Sandy Springs Together

Everyone Deserves a Voice

Research Library

Zipcode Destiny: The Persistent Power Of Place And Education

Hidden Brain Podcast discusses early variables in your life, from the quality of your kindergarten teacher to the neighborhood you grew up in, and the can lasting effects it can have on economic mobility.

Zipcode Destiny

There’s a core belief embedded in the story of the United States: the American Dream. The possibility of climbing the economic ladder is central to that dream. This week we speak with Raj Chetty, one of the most influential economists alive today, about the state of economic mobility in the U.S.

Demolition to displacement and race in Atlanta’s northern suburbs Oct 2018

A look at the movement from exclusion of hispanics and blacks in Northern Atlanta neighborhoods, to expulsion through exclusionary zoning, auto-mobility, and anti-crowding ordinances, colorblind justification.

From Exclusion to Expulsion: Demolition, Displacement, and Race in Atlanta’s Northern Suburbs

Scott Markley examines suburban redevelopment projects in Atlanta and their role in changing neighborhood racial composition.

City of Sandy Springs to hold North End revitalization community input meeting on March 5th

HEADS UP!

The city of Sandy Springs is hosting a community input meeting on Thursday, March 5th at 6:00pm and will be held at City Hall, located at 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, Ga. 30328. 

Will you be there? We NEED your voice.  

What We Know

  • The city is considering REMOVING some of the zoning restrictions on the North End, the same restrictions currently in place throughout the rest of the city
    • This would allow developers to begin work on new construction
  • The city is weighing tax breaks for developers so that they are given additional free right to build what they want, with little limitations
  • Some members of the CURRENT Advisory Committee want ONLY single-family homes built in Sandy Springs, and many are representing their neighborhood’s Home Owners Associations. 
  • There is ONE renter on the committee. 

What We Don’t Know

There’s a few questions that we need answers to that we hope will come out of this meeting:

  • Where will the current families be when all of this is finished?
  • Will they still be here?
  • Or will they have been forced out?

We Need You There

Your voice is needed at this meeting. 

Is this the type of city we want?

Or do we want to have development with preservation of housing affordability?

We can, and should, do both. But we need YOU to stand with us by making your voice heard, loud and clear. Share your stories, your insight, your feedback. Lift your voices.

See you on March 5th at 6pm at City Hall!

Local media highlights far-reaching impact of Atlanta’s lack of housing affordability

Since the inception of Sandy Springs Together, we’ve harped on the importance of the city addressing the growing affordable housing crisis before it’s too late.

We’ve also highlighted the fact that this problem isn’t exclusive to Sandy Springs — it’s impacting the entire city of Atlanta and similar metropolitan areas around the country.

11Alive Speaks Up

Recently, the news crew over at 11Alive produced a great segment articulating the key issues and consequences that the ever-rising cost of housing is creating in the Atlanta area.

As 11Alive says in their report, “it has become common in Atlanta — homes coming down, expensive buildings and developments going up.” 

Why This is a Problem

This is a huge problem because people who have lived in these areas for decades are being forced out of their neighborhood, and the average person cannot afford to live in, or even near, the city. 

As it stands now, according to an Atlanta Business Chronicle report, roughly 340,000 Atlanta households pay more than 30% of their income toward housing costs, including rent and mortgage.

The 11Alive segment points out that the fact that these high housing costs impact people’s ability to spend money on other things, such as healthcare, daycare and even basic necessities, like groceries.

Perhaps an even more compelling argument comes from the National Association of Realtors, who argue that as housing prices increase, workers have to live farther out, which means businesses are less likely to come to Atlanta due to workers’ longer commutes.

Solid Evidence 

Housing prices are up nearly 50% over the last 5 years; that is a short time to see such a price hike. 

Housing prices are more than double the growth rate of the median family income. 

It’s evident that the impact of a lack of housing affordability is seeping its way into all aspects of our lives.

The Solution 

Well, the city of Atlanta has a $1 billion — yes, BILLION — plan to tackle some of the core issues that drive the affordable housing crisis. 

We can be part of the solution as well. 

Sandy Springs Together started as a group of concerned citizens. We’ve been echoing these same sentiments every single day since our founding.

If you’re finding yourself feeling like a concerned citizen as well, we would love for you to join us as we search for the best policies.

Action is needed and it’s needed now. 

Let’s make it happen together.