The Centennial Yards project in downtown Atlanta is moving forward, but it's facing mixed reactions due to the absence of affordable housing in its first high-rise, The Mitchell. CIM Group, a developer from Los Angeles, is building a 304-unit apartment building as part of a multi-billion-dollar redevelopment of the 50-acre Gulch area. The controversy arises from their choice not to include any units for lower-income residents in the new building, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
Instead of including affordable housing in The Mitchell, CIM Group has chosen to pay an in-lieu fee of nearly $8.5 million. This decision is part of a prior commitment to allocate 20 percent of all residential units at Centennial Yards for affordable housing, though none will be available in the new tower, as per The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
City Councilmember Jason Dozier expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of affordable units in The Mitchell, stating, "I absolutely want to see affordable housing units in that development." His hopes were dashed as the project moves forward without this component. "I think it’s an unfortunate decision," Dozier lamented on the FOX 5 Atlanta report.
Matt Garbett, co-founder of the advocacy group ThreadATL, criticized the city's handling of the project, saying, "The city missed an opportunity," in a statement obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta. He suggested that the city could have held the developer accountable for including a lower percentage of affordable housing in the initial development instead of skipping it entirely.
In response to their decision to pay the fee, CIM Group explained that it was made during a significant slowdown in real estate investment and development. They emphasized their commitment to affordable housing by mentioning the 25 accessible units at another property, The Lofts at Centennial Yards South. Nevertheless, concerns about housing equity and developer accountability continue to overshadow discussions surrounding the Centennial Yards project, one of Atlanta's major revitalization efforts.
