Metro Atlanta Housing Strategy

Laptop with the metro atl housing site loaded on the screen

The Metro Atlanta Housing Strategy is a tool for local jurisdictions to:

Understand the housing market in their jurisdiction
Review housing data specific to the jurisdiction
Examine solutions to address housing need

Regional Housing Need

With an expected population growth of 1.8 million people by 2050, the 11-county Atlanta Region will need an estimated 294,089* housing units created and 40,568* preserved over the next 10 years with options for all people at all stages of life to maintain its livability and economic stability.

A healthy and thriving region adapts and evolves to meet the needs of its residents. The region’s growth patterns and increased demand for housing have inflated prices for both ownership and rental homes. New housing has trended to higher-income families, acting to widen the affordability gap and leading to displacement.

In 2022, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta announced that the Metro Atlanta area had become unaffordable based on data from the Home Ownership Affordability Monitor. The images below reveal changes in median sale prices across the region.

Change in Median Home Sale Price, 2013-2023

Strategies to Increase Affordable Homes in Your Community

Six housing strategies identified in the tool provide steps and resources to address housing challenges through actionable solutions:

Preserve Affordable Supply:
Ensure that housing units remain accessible to low-to-moderate income households.
Reduce Housing & Transportation Costs:
Increase housing options near job centers and advance mobility options throughout the region.
Expand Capital Resources:
Provide financial incentives and mechanisms to foster the creation and preservation of affordable housing units.
Promote Housing Stability:
Strengthen the ability of families and individuals to stay, access, and afford the costs of housing in both ownership and rental.
Develop Leadership & Collaboration on Affordability:
Promote and enable education, communication, and collaboration around housing issues.
Increase Supply:
Provide the necessary tools for developers to contribute to the supply of a variety of both market-rate and affordable housing units.

View the Metro Atlanta Housing Strategy Data Tool for strategies in your city or county.

Framework for the Metro Atlanta Housing Strategy

The MAHS adopted a framework developed by Atlanta’s Urban Land Institute in its “Affordable Atlanta” report in 2018 and updated in its “Housing at its Core” report in 2023. Successfully addressing the region’s housing challenges will require a collaborative approach between Public, Non-profit, Philanthropic and Private sectors.

Public

City & County
State
Economic Development
Atlanta Regional Commission
Housing Authorities (City & County)
Land banks

Non Profit

Non-profit Developers
Public-benefit Non-profit
Local CDCs and CDFIs
Land Trusts
Education Non-profits
Chambers of Commerce & Business Associations
Supportive Housing

Philanthropic

Foundations
Charities
Civic and Social Welfare Organizations
Faith-based
Health Foundations

Private

Mixed-income Housing Developers
Affordable Housing Developers
Infill and Missing Middle Housing Developers
Financial Institutions and Lenders

Featured Regional Housing Success: City of Decatur

Many people gathered in front of a yellow house.

Missing Middle Ordinance leads to Historic Preservation Award for Duplex Renovation | Inclusionary Housing Ordinance to Produce 41 New Affordable Homes | Oak Cottage Court Homes for Teachers

The ARC is collecting housing successes throughout the region! Do you have a success you want to share? Email kallin@atlantaregional.org. Please include: Project name, location, photos, partners, population served,