Invest Atlanta, the city’s official economic development authority kicked off the new year with a look at the Beltline, affordable housing, and economic programs for 2024 in the Jan. 18 board meeting.
Jan. 18 also marked District 1 Atlanta Councilmember Jason Winston’s first Invest Atlanta meeting as the chair of the Community Development and Human Services Committee, which oversees economic and community development for the city.
President and Chief Executive Officer of Invest Atlanta, Dr. Eloisa Klementich, opened the meeting with a look at some of the development authority’s 2024 programs, including incentive bonds, tax credits, and job placements.
A key focus among Invest Atlanta and its 2024 projects is affordable housing in historic neighborhoods and along the BeltLine. The economic development authority runs several programs to offset tax increases and home costs, particularly for long-term residents.
In 2023, over 1,000 residents applied for an Invest Atlanta program that would help pay for critical health and safety repairs. Many of those applicants were senior citizens who have spent decades in their homes.
In the new year, Klementich looked towards programs like the Anti-Displacement Tax Relief Fund that will use $10 million to offset rising property taxes for long-term residents. The organization will also continue with down payment assistance of up to $20,000.
Invest Atlanta authorized a $640,000 grant to Westside Future Fund that will help the organization develop 24 multi-family housing units at 646 Echo Street in the English Avenue Neighborhood. The Westside Future Fund, a nonprofit formed by public and private partnerships in Atlanta, aims to revitalize historic Westside neighborhoods while maintaining a “diverse, mixed-income community.”
The nonprofit is working on several Westside revitalization projects besides Echo Street, including a multi-family housing development under Westside…
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