The city of Atlanta will soon begin using shipping containers to build rapid housing units for the homeless.
Mayor Andre Dickens signed an executive order in August authorizing the $4 million dollar effort as a low-cost building option to build about 40 units in a parking lot at 184 Forsyth Street.
“The current plan is to include on-suite bathrooms and kitchenettes in every room,” said Josh Humphries, the mayor’s senior housing advisor.
Humphries said the shipping containers are being donated from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency’s (GEMA) COVID Hospitals. The nonprofit Partners for HOME will purchase more shipping container buildings from BMarko Structures, which built the hospitals for GEMA.
The site will include common areas outside with seating and picnic tables. The units will be ADA accessible for people in wheelchairs, or with other impediments.
The units will also feature shared spaces like larger kitchens, dinning rooms, laundry and office areas. The offices will be available for the residents and case managers providing on-site services for things such as mental health and substance abuse issues, education and job training.
Partners For HOME will manage on-site operations and Humphries said the city will soon help select a contractor to provide the services to residents.
Partners For HOME will use its existing wait list to find residents looking for supportive housing units. The location on Forsyth Street is strategically located and will keep residents in vicinity of other resources.
Chyna Quaker, from the Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative, said the site is positioned perfectly.
“It’s in a neighborhood that is directly adjacent to amenities and services and providers that people who may have been experiencing homelessness for quite a while will need access to,” she said.
The site is easily accessible to Grady Hospital, Gateway Center and other service providers, she said.
Using shipping containers to combat homelessness has been seen in New Jersey, Los Angeles, London and other cities, where residents have sometimes complained about issues like a lack space and inefficient temperature controlling systems.
City officials said they hope to have some units available by the end of the year.
“At the end of the day, we want to create a site that’s a high quality of living for the residents and conducive to their stability and thriving in the city,” Humphries said.
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