Metro Atlanta is doing well.
More than 6 million people currently live in the area, according to recent Census Bureau estimates. According to experts, this is an increase of about 50% from where he was 20 years ago.
“This is a massive increase in population,” says Dan Immergluck, a professor of urban studies at Georgia State University. “It has put an environmental strain on the area.”
Financial and tech companies continue to flock to the Atlanta metro. It builds on the city’s strong logistics, entertainment, film, and medical services industries.
There is a growing demand for quality housing in the region, especially in the city centre.
Nathaniel Smith, Founder and CEO of Partnership for Southern Equity, said: “Now, if we can balance that and keep black people from being kicked out… I don’t know.”
In September 2022, the median home value in the city of Atlanta was valued at approximately $400,000. Zillow Home Value IndexThe price was out of reach for a typical home in the city of Atlanta. $64,179 annually in recent yearsRents are also above the national median.
Some Atlanta locals believe that ambitious urban redevelopment projects such as the Beltline contributed to the soaring prices in the area.
The Beltline is a 22-mile loop walking and biking trail built on a largely abandoned railroad line and developed as a public-private partnership.
It was intended to connect different parts of the city to each other and, along its paths, to create walkable communities where residents could access various services without the need for a car.
Clyde Higgs, CEO of Atlanta Beltline, said: “What we have seen is about $8 billion of private investment that has followed the Beltline. It has caused a lot of good and a lot of pressure for the city of Atlanta.”
While the area evolves, a number of community organizers have initiated efforts to keep housing affordable.
“If there was an opportunity to secure more land early in the Beltline’s life, it would have been great,” said Amanda Lyne, executive director of the Atlanta Land Trust.
Watch the video to see how Atlanta keeps housing affordable amid rapid growth.
