed at creating 20,000 homes by 2030. Mayor Andre Dickens committed to this goal during his campaign and has since made strides in achieving it. More than 3,000 affordable units have been established, and nearly 5,000 are under development since 2022.
The city's efforts target residents most in need, including legacy residents, low-income households, and the unhoused population. In May 2022, Dickens launched the Affordable Housing Strike Force comprising leaders from various sectors such as housing, education, and transportation. The group advanced 40 public land projects last year alone.
Under the Strike Force's guidance, the Atlanta Urban Development Corporation (AUD) was formed to identify publicly owned properties for development partnerships with private developers. This initiative aims to address Atlanta's housing affordability issues. Although the median house list price in Atlanta is $375,000—below the national median of $449,000—it remains unaffordable for many residents whose area median income is $86,000 for a family of four.
Dan Immergluck of Georgia State University noted that families earning less than this amount struggle to afford housing in many parts of metro Atlanta. According to Fox 5, an income of $115,430 is needed to afford a home in the city.
The AUD model prioritizes long-term affordability and public control over assets through public land development. A notable success story involves the redevelopment of city-owned land in Thomasville Heights. The blighted Forest Cove Apartments were demolished after legal battles with Ohio-based Millennia Housing Management. The site will be transformed into affordable rentals and homeownership units alongside new community facilities.
Bruce Katz from Drexel University's Nowak Metro Finance Lab praised Atlanta's approach as a potential model for other cities nationwide. Another project involved repurposing city-owned land previously used for storing trash cans into a space for redevelopment.
In an innovative move downtown, a fire department agreed to allow housing units above its facility in exchange for renovations. This project is expected to be completed by 2025.
Josh Humphries, senior policy adviser on housing for Mayor Dickens, emphasized that these efforts reflect better use of available land resources.
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