Today, Loan Officer, Southeast Region Natasha Dowell (photo, third left) joined community-development leaders at the fall meeting of the Urban Land Institute Atlanta’s Livable Communities Council. The agenda centered on Mayor Andre Dickens’ Place-Based Initiatives Strategy, with South Atlanta serving as a powerful case study for how community-driven revitalization can take shape.
Natasha’s three key takeaways:
- Development in South Atlanta has been stagnant for many years, until the Beltline began expanding there. Home and land prices have now significantly increased, threatening to displace longtime residents.
- The City of Atlanta’s Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative is engaging community members in seven neighborhoods to ensure that government programs are meeting residents’ needs, supporting community members and promoting economic mobility.
- LIIF is filling gaps in mainstream financial markets, focusing on investing in projects and developers who are responding to community needs. These are the projects that are often a challenge to execute but have very high impact on residents.
The agenda centered on Mayor Andre Dickens’ Place-Based Initiatives Strategy.