Community RevitalizationThe Atlanta Model as a Case Study for Building

Healthy CommunitiesRenee Lewis GloverOctober 20, 2016

Guiding Principles• De-concentrate poverty

• Public/Private Partnerships to create mixed-use, mixed-income communities

• Make use of private sector “know-how,” balance sheet and market principles

• Utilize comprehensive community building strategies—mixed-income housing at the center

• Invest in low-income families and raise expectations and standards

Centennial Place

• Crime was 69% higher than City

• Annual Household Income: $5,164

• 79.1% unemployed

Before and After Revitalization

• Crime rate dropped by 91%

• Annual household income: $15,133

• 66% employment

Impact Area - Centennial Place

• Commercial

• Civic

• Childcare

• YMCA

• Other development

Neighborhood Revitalization $252 million economic impact

Impact Area - Centennial PlaceSchool Transformation – Centennial Place Elementary School

• A new facility

• Faculty of Georgia Tech helped design the school’s curriculum, which emphasizes science, mathematics and technology

Qualified for free or reduced meals

1994-5: 100%

2005-6: 57%

Impact Area - Centennial PlaceSchool Transformation – Centennial Place Elementary School

Students meeting or

exceeding the state

writing assessment

requirements:

1994-5 – 10%

2005-6 – 87%

Percent of students

achieving the

Engaging Writer and

the Extending Writer

(highest two stages) on

the statewide writing

assessment test.

Impact Area - Centennial PlaceSchool Transformation – Centennial Place Elementary School

• Partners providing faculty and resources:

• Coca-Cola Corporation

• Georgia Tech

• Grady Health Systems

• SunTrust

• Others

Impact Area – Other Communities

Ashley Courts

Columbia Village

Villages At Carver

Magnolia Park

Castleberry Hills

West Highlands

• Affected Families

• Seed Money

• Value Added

• Results

• Revitalization

• 1,000+ Acres

• Est. $3 Billion

Impact – Agency-wide

• Affected Families

• Seed Money

• Value Added

• Results

• Revitalization

• Outcomes

• Deconcentrated poverty

• Healthy mixed-income communities

• Reduced stigma

• Leveraged federal funds

• Mainstreamed families

Impact – Agency-wide

Indisputable Facts

Atlanta Housing Authority has transformed the way Atlanta delivers affordable housing.

1. Positively affecting individuals, families and neighborhoods

– Providing access to healthier living conditions

– Improving neighborhood schools

– Breaking the cycle of generational poverty

2. Improving the return on taxpayer’s investment

– Ending concentrated poverty

– Creating healthy mixed-income communities

– Improving 1,000+ acres of land

– Facilitating $3 billion of economic impact in the city

Neighborhood Safety

Before Revitalization Program

• Atlanta had the highest crime rate in the nation.

• The violent crime rate of Techwood/Clark Howell Homes public housing project was 69% greaterthan the city’s average.

After Revitalization Program

• The crime rate in the affected police precincts has dropped by more than 90%.

• Deconcentrated poverty

• Facilitated the development of healthier mixed-income communities

• Reduced the negative impact on recipients caused by a social stigma

• Crime is down

• More people are engaged in their community (e.g., voter registration)

• Household income has increased

• Employment rate has improved significantly

• Positive economic impact on city

• Neighborhood schools are performing better

• Children are performing better in school

• The redevelopment strategy has been replicated

• More families are receiving subsidy and are living in better conditions

• Leveraged the federal funding to increased the taxpayers’ return on investment

Cause and Effect Summary