Cities across the U.S. are grappling with increased homelessness since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Atlanta is no exception. In fact, Partners for HOME, which coordinates Atlanta’s Continuum of Care, found that the city’s unsheltered population has grown 63% since the pandemic – from 640 in 2022 to 1,040 in 2024.

Atlanta City leadership has been moving with urgency to address housing insecurity across the city. Efforts include launching and funding programs to prevent the displacement of low-income renters and tax-burdened senior homeowners, as well as coordinating street outreach to rehouse residents living in encampments and ensure they have access to emergency shelters and supportive services.

Most recently, the Invest Atlanta Board approved $75 million in revenue bonds for the Homeless Opportunity Project. These bonds will finance costs associated with the acquisition and installation of approximately 500 quick-delivery rapid housing units, along with 200 additional units of permanent supportive housing and other related projects. The Homeless Opportunity Project will be paired with an additional $10 million from the City of Atlanta’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

“This is not just about offering someone a roof over their heads for a night or two,” Mayor Andre Dickens said in September 2024 when the Homeless Opportunity Bond was first introduced as the largest investment to address homelessness in Atlanta history. “It is about creating a pathway and building a foundation for a better life. We are not just building housing; we are building hope.”