Findings amplify AH's transformative progress
and impactful trajectory
ATLANTA, July 11,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlanta Housing (AH)
announced the release of an Urban Land Institute (ULI) Advisory
Services panel report, which provides a thorough analysis of the
housing authority and spotlights Atlanta Housing's significant
progress and strategic vision for advancing the city's affordable
housing initiatives. In support of AH's plans for accelerated
delivery of affordable housing in Atlanta through innovative public-private
collaborations, AH Board Vice Chair Sarah
Kirsch, former Executive Director of ULI Atlanta, and AH
President and Chief Executive Officer Terri
M. Lee advocated for the ULI review to equip Atlanta Housing
with wide-ranging feedback and expert recommendations that will
ultimately assist AH in achieving its aggressive goals.
![The new Atlanta Housing (PRNewsfoto/Atlanta Housing) The new Atlanta Housing (PRNewsfoto/Atlanta Housing)](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/679060/Atlanta_Housing_Logo.jpg)
"I am grateful for the rigorous steps taken by the Urban Land
Institute to analyze Atlanta Housing's strategic plan, our project
portfolio, and the entirety of our operations," said Terri M. Lee, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Atlanta Housing. "Atlanta Housing must be known as an
agency that embraces accountability, ownership, transparency, and
trust in all that we do, and this report is a culmination of an
open-door look into the inner workings of our agency."
The report was shaped by ULI members curated for their housing
expertise who volunteered as panelists from around the country to
assist AH with strategic recommendations for enhancing affordable
housing availability and quality in Atlanta. ULI's methodology combined extensive
stakeholder engagement on the ground in Atlanta, quantitative data analysis, in-depth
interviews with key AH staff, and case studies to provide a broad
understanding of Atlanta Housing and the city's housing
landscape.
"This collaboration with national experts in real estate,
finance, and land use accelerates our quest for continuous
improvement in how we serve the housing needs of Atlantans," said
Atlanta Housing Vice Chair Sarah
Kirsch. "The findings from the ULI study inform how Atlanta
Housing is on the right track as we build and preserve safe,
quality, and affordable housing for our residents."
Key Findings and Accomplishments
The report found that AH has significantly enhanced its
collaborative efforts with stakeholders, including developers,
community organizations, and philanthropic partners. These
partnerships broaden the resource base and demonstrate AH's
commitment to culturally sensitive and community-responsive housing
solutions. AH is also prioritizing engagement with minority- and
women-owned businesses and developers. This includes mandates for
minority participation in all Master Development Agreements,
ensuring meaningful involvement in projects.
Findings also indicated that Atlanta Housing's adoption of new
financing models and self-development strategies has led to more
efficient resource use and quicker project delivery. Specialized
consultants and upskilling initiatives have bridged the knowledge
gap in navigating complex financial structures. Most notably, the
implementation of the master developer model has streamlined
project approvals and reduced resource competition, expediting
progress on affordable housing developments. AH's people-focused
approach was commended with acknowledgment that AH's regular
community engagement and public disclosure show that development
processes are transparent and inclusive.
The panelists reported that AH's initiatives now extend beyond
housing to include education, health, and economic empowerment,
noting that collaborations with local colleges for continuing
education, job training programs, and health partnerships have been
pivotal. The report also revealed that financial literacy training
and community savings initiatives are helping residents achieve
financial stability and self-sufficiency.
Looking Forward
The ULI advisory panelists concluded that Atlanta Housing is
well-positioned to continue making transformative, impactful
developments in the affordable housing market, and they provided
strategic recommendations for continuing progress. The ULI panel
also recommended enhancing in-house financial modeling capabilities
to optimize resource deployment; leveraging city resources and
exploring new funding opportunities to alleviate financial burdens
on AH projects, and prioritizing sustainability in all new
projects, including mandating LEED certification for developers and
construction teams.
The alignment between several ULI recommendations and Atlanta
Housing's work towards its 5-year strategic goals, spearheaded in
FY 2023 and well underway, indicates that with continued innovative
collaborations and strategic leadership, AH is poised to address
Atlanta's affordable housing
challenges more effectively than ever. For everyday Atlantans
struggling to find affordable housing, these findings signify the
opportunity for stability and hope.
"Atlanta Housing came to the table with key resources and
excellent opportunities for leverage, including land, investment
capital, and housing vouchers," said Tyrone Rachal, chair of
ULI Atlanta. "The outcomes of this report continue to build on
Atlanta's strong housing ecosystem
involving public and private efforts to meet both Atlanta Housing's
plan to create and preserve 10,000 affordable units and the
City of Atlanta's broader housing
production goals. The expert ULI panel echoed Atlanta Housing's
sentiment that Atlanta needs a
multipronged approach that transcends traditional funding models
and emphasizes both community impact and financial
sustainability."
For more information and to access the full report, please visit
here. The full report can also be found on ULI's
Knowledge Finder platform.
For more information about ULI's Advisory Services, click here.
This panel was a partnership between ULI Atlanta and ULI Advisory
Services, with support from ULI's Terwilliger Center for Housing
and the ULI Foundation. For more information about ULI Atlanta,
click here.
ABOUT ATLANTA
HOUSING
President and Chief Executive Officer Terri M. Lee leads The Housing Authority of the
City of Atlanta, Georgia (AH), the
largest housing authority in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation.
AH carries the prestigious Moving to Work (MTW) designation and
serves as an industry leader in providing and facilitating
affordable housing resources for nearly 27,000 low-income
households comprised of approximately 45,000 people through its
AH-owned residential communities, tenant-based and project-based
vouchers, supportive housing, as well as down payment assistance,
where innovation leads the approach to making the dream of
homeownership attainable for more Atlantans. Atlanta Housing
programs are funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development.
Visit AH at www.atlantahousing.org or follow us on social
media @housingatlanta.
ABOUT THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE
The Urban Land Institute is a non-profit education and
research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to
shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact
in communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has
more than 48,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land
use and development disciplines. For more information on ULI,
please visit uli.org, or follow us
on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn,
and Instagram.
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SOURCE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF CITY OF
ATLANTA