After successfully driving Mayor Andre Dickens’ initiative to enhance affordable housing development, Atlanta’s chief housing advisor, Josh Humphries, is set to leave his position for a new role with the California Community Foundation, where he will address housing challenges in Los Angeles.
Humphries’ departure comes at a critical juncture for Atlanta as a confluence of factors including institutional investments, derelict landlords, outdated zoning laws, gentrification, and stagnant wages have severely compromised affordable housing accessibility for many residents.
In a recent interview with Atlanta Civic Circle, Humphries expressed confidence in the strides the city has made during his tenure. He emphasized the establishment of a “well-oiled machine” composed of public and private sector partners working collaboratively to accelerate affordable housing construction, even as gentrification continues to escalate.
“Part of the reason I was even willing to consider leaving is because of what we built in the last three years,” he stated.
Humphries has been instrumental in leading the mayor’s Affordable Housing Strike Force, which aimed to streamline efforts across city agencies that possess land suitable for housing initiatives. This led to the formation of the Atlanta Urban Development Corporation, which seeks to partner with private developers to utilize city-owned land effectively.
Notable initiatives under Humphries’ direction include rapid rehousing programs for unsheltered individuals and the Safe and Secure Housing program, which enhanced the city’s code enforcement capabilities to hold negligent landlords accountable.
Throughout his tenure, he has collaborated closely with key figures such as Atlanta Housing CEO Terri Lee and City Planning Commissioner Jahnee Prince, along with HouseATL leader Natallie Keiser, to fulfill Dickens’ promise of adding 20,000 affordable housing units by 2030.
Humphries proudly noted, “Right now, we’re close to 12,000 units of housing either delivered or under construction in the last three years. And we have a system designed, and the right personnel, to continue that type of output.”
In an insightful conversation, Humphries provided context for the 20,000 unit goal, acknowledging that while this number is significant, it is not a complete solution to the housing crisis.
“Most cities and states across the country are asking that question: What do we do to address what has become a national crisis?” he remarked.
He highlighted that cities like Atlanta, once regarded as affordable havens, are now grappling with a chronic shortage of housing paired with wages that have not kept pace with rising housing costs.
Indeed, when Mayor Dickens took office, Atlanta was averaging the construction of about 1,500 to 1,700 housing units per year. To meet the ambitious goal of 2,500 units annually—the benchmark for reaching 20,000 units in eight years—the city faced significant challenges, particularly due to the reliance on federal funding to drive housing development.
In addressing this issue, Humphries remarked on the city’s efforts to explore and activate public land assets alongside innovative financing options, including housing bonds facilitated through partnerships with organizations like the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.
“Thanks to significant philanthropic donations, the nonprofit has provided over $120 million in initial financing to developers to build or renovate almost 5,000 affordable housing units in the last two years,” Humphries pointed out.
He emphasized his optimism regarding the long-term viability of their initiatives, indicating that the work underway allows for the potential to sustain affordable housing development far into the future.
However, the current political climate and looming budget cuts at the federal level cast uncertainty over the future of affordable housing funding. Humphries expressed concern that such unpredictability complicates not only the cost of capital but could also disrupt payment mechanisms essential to local governments and nonprofits.
“There are a lot of nuanced ways in which the federal uncertainty makes waves in the market,” he explained, emphasizing the historical reliance on federal support since the 1930s to prop up housing production.
While Atlanta’s innovative strategies cannot fully substitute for federal resources, Humphries remains hopeful that the groundwork laid over recent years positions the city favorably compared to others facing similar crises.
Affordable housing in Atlanta is defined as rentals priced for households making 80% or less of the area median income (AMI), which for a family of four equates to roughly $86,000. However, this still renders housing inaccessible for many.
When considering the city’s incentive arrangements with private developers, a critical question arises: How does the city determine the proportion of units priced at 80% AMI versus those targeted for lower income brackets like 50% AMI or below?
Humphries informed that over 70% of the created units are classified as affordable for households at or below 60% of AMI—essentially the majority of units contributing toward achieving the 20,000-unit measure.
He highlighted a concerning reality: approximately half of renters in Atlanta are cost-burdened, allocating at least 30% of their income to housing costs. As a result, even those within relatively higher income brackets are experiencing significant housing market pressures, which exacerbates the homelessness crisis.
This recognition of widespread housing stress leads to Atlanta’s mixed-income housing approach, designed to accommodate a range of economic needs. Humphries advised his successor, stating that the substantial gap in affordable unit development requires innovative strategies to effectively address these challenges.
The prevailing difficulty in increasing housing supply arises from the two distinct segments of the housing market: traditional multifamily developers, who construct luxury apartments primarily in upscale areas, and low-income tax-credit developers focused on workforce housing.
Meeting the need for affordable housing, particularly to bridge the gap from the current rate of 1,700 to the targeted 2,500 units per year, necessitates a shift in strategy, he explained. The priority often rests with market-rate developments due to profit maximization.
“We’ve got to be creative and build a new type of capital stack and bring true mixed-income housing into the equation,” Humphries urged, adding that developments must incorporate both affordable and market-rate units to achieve sustainability.
Navigating the complexities of financing presents one of the most significant challenges in pursuing mixed-income housing development, he noted. The existing financial ecosystem often favors either exclusively affordable or entirely market-rate projects, making it difficult to venture into a model that integrates both.
If Humphries could eliminate the housing crisis instantaneously, he shared that the solution wouldn’t simply entail improving zoning codes for housing.
“I don’t think there’s a single panacea. Sure, you could create the ideal zoning code optimized to build housing. You still have to have the banks finance the deals,” he explained.
He pointed out discrepancies where local zoning regulations do not mandate parking provisions, yet banks continue to require them as part of the financing arrangements. This represents a critical disconnect between zoning policies and financial institutions.
Ultimately, he emphasized the need for a collaborative team of professionals dedicated to innovative problem-solving. Improvements to zoning codes, while beneficial, must be paired with increased public sector and philanthropic funding to facilitate greater access to affordable housing in Atlanta.
Additionally, he voiced the necessity for a reliable, recurring revenue source dedicated to affordable housing that the city can allocate effectively, urging that this may require a voter referendum for robust support.
As the conversation also veered toward the sky-high rental rates and the backlog of over 25,000 people awaiting federal housing vouchers through Atlanta Housing, Humphries reiterated the ongoing strain of federal dependency.
He closed by addressing the urgent need for a local allocation substantial enough to effectively support low-income renters—highlighting that without a solid foundation, the pursuit of affordable housing would continue to face significant hurdles.
image source from：atlantaciviccircle
