Atlanta Housing CEO resigns after nearly 4 years in office, will finish out 2023

WSBTV.com News Staff
·3 min read

The CEO and President of Atlanta Housing announced his resignation Tuesday night.

Eugene E. Jones, Jr., began his tenure as leader of the city’s affordable housing organization in October 2019.

According to AH, Jones launched transformative projects for housing, having come into his role amid a critical period for affordable housing in Atlanta.

Jones’ last day in office will be Dec. 31, the organization said in a statement.

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According to AH, the organization serves 46,000 people, from 27,000 low-income households.

AH said Jones led their organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring their ability to provide essential housing services to the city’s most vulnerable residents, while also keeping tenants and staff safe.

“Gene’s leadership has been invaluable,” Atlanta Housing Board of Commissioners Chairman Larry Stewart, said. “He has brought stability to this agency, incomparable affordable housing knowledge and experience, compassion for both the residents and the staff, and he is leaving behind a roadmap for continued success. That’s what excellent leaders do. He will be sorely missed.”

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Jones’ work was credited with pushing to create more affordable housing units and preserving others in Atlanta over the course of his four years in office.

“Atlanta Housing invested an impressive $128 million in development, creating 3,348 units of affordable housing and preserving 4,972. Housing Choice was expanded with over 19,000 households receiving housing vouchers as of July 31, 2023. This commitment to expanding affordable housing opportunities has been instrumental in addressing the city’s growing housing needs and promoting equitable inclusivity during a period of soaring housing costs in Atlanta and around the nation,” AH said in a statement.

Following Jones’ resignation announcement, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens thanked him for his service and highlighted efforts underway to address city housing needs.

Dickens reiterated Jones’ work has been of huge importance to the city’s efforts to address housing needs, mentioning that Atlanta Housing and the City of Atlanta had secured a $40 million Choice Neighborhoods grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to transform a former public housing site, Bowen Homes, into a new affordable community.

Additionally, the mayor said that development started by Jones for the Atlanta Civic Center and other efforts for relocation of residents had been thanks to the outgoing AH leader.

“I thank Eugene Jones for his service to Atlanta Housing and the people of Atlanta. Eugene has been a close partner on all our affordable housing efforts and thanks to his help, we are on track to reach our goal of creating or preserving 20,000 units over eight years,” Dickens said in a statement.

Officials said the city was already about halfway to their goal of creating the 20,000 units, while the city’s Housing Choice Voucher program had expanded to 19,000 under Jones’ leadership.

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