The city of Atlanta is using its affordable housing trust fund to support two new grant programs designed to support developers.

On Monday, the Atlanta City Council passed legislation authorizing the execution of a five-year agreement with Invest Atlanta – the city’s economic development arm – to manage the $4.5 million programs.

Joshua Humphries, director of Atlanta’s Office of Housing & Community Development, said the $4 million will provide “missing middle grants” to organizations struggling to cover costs associated with the construction and underwriting of buildings with less than 50 units but more than 1 unit.

The remaining $500,000 will fund a microgrant program for Atlanta’s Faith-Based Development Initiative (FBDI), which is an effort to create 2,000 affordable units on church-owned land. Humphries said the city will give up to $25,000 to initiative participants that need to commission appraisals, title work and other measures required to determine if development is a viable option for their land.

City leaders revealed in February that Enterprise Community Partners, a national nonprofit that creates affordable homes, is using a $1.3 million grant from Wells Fargo to help 15 faith-based organizations build on land owned by places of worship. Meaghan Vlkovic, Enterprise’s vice president and Southeast market leader, said at the time that they want to build units for renters with incomes below 80% of the area median income, which is $69,440 for a family of three.

The initiative falls within Mayor Andre Dickens’ plan to create or preserve 20,000 affordable homes by 2030. Last month, the city announced that Atlanta First United Methodist Church was picked as the first participant in the initiative.

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Joe Rich had moved to 3935 Paces Manor 2.5 year ago. on Tuesday, Sept. 22,2009, he was trapped at his house with no way out - but a boat. He has been ferrying various things back and forth and is surprised he still has power. Vinings residents were dealing with a major flooding issue Tuesday, as the Chattahoochee River made its way along the banks near Paces Ferry Road.  Many residents with upscale homes were hit hard, some for the second time since an earlier post millennia flooding episode. Since early Monday, seven lives have been taken and several other people remain missing. The record-setting rains also have closed schools and roads and have left people stranded in their homes. The river's level near Vinings was at 27.36 feet before daybreak Tuesday after cresting at 28.1 feet overnight. Flood stage is 14 feet, and anything above 20 feet is considered "major" flooding. (Photo: John Spink, jspink@ajc.com)

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People join a rally in support for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees on Tuesday afternoon, April 1, 2025, at the Atlanta headquarters after federal cuts triggered significant layoffs. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

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