Housing and Neighborhoods

Building a stronger community, one home at a time.

Housing determines so much about our future. Where we live often decides where our children’s schooling, as well as our sense of safety, access to healthcare, available employment and more.

In Atlanta, home values are rising faster than wages. Nearly 72% of Atlanta households spend more than 45% of their yearly income on housing and transportation, leaving fewer funds for other critical needs. Rent costs for a one-bedroom apartment have risen 50% since 2014, outpacing wage growth and leaving even less disposable income. How can we build a stronger region if many people in lower paying but important professions — like teachers, nurses and firefighters — cannot afford to live here?

Atlanta also faces a severe housing shortage due to limited financial resources and a lack of collaboration between sectors. There is no quick fix. Solving this complex issue and affecting real structural change will require dedication among all parties.

Safe, stable and affordable homes are central to building stronger communities. An investment in affordable housing means better health, education and economic opportunities for Atlantans. Together with our donors and partners, and supported by long-term systems change, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta is committed to creating affordable housing to solve one of our region’s greatest challenges.

Housing and Neighborhoods Fact Sheet

The Community Foundation’s housing work is grounded in three areas:

Policy

System change requires continuous involvement at all levels of government in addition to small grants to policy-focused organizations which can work toward transformative change.

Programs

From residential-based afterschool programs to initiatives focused on promoting homeownership, programming dedicated to helping people and families with housing needs is critical.

Production

Solving the rapidly growing housing problem in Atlanta relies on a collaborative solution leveraging private, public and philanthropic partner funds to produce significantly more affordable housing.

Our impact

PARTNERS

$0
million

IN CASH AND LEVERAGED VALUE

NEW OR PRESERVED HOMES

What is affordable housing?

Both homeowners and renters are advised to spend no more than 30% of their income on housing. Sarah Kirsch, our managing director of Housing Funds, discusses housing affordability and the current cost burdens felt by many of our neighbors around the region.

Did you know?

Metro Atlanta is 132,000 units short of affordable rental units, according to estimates by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. And nearly half of all Georgia residents spend more than 30% of their monthly income on rent.
The homeownership gap between Black and white households has reached 26.9%, the highest it has been in more than 50 years. As of 2021, the rate of Black homeownership was 48.7% while the white homeownership rate was 75.6%. Black households make up the largest segment of people of color in metro Atlanta.
92% of Black household wealth is tied up in their homes, making homeownership a critical wealth-building and preservation strategy.

Get involved

Give

Interested in supporting TogetherATL? You get to decide where your funds are deployed. Choose our TogetherATL general fund or select the Housing and Neighborhoods Fund.

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Assistance

If you or someone you know needs assistance to find or maintain their current housing, please contact United Way of Greater Atlanta’s 211.

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Apply

For our nonprofit partners aligned with this work, please reach out to Foundation staff for more information.

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affordable housing funds

worth grant application

Our multi-faceted housing investments include:

Capital investments and grants through the TogetherATL Affordable Housing Fund to support better policy, stronger programs and longer terms of affordability.
Impact investment capital through the GoATL Affordable Housing Fund, supporting affordable housing production and preservation.
Spearheading collaborative efforts like the WORTH Initiative to help close the gap in racial homeownership.
Housing strategies in our three targeted neighborhoods: Fair Oaks, College Park and Thomasville.
Long-term partnerships with key organizations like HouseATL and regional housing nonprofits.

WORTH Atlanta Homeownership Collaborative

Through an unprecedented partnership of business, civic, nonprofit and philanthropic entities, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has secured a coalition of nearly 50 organizations to create and preserve 6,000 homes for people of color in Atlanta. Coalition partners were invigorated by a multimillion-dollar grant opportunity from the Wells Fargo Foundation.

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Our Partners