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Atlanta’s plan to transform abandoned schools into affordable housing

By Kevyn Stewart
Published  September 16, 2024 7:26pm EDT
Lakewood
FOX 5 Atlanta

Abandoned Atlanta schools turned into affordable housing

The City of Atlanta and Atlanta Public Schools have teamed up to convert abandoned learning institutions into affordable housing.

In brief:

    • Atlanta and Atlanta Public Schools are partnering to transform abandoned schools, including Lakewood Heights Elementary, into affordable housing with added green space.
    • The redevelopment project spans across various neighborhoods and targets eight underused school properties for development into affordable housing units through the city's land trust.
    • Business owners in the area, such as Serena Ali, anticipate a positive impact on local businesses due to the new housing developments.
    • The housing initiative mandates that a minimum of 20% of each development be allocated to families earning no more than 50% of the regional median income, with affordable rents set for different sized units.
    • Although a specific timeline for the redevelopment is not established, the process will continue with the opportunity for public input.

ATLANTA - The city of Atlanta and Atlanta Public Schools have announced a partnership to provide affordable housing and green space, a plan that has been in the works for some time. 

One of the key sites in this project is the old Lakewood Heights Elementary School, which has been abandoned for 20 years. The once vibrant building now stands boarded up and neglected. 

"It’s such an eyesore, blighted property brings crime," said Serena Ali, owner of Ali at Lakewood, a business center housed in a former distressed church just around the corner from the vacant school. The property is set to be converted into affordable housing, which Ali sees as great news for her five-year-old investment. 

"Absolutely, the coffee shop will thrive, the restaurant will thrive, the spa will thrive," Ali said optimistically about the upcoming changes. 

This initiative isn’t limited to Lakewood Heights. In fact, eight abandoned schools and lots, stretching from West End to Collier Heights, are slated for redevelopment. These properties, once underutilized by APS, will now go to the city’s land trust for development. 

"The AUDC [Atlanta Urban Development Corporation] will lease the properties. It will be like a 50-year lease," said APS Board Member Eshe Collins. "Vacant properties that we have identified that are too small to be developed into new schools or that the school system no longer needs," Collins added. 

The plan requires that at least 20 percent of each development be reserved for families earning 50 percent or less of the area’s median income. For 2024, this means a single person could earn no more than $37,650, while a family of three could earn around $48,400. Rent for a one-bedroom unit would be approximately $1,000, while a three-bedroom would be just under $1,400. 

"Something affordable for people to be able to come, still be close to the city, and still have some place nice to live," Ali added. 

"It’s exciting to be on the other side of what development looks like," Collins said. 

While there is no set timeline for the projects, public input will be the next step in the process. 

Sources:

  • Atlanta Public Schools, City of Atlanta