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Housing

Atlanta's Downtown Rising Initiative: A Rush to Address Homelessness Ahead of the 2026 World Cup

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Mayor Andre Dickens and city officials broke ground on additional housing for homeless individuals, part of the Downtown Rising initiative aimed at housing dozens of people in the community this year. The development will feature mixed-income housing, mental health care, and a workforce development program. Despite concerns from advocates that the initiative prioritizes aesthetics over addressing the root causes of homelessness, city officials are racing to complete the project before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Downtown Rising initiative aims to house 400 unsheltered people in the city's downtown core by the end of the year, with a goal of providing 500 units by the end of 2025.
  • The city has already delivered 428 units, with 100 modular apartments breaking ground on the Atlantica Properties development, which will also include dozens of townhomes at market rates.
  • Partners for HOME, the nonprofit leading the Downtown Rising strategy, has revealed plans to close homeless camps and rehouse people in advance of the World Cup, sparking concerns from advocates about prioritizing aesthetics over addressing the root causes of homelessness.
  • Jesse Rabinowitz, a spokesperson for the National Homelessness Law Center, cited the ongoing housing crisis as a major obstacle to addressing homelessness, stating that "it shouldn't take a major sports event to have them move with urgency to solve homelessness."
  • Cathryn Vassell, CEO of Partners for HOME, emphasized that the focus is on housing people, not just moving them out of sight ahead of the World Cup, and stated that the goals and timelines are malleable.
  • The initiative also includes a workforce development program to help people stay housed, with the goal of giving families opportunities to stay, invest, and build generational wealth in the neighborhood.
  • The estimated cost of the Atlanta Rising plan is $212 million, with current funding insufficient to cover the costs, prompting Partners for HOME to seek support from public and private partners.

Statistics:

  • 400: the number of unsheltered people the Downtown Rising initiative aims to house in the city's downtown core by the end of the year.
  • 428: the number of housing units already delivered as part of the initiative.
  • 100: the number of modular apartments breaking ground on the Atlantica Properties development.
  • $212 million: the estimated cost of the Atlanta Rising plan.
  • 500: the total number of units the initiative aims to produce by the end of 2025.

Sources:

  • The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) article on the Downtown Rising initiative (no date provided).
  • Partners for HOME's statement on the Downtown Rising plan (no date provided).
  • Interview with Mayor Andre Dickens (no date provided).
  • Interview with Cathryn Vassell, CEO of Partners for HOME (no date provided).
  • Jesse Rabinowitz, spokesperson for the National Homelessness Law Center (no date provided).

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