Atlanta opens 57 new affordable housing units on the westside
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Two affordable housing developments have opened in Atlanta's English Avenue neighborhood. Photo: Kristal Dixon/Axios
Atlanta leaders and housing advocates cut the ribbon last week on two new affordable housing projects in the English Avenue neighborhood.
Why it matters: The newest 57 units mark another step toward Mayor Andre Dickens' goal to build or preserve 20,000 affordable housing units by 2030.
Driving the news: The projects — 839 Joseph E. Boone Blvd. and 646 Echo St. — will be available to families making 30% to 80% of the annual median income.
- For a family of four, that ranges from $34,260 to $91,360.
Zoom in: The Boone project has 33 affordable units above ground-floor retail space that can accommodate three businesses while Echo Street includes 24 units.
- The layout ranges from studio apartments to three-bedroom units.
What they're saying: John Ahmann, president and CEO of the Westside Future Fund, which developed the apartment units, said Friday that both projects were built on vacant and blighted property.
- Ahmann also said the projects represent a $16.4 million investment.
- City Councilman Byron Amos, who represents the neighborhood, said the projects "are a shining example of what happens when we choose restoration over displacement."
- "Developments like these represent more than just new buildings," he said. "They represent stability, dignity and commitment to making sure longtime residents can remain and thrive in our neighborhoods as they help build them."
Context: The two projects stem from the Westside Land Use Framework, a development guide compiled with the help of residents who provided input on how to sustain equity as the neighborhood grows.
The big picture: Dickens said his administration has been chipping away at his 20,000 affordable housing unit goal "57 units at a time."
- 13,000 of those units are built or under construction, the mayor said.
- Dickens said 100 units are expected in the immediate pipeline.
- The mayor didn't specify which development, but is most likely referring to The Beacon on Cooper, another rapid housing project under construction in the Mechanicsville neighborhood.
- The first phase of that project includes 100 supportive housing units. The second phase includes 70 townhomes that will be a mix of market-rate and affordable units.
- "The city plays a role when we rely on strong partnerships to get things done," he said. "Atlanta can only become a city of opportunity for all when every neighborhood gets its turn."