ATLANTA — In a landmark event, Atlanta city officials and housing advocates convened for the inaugural State of Atlanta Housing on April 15, signaling a renewed commitment to addressing the affordable housing crisis in the city.
Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta Housing CEO Terri Lee expressed their optimism regarding the future of affordable housing, emphasizing a collaborative approach to support low-income residents.
With the Atlanta Housing Agency being one of the largest housing authorities in the United States, the agency is dedicated to providing vital resources for residents in need.
“We are working very hard to make sure that people transitioning out of homelessness have safe, dignified homes to build their lives in,” Lee stated, underlining the agency’s goal to address the growing homelessness crisis.
Recent statistics reveal that in 2024, around 2,867 individuals in Atlanta experienced homelessness, marking a 7 percent increase from the previous year.
In response, the Housing Authority is actively pursuing a 2022 strategic plan aimed at creating or preserving 10,000 affordable housing units by 2027. Lee announced that they have achieved 67 percent of this commitment thus far and, in collaboration with Dickens, they aspire to increase the target to 20,000 units by 2030.
Dickens remarked, “This has never been just about hitting targets. It has always been about people, families in Atlanta just trying to gain their foot trying to find their place in the promise of the American dream.”
Currently, the Atlanta Housing Authority serves approximately 27,000 low-income households, affecting around 45,000 individuals in the region.
During the address, the mayor raised concerns about potential implications of federal funding cuts on ongoing and future housing initiatives.
“The economy shifts, market moves, prices go up, tariffs affect the cost of goods, but our focus cannot change,” Dickens said, emphasizing the importance of consistent support.
Addressing the critical funding needs, CEO Lee pointed out that nearly 98 percent of the Housing Authority’s budget derives from federal sources, making the reliance on these funds particularly significant.
“By the end of this year, we would have committed more than $270 million from our precious federal funding,” Lee noted.
She highlighted that a few months ago, the agency received a memo indicating potential funding cutbacks, which later was rescinded, illustrating both vulnerability and opportunity in their funding landscape.
“Now more than ever, we need strategic, committed, local and national partnerships ready to lock arms with us and invest in Atlanta’s future,” Lee emphasized, calling for increased private sector engagement in developing affordable housing options in underserved areas.
During the meeting, Lee detailed the remarkable progress made over the past year, stating, “In 2024, we closed 12 real estate transactions more than the previous three years combined,” which led to the delivery of over 3,200 affordable housing units.
The agency is currently advancing 21 projects that are either in construction or nearing lease-up phases. Lee announced expectations to secure financing for six additional projects in the upcoming quarter, which will create over 600 units of affordable housing, backed by a significant investment of $180 million from Atlanta Housing.
These initiatives include the redevelopment of the Atlanta Civic Center into a mixed-use neighborhood, along with other development projects in Mechanicsville, Vine City, and the Westside.
The Civic Center transformation aims to incorporate rental housing, senior housing, a hotel, office space, and retail areas, intending to revitalize key areas such as Downtown, Midtown, and the Old Fourth Ward with completion of some elements projected by summer 2026.
As mid-April approaches, the Housing Authority has activated over 248 acres of previously vacant public housing sites, including the full-scale redevelopment of Bowen Homes in the Carey Park neighborhood, set to deliver 2,000 homes within a mixed-income community framework.
Additionally, Atlanta Housing is advancing into phase two of Englewood South in southeast Atlanta, which will present 200 multi-family units, along with 22,000 square feet of retail space and 100 Atlanta Housing-assisted units.
Looking ahead, in fiscal year 2026, the authority is poised to focus on expanding resident services, enhancing financial education, providing aging-in-place options for seniors, and developing youth programs in collaboration with educational institutions for over 17,000 children residing in Atlanta Housing communities.
Ultimately, officials reiterated that the endeavor for affordable housing in Atlanta is a collective effort, entreating the community to join the fight.
“We want your home to help to prepare you for the future,” Dickens concluded, emphasizing shared responsibility in shaping the city’s housing landscape.
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