HUD Participates in Major University Choice Neighborhood Groundbreaking in the Atlanta University Center Community

HUD SE Regional Administrator Denise Cleveland-Leggett congratulates City of Atlanta, Atlanta Housing, Integral Group and GA DCA for their contributions in making the UCN groundbreaking possible.

City of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms addresses the attendees as Atlanta Housing Interim President and CEO Brandon Riddick Seals and HUD SE Regional Administrator Denise Cleveland-Leggett look on intently.

Latia Johnson former University Homes resident now Scholars Landing thanks everyone for making Ashley 1 possible and reminisces about life there growing up.

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Atlanta Housing (AH) along with partners from Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and the Integral Group broke ground November 2, 2018 on the first phase of Ashley I at Scholars Landing located in the Atlanta University Center community. HUD in the Fall of 2015 awarded the City of Atlanta a $30 million Choice Neighborhood grant which is being leveraged into $400 million to develop the Atlanta University, Ashview Heights and Vine City communities. The first phase of Ashley I of Scholars Landing will provide 135-units of multifamily, mixed-income housing in the Westside Promise Zone.

The new development will help meet the growing need for affordable housing in the city and westside and is in the heart of the Atlanta University Center. The groundbreaking also recognized the history of the site's as the former University Homes public housing community which was the first public housing for African Americans in 1938 and the 80th Anniversary of the Atlanta Housing Authority. Ashley I at Scholars Landing is expected to be completed by December 2019. Remarks were provided by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, HUDSoutheast Region Administrator Denise Cleveland-Leggett, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Commissioner Christopher Nunn (DCA), Interim CEO Brandon Riddick-Seals (AH), and Vicki Lundy Wilbon of Integral Group.

City of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms stated that is was an honor to work with HUD, Atlanta Housing, DCA and Integral Group and that the City "remains true to its word" about creating more affordable housing and looks forward to more related groundbreakings in the future.

"I want to thank the City of Atlanta, Atlanta Housing Authority, Georgia Department of Community Affairs and Integral Group for making this all possible," said Cleveland-Leggett. "It takes public and private collaboration to achieve what is before us today and I am proud of our partners and look forward to being back for more ground breakings as we work to meet the needs of those we mutually serve."

Brandon Riddick-Seals, Interim President and CEO, Atlanta Housing made note that it took a lot of energy on the part of the partners and that it was a collaborative effort as they were able to work through some issues in order the be here today for the groundbreaking.

Integral Group Development Division President Vicky Lundy Wilbon and Georgia DCA Commissioner Christopher Nunn related how appreciative they were for HUD's leadership in making the project possible and for the support and collaboration of all partners in making the first phase of Ashley I of Scholar Landing possible.

Laticia Johnson, former resident of University Homes now called Scholars Landing provided closing remarks thanking everyone for making Ashley I possible while also reminiscing about growing up there and hoping someday to return.

The state-of-the-art garden-style Ashley I development provides 135 units of affordable housing and is a platform of stability and opportunity for low income families and helps to strengthen the quality of life for them and the community. Fifty-four units or 40% of the units are for low-income persons between 80-120% AMI - or also known as Workforce Housing with 27 units dedicated as market rate. Each home will be wired for broadband internet access and allow residents access to the world of information and opportunity.

The Choice Neighborhoods program leverages significant public and private dollars to support locally driven strategies that address struggling neighborhoods with distressed public or HUD-assisted housing through a comprehensive approach to neighborhood transformation. Local leaders, residents, and stakeholders, such as public housing authorities, cities, schools, police, business owners, nonprofits, and private developers, come together to create and implement a plan that revitalizes distressed HUD housing and addresses the challenges in the surrounding neighborhood. The program helps communities transform neighborhoods by revitalizing severely distressed public and/or assisted housing and catalyzing critical improvements in the neighborhood, including vacant property, housing, businesses, services and schools.

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