BeltLine Funds Affordable Housing; But Growing Pains Stay

The BeltLine is putting more money into affordable housing. Its new budget, approved Thursday by Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development authority, includes $2.2 million for affordable housing.

“What was affordable today may not be affordable tomorrow,” said Atlanta City Councilman Andre Dickens, who serves both on Invest Atlanta’s board and also on the BeltLine’s. “Inman Park and Old Fourth Ward once upon a time were affordable. So we’ll be chasing our tails over there, to be honest. But three-fourths of the BeltLine has not been laid yet. So hopefully we can get ahead of it before West View and Westwood and Adair Park and Capital View start being priced out as well.”

A study released earlier this week by a Georgia Tech professor found that rental prices have already spiked in some Westside neighborhoods.