Atlanta landlord transforms blighted properties across the area into affordable apartments

Margaret Stagmeier, a founding partner of TriStar Real Estate Investments and the author of "Blighted: A Story of People, Politics, and an American Housing Miracle," discusses the state of the current affordable housing crisis across the Atlanta area. She also talks about her journey and passion for purchasing and renovating blighted properties, then turning them into affordable communities. (Courtesy of Margaret Stagmeier)

While reflecting on the current affordable housing crisis happening in Atlanta and across the country, Margaret Stagmeier, a founding partner of TriStar Real Estate Investments, says the cost of housing has increased because it has become a commodity due to technology.

“It used to be that housing, apartments and single-family homes were owned by local landlords, but with technology, housing now can be owned and managed from all over the world,” said Stagmeier, who purchased her first property in 1998.

Over the years, Stagmeier has managed 3,000 blighted properties across Atlanta and transformed them into affordable housing units. In addition, she recently wrote the book “Blighted: A Story of People, Politics, and an American Housing Miracle.”