ATLANTA CITY DESIGN Housing
The past, present, and potential future of zoning and its impact on housing
“Our city is growing, and we can leverage that growth to be a better city that is more equitable, inclusive and accessible to live in. Atlanta City Design Housing outlines ways this growth can be designed specifically for Atlanta’s landscape, distinctive physical characteristics and unique neighborhoods. ”
Atlanta City Design Housing: Proposed Policies
City of Atlanta ordinances that advance the goals of Atlanta City Design Housing (ACD Housing) are now moving forward. These ordinances were introduced at the Atlanta City Council meeting on July 6, 2021. They include policies to create more affordable housing options near transit, lower housing production costs and car dependency, and create more housing options at a variety of price points throughout the city.
Following NPU review and comment in August and September 2021, substitute ordinances were proposed that incorporate community feedback. These substitute ordinance can be viewed below.
View the substitute text amendment ordinance (21-O-0456) here and a fact sheet here. This ordinance relates to all three policy areas. View a redlined version of ordinance 21-O-0456 here, which shows the proposed changes to the ordinance since its introduction.
View the substitute proactive rezoning amendment ordinance (21-O-0454) here, the substitute CDP amendment ordinance (21-O-0455) here and a fact sheet here. These two ordinances relate to the “affordable housing near transit proposed policy.”
All 25 Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs) voted on the text amendment ordinance (21-O-0456) at their October 2021 monthly meetings.
NPUs did NOT vote on the proactive rezoning (21-O-0454) and CDP amendment (21-O-0455) ordinances in October. Additional time is needed to work through specific elements of these two ordinances with individual neighborhoods before moving forward with a vote at NPUs.
Learn more about these proposals and get involved below.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEAR TRANSIT
More affordable housing options near transit
Remove residential parking minimums
Lowering housing production costs and car dependency
CREATE MORE FLEXIBLE ADU OPTIONS
More housing options and flexibility at a variety of price points
Get Involved!
If you’re interested in ACD Housing and its policy interventions, it’s critical that attend your Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) and have your voice heard!
Click the button below for information on how to attend the 2023 NPU monthly meetings and other engagement events where participants discussed and voted on ACD housing legislation.
We want to engage as many residents as possible on these important proposals. We need your help in getting word out about the project. Share it with your friends and tell them why you think this is important!
Op-Eds & Interviews
Amir Farokhi, Atlanta City Councilmember in Saporta Reort
Interview with Josh Humphries, Atlanta’s Office of Housing and Community Development
Kandice Mitchell, Enterprise Community Partners in Saporta Report
Jim Durrett, Buckhead Coalition and the Buckhead CID & Tim Keane, Planning Commissioner in Saporta Report
Tim Keane, Planning Commissioner & Terri Lee, Atlanta Housing Authority in the AJC
Kendra Taylor, Department of City Planning
Bruce Gunter and Joel Dixon in Saporta Report
Interview with Tim Keane, Planning Commissioner in Atlanta Civic Circle
Sally Flocks, PEDS (Pedestrians Educating Drivers on Safety) in Saporta Report
Maria Saporta in Saporta Report
Atlanta City Design Housing: StoryMap
ACD Housing was released in fall 2020 as an online StoryMap. The project explores how zoning and land-use policy has shaped the city’s design, the impact this has on residents, and why it is critical to act now to make the city’s design work better for everyone. It followed more than two years of research, analysis and community engagement on some of the most pressing issues facing the city’s present and future – its housing affordability, equity and accessibility challenges.
ACD Housing proposes policy-based, locally-driven solutions to address these challenges. These proposals seek to implement key elements of the One Atlanta Housing Affordability Action Plan, a cross-agency strategy being advanced by the City of Atlanta, Atlanta Housing, Invest Atlanta, Metro Atlanta Land Bank, Atlanta BeltLine, and many partners.
Over the last decade the City of Atlanta has seen a significant increase in population. The City’s population topped 500,000 for the first time in 2019 and the trend is only expected to continue. To ensure that this growth does not negatively impact our ability to provide affordable housing, thoughtful and targeted intervention is needed to ensure housing affordability, inclusive neighborhoods and a more resilient city.
Explore our timeline of engagement for Atlanta City Design Housing
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