ATLANTA — Editors note: The video above is from May, when Mayor Andre Dickens updated Atlanta on the pothole posse
Mayor Andre Dickens activated his Affordable Housing Strike Force and announced the city would invest $58.7 million in housing development, preventing evictions and addressing homelessness Wednesday.
The affordable housing strike force and the investment fall within the mayor’s goal to build or preserve 20,000 affordable units within eight years.
According to a city of Atlanta press release. The $58.7 million towards housing is one of the city’s largest-ever single-year housing investments,
Dickens Affordable Housing Strike Force comprises leaders from across government and the nonprofit sector.
According to Dickens' press release, the strike force will " collaborate across their respective organizations to prioritize development projects based on shared goals, jointly identify the needs and obstacles to development, and coordinate planning, funding and infrastructure investments across agencies."
Both the mayor's task force and the investment are Mayor Dickens' efforts to break down barriers to developing and preserving affordable homes in Atlanta.
“Housing is foundational to a community’s health, and simply put, Atlanta doesn’t have enough of it,” said Mayor Dickens. “Since day one of my Administration, the development and preservation of affordable housing has been at the top of our agenda, and the steps we are taking today will rocket us forward. Atlantans deserve access to high-quality homes that they can afford."
Dickens administration is currently in the process of bringing those funds in towards affordable housing and homelessness initiatives. Dickens' press release outlines the following initiatives that will receive those funds.
- $22.5 million in emergency rental assistance, newly secured from the Federal government by the Dickens Administration;
- $9.1 million to support the relocation of residents from the Forest Cove Apartments, sourced through American Rescue Plan funds redesignated by the Mayor;
- $6.2 million in homelessness assistance, sourced through American Rescue Plan funds redesignated by the Mayor; and
- $20.9 million was activated to develop affordable housing through the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.