Fulton County approves new affordable housing developments

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The Fulton County Board of Commissioners has approved funding for new affordable housing developments in Atlanta’s historic Vine City and English Avenue neighborhoods, with multiple projects slated for completion by the end of next year.

The housing initiatives are being launched in partnership with the Westside Future Fund and Invest Atlanta. The projects are funded in part by the Westside Tax Allocation District (TAD) Resurgens Grant Funds.

Fulton County Commissioner Dana Barrett, who sponsored the efforts, said the goal is to bring much-needed housing to the historic Westside communities. Barrett is also on the board of Invest Atlanta.

“We’re looking for projects when we go to approve them, that aren’t displacing legacy residents, that are providing affordability—and long-term affordability,” Barrett said. “Not something that’s going to be in place for 5 or 10 years.”

Construction is already underway on one of the projects: a new apartment complex located on James P. Brawley Street in Vine City. A groundbreaking was held in August.

The development will bring 18 affordable units to the community, with builders aiming to complete the project by the end of 2027.

There is another project approved to be built in Vine City, featuring 12 single-family homes to be constructed on Thurmund Street. The homes are expected to be finished by December 2027.

The homeownership project is designed to offer long-term financial security to local buyers through structured land trust agreements.

“For sale homes that are affordable and they’re long-term affordable,” Barrett said. “So, even if you buy the home, you can build some generational wealth. If you sell the home, it’s affordable for the next person through agreements with land trusts and things like that.”

Work is also scheduled to begin on a multifamily development in the English Avenue neighborhood. The project will be built on Paines Avenue at the site of a vacant church and its surrounding lot. The project has a completion date of 2027.

The newly approved developments will target families earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income.

The affordability and income-restriction covenants will remain in place for 20 years.

The push for affordable units comes as national housing metrics continue to squeeze buyers.

“Prices are up, gas prices are up, housing prices are up, anything we can do to try to take the edge off and make things more affordable for people — we’ve got to do it,” Barrett said, referencing the economic pressures facing local residents.

The rapid pace of development has generated mixed reactions from one longtime resident in the area.

“I’ve lived here for about 15 years,” said Vine City resident Anthony Greene. “I do think they’re packing a lot of people in an area that’s already complex. They’re not considering a lot of that. But, good. I think it’s great to have affordable [options] but I hope it really will be affordable.”