Atlanta mayor launches rapid housing program for homeless residents

In a move to address homelessness in Atlanta, Mayor Andre Dickens announced a new Rapid Housing initiative that will take $4 million from the city budget to help house those in need.

The money will go to the city’s Continuum of Care–Partners for HOME to purchase structures from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and move homeless residents to them, according to the statement.

The reallocation of the $4 million was directed through an executive order.

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According to city officials, the structures from GEMA will be relocated and installed on city property, allowing city staff to relocate the homeless residents to them.

At first, the Rapid Housing program will use shipping containers, some donated from GEMA, some purchased.

Officials said the donation of containers would help reduce the cost of the overall number of containers the program will use.

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In addition to the shipping containers, state and city staff are working to use some of the COVID-19-created temporary hospitals as additional housing.

“The State has multiple temporary hospitals that were constructed by GEMA during the height of COVID,” Atlanta officials said in a statement. “These hospitals are being decommissioned and the state is working with the city to donate some of these facilities to be converted into housing.”

Both the shipping containers and temporary hospitals are to be used as an effort to make 20,000 units of affordable housing available, according to Dickens’ executive order.

Describing the use of containers, the city said the move was to harness the potential of shipping containers to quickly deliver housing and “ensure top-notch quality and craftsmanship for all its residents,” while also being cost-effective, and setting “a new architectural standard for future groundbreaking projects.”

The first location for the rapid housing program will be at 184 Forsyth Street in Atlanta’s downtown area, putting the residents moving there near a MARTA station and other “key amenities and supportive services,” according to city officials.

Residents in the program will also receive assistance getting identification documents, receive mental health and substance abuse support services, get access to education and employment opportunities, and receive assistance getting into permanent housing.

“Each and every Atlantan deserves a place to call home and our Administration understands the sense of urgency to stabilize individuals and families experiencing homelessness in our city,” Dickens said. “Any one of us are just one bad day away from finding ourselves needing a hand-up to get back on our feet. Working with our partners and City Council, and using a little innovation, we will swiftly deploy these resources to give folks the support they need and deserve.”

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