You may have read about the shipping containers converted to housing for unsheltered people in Downtown Atlanta. It's called The Melody and it's the product of a City of Atlanta initiative for finding land the city owns and potentially using it for housing.

The effort is supported by an analysis of city properties done by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).

We talk with Kyle Wedberg, Ph.D. Senior Manager, Research and Consulting at GFOA about that analysis, and with Joshua Humphries, Senior Housing Advisor to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

The great value of making better use of the city's land is clear. But can we also make sure the results are putting lower-income residnets in homes that are part of walkable, transit-served neighborhoods?

Links:

Can Atlanta’s foray into cargo container housing deliver 500 units for unhoused people?
https://atlantaciviccircle.org/2024/01/31/atlanta-to-make-500-affordable-housing-units-for-homeless/

New Uses of Public Assets Are Helping Atlanta Fill Its Affordable Housing Gap
 https://www.governing.com/housing/new-uses-of-public-assets-are-helping-atlanta-fill-its-affordable-housing-gap