Atlanta — May 14, 2025
The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) announced today it will provide critical planning and technical support services to seven metro Atlanta communities through the agency’s Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP).
The projects were chosen through a competitive process that solicited proposals from local governments, Community Improvement Districts (CID), and nonprofits across the Atlanta region. ARC will provide a combination of staffing resources and grants to the selected communities to support a wide range of initiatives that aim to improve the quality of life for residents.
Each project addresses at least one of six regional challenges: Access to healthy food, creative placemaking, historic preservation, housing affordability, smart technology, and impacts of climate change.
“The Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP) is a critical implementation tool through which ARC brings its collective technical know-how to help local governments address land use and development issues,” said Samyukth Shenbaga, Managing Director of Community Development at ARC. “This year’s selection process was extremely competitive. We are thrilled to continue our work in creating healthy, livable communities where everyone can thrive, and look forward to working with all our awardees.”
Project Sponsor: Cherokee County
Assistance Type: Staff
Cherokee County will receive ARC staff assistance to conduct a planning study for Pearidge, a small community facing development pressures and threats to affordability and historic preservation. The study will consist of an analysis of existing conditions and thorough community engagement to formalize the community’s vision. Then, a planning report will provide the community a blueprint to preserve and maintain the historic vibrancy of the neighborhood while preparing for the future.
Project Sponsor: City of Clarkston
Assistance Type: Staff
The Clarkston Housing Summit will enable community members and stakeholders to better understand their city’s housing situation and provide feedback to city officials and ARC staff. The summit is designed to inform future city planning efforts.
Project Sponsor: Rockdale County
Assistance Type: Staff
Rockdale County will receive ARC staff assistance in conducting a housing assessment to understand the existing conditions of the housing stock and to identify future metrics and strategies that support the community’s vision. The county hopes to find ways to best plan for growth, provide accessible senior housing to encourage aging in place, and establish an appropriate mix of housing options. The assessment will equip the county to strategize ways to make housing more accessible and affordable for all Rockdale residents.
Project Sponsor: City of Decatur
Assistance Type: Partner (Georgia State University)
The City of Decatur will receive support from Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies to develop strategies to mitigate the city’s urban heat island effect. These strategies will guide short-term actions and long-term improvements through updated city development codes and support the necessary policy changes to combat the urban heat experienced within city limits. This work will build on the city’s ongoing efforts to collect hyperlocal climate data that provides the necessary baseline data to understand Decatur’s current heat risk.
Project Sponsor: City of Douglasville
Assistance Type: Partner (Georgia Tech Urban Design Studio)
The City of Douglasville will receive assistance from the Georgia Tech Urban Design Studio to conduct a visioning plan to develop Arbor Place Mall as a walkable place with a mix of retail, office, and residential uses along with public green space. It will also provide traffic mitigation tactics and smart technology to move people and commodities more efficiently along the corridor. The plan will focus on actions that the city and property owners may consider to further the advancement of the retail corridor. The planning process will use creative placemaking strategies to suggest ways to connect individuals using multi-modal transit to the shops and restaurants along the corridor.
Project Sponsor: City of McDonough
Assistance Type: Partner (Georgia Conservancy)
This study aims to address long-standing community desires to address resiliency through the creation of more green spaces and implementation of beautification projects. Blacksville residents will use creative placemaking efforts to enhance the community’s aesthetic appeal while creating safe and accessible public spaces. Through collaboration with residents, local leaders, and community organizations, the plan will offer solutions to balance growth with the Blacksville neighborhood’s needs for historic preservation and resiliency, which will help create a more livable, connected, and environmentally sustainable community.
Project Sponsor: Clayton County
Assistance Type: Grant ($200,000)
Clayton County and the cities of Lake City, Lovejoy, Forest Park, Riverdale, and Jonesboro, will receive a $200,000 grant to conduct a technical, data-driven analysis of the current housing market. The results will enable the jurisdictions to better understand areas poised for improvements and equip the jurisdictions with strategies to make housing more accessible and affordable for all residents. The county and cities hope to find ways to best plan for growth, provide accessible senior housing to encourage aging in place, and establish an appropriate mix of housing options.
Types of Assistance CDAP Provides
Partners: Partner-led assistance will be given. Partners include ULI Atlanta, Georgia State University, Georgia Tech and Georgia Conservancy.
Staff: ARC staff with a range of talents will provide assistance/support.
Grant: Money comes from the LCI program and requires a 20% local match.
###
The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the official planning agency for the 11-county Atlanta Region, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties as well as the City of Atlanta and 75 other cities. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s mission is to foster thriving communities for all within the Atlanta region through collaborative, data-informed planning and investments.
Contact Name: Sheryl Merritt
Contact Phone: 470-757-3799
Contact Email: smerritt@atlantaregional.org
ARC’s Strategic Partners are committed to fostering collaborative regional approaches that improve quality of life in metro Atlanta. Their support elevates ARC leadership programs, research and events throughout the year. Learn more.
