HUD Participates in Atlanta Housing Authority 75th Anniversary Ceremony

From left to right, Atlanta City Council President, Ceasar Mitchell, AHA President & CEO, Renée Lewis Glover, Wesleyan University student, Chantil Coleman, a member of AHA's Board of Commissioners, Commissioner James Allen, and HUD Regional Administrator, Ed Jennings, Jr.

Most recently the HUD Southeast Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr. joined Atlanta City Council President, Ceasar Mitchell (http://citycouncil.atlantaga.gov/16.htm), Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA) President & CEO, Renée Lewis Glover (www.atlantahousing.org/profile/index.cfm?fuseaction=ceo), Wesleyan University student, Chantil Coleman, a member of AHA's Board of Commissioners, Commissioner James Allen (www.atlantahousing.org/profile/index.cfm?fuseaction=board), to recognize the Atlanta Housing Authority for their 75th anniversary before over 100 Atlanta Housing Authority employees and local leaders.

"Today, the Atlanta Housing Authority is the largest housing agency in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, serving approximately 50,000 people," said Jennings. "Since September 1994, the Atlanta Housing Authority has chartered a bold new course and an ambitious vision to transform the delivery of affordable housing by ending the practice of concentrating low-income families in the traditional public housing model through its comprehensive and strategic Revitalization Program."

During the ceremony Chantil Coleman, Wesleyan University honor student and public housing tenant was recognized for her academic achievements. She related that despite her hardships and challenges of growing up in public housing her dream of an advance degree and a better life are being fulfilled because of her can do won't quit approach to living.

Under the Atlanta Housing Authority's Revitalization Program, public housing-assisted households have been relocated, primarily to private housing using Housing Choice vouchers to close the gap for the cost of housing and utilities. Distressed and obsolete housing projects have been demolished; the sites were later remediated and prepared for market-rate quality mixed-used, mixed-income community development through partnerships with private sector developers while a small number of households chose to relocate to other housing authority-owned public housing developments.

Consistent with the housing authority's vision under the leadership of Renee Glover the "Healthy Mixed-Income Communities; Healthy Self-Sufficient Families" of the Atlanta Housing Authority's Revitalization Program is creating communities where Atlanta's families, from every socio-economic status, can live, learn, work and play, as they pursue their version of the American dream.

HUD's continues to strive to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business.

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