Atlanta Housing Joins City’s Fight Against Blight
Atlanta Housing (AH) President and CEO Terri Lee stood alongside Mayor Andre Dickens, District 3 Councilman Byron Amos, Invest Atlanta COO Dawn Arnold, and Westside Future Fund CEO John Ahmann to address a pressing issue on the Westside: blight. The press conference communicated the collective commitment to revitalizing Atlanta’s neighborhoods and creating a brighter future for all residents, new and old.
The press conference was held on English Avenue next to a new home-build whose owner, Destiny, was in attendance. The visual contrast between her vibrant white and grey exterior with a lush vegetable garden and the charred remains of a dilapidated home within steps of her backyard was striking. This juxtaposition underscores the importance of the fight against blight, which Councilman Amos described as a “war” — a battle for safety, dignity, and renewal for Atlanta’s communities.
Mayor Dickens outlined the City’s new, enhanced measures to tackle blight, including the new Blight Tax, which was approved this summer and will take effect in January, along with the hiring of additional code enforcement officers.
AH welcomes and applauds the City’s efforts to enforce high standards that will help keep our residents’ communities safe. AH is committed to providing a higher quality of life for its residents. With over 2,400 Housing Choice Voucher units on the Westside, each unit represents a family and a household that matters. Terri Lee reaffirmed Atlanta Housing’s long-standing commitment to elevating people and communities through collaboration and development.
The enhanced inspection standards Atlanta Housing has established and demands of our properties and landlord and developer partners don’t just meet the minimum HUD requirements; they exceed them. AH conducts 22,000 inspections annually, looking at the units and the surrounding area to confirm that the conditions meet our heightened expectations. That’s because we believe in something greater than just compliance. We believe our residents deserve communities that reflect the best of Atlanta.
Both the Mayor and John Ahmann also stressed that supportive programs are in place to help legacy residents maintain and repair their properties and stay in their homes, including the Senior Tax Relief pilot program and the Anti-Displacement Tax Relief Fund. Mayor Dickens further explained that the new anti-blight measures are not intended to be punitive to residents living in their homes and trying their best;the intent is to root out blight caused by negligent and “nefarious” property owners. All speakers highlighted the importance of creating a vibrant Westside that includes new residents like Destiny and legacy residents like Ms. Thelma, a senior citizen whose home was visited during a short walking tour.
In forging a path forward, the strengthened collaboration between public agencies, nonprofits, and philanthropic organizations is paramount. AH will call on these partnerships as the agency continues its mission to expand affordable housing options and enhance the quality of life for thousands of residents, particularly on the Westside. Over the past two years, AH and its partners have invested nearly $200 million in the Westside, delivering over 4,000 housing units through our Housing Choice Voucher program, affordable HomeFlex units, and new development. These units represent more than just numbers—they symbolize families, stability, and opportunity.
The crisp sunny morning contributed to the takeaway feeling of optimism—an optimism that true transformation is happening on the Westside, returning Vine City to the kind of thriving community it was when it was home to the King family and other luminaries who proudly called Atlanta home. Terri Lee emphasized the partners’ roles in changing the blight narrative and also the residents’ power to help create that change. The message was resounding that every neighborhood in Atlanta matters, and every resident deserves to live in a community that reflects the pride they feel in their homes.