Dickens adds $7M for housing trust fund to proposed budget after pushback

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens speaks at the Housing Our Region discussion hosted by Rose Scott of WABE's "Closer Look" on Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Atlanta. (Jasmine Robinson/WABE)

Last December, Atlanta City Council approved a recurring fund for housing that would dedicate a portion of the city’s annual budget to improving and expanding the local supply of affordable units.

To the frustration of some housing advocates, the first budget proposed by Mayor Andre Dickens since the legislation passed included $58.7 million for affordable housing — but no money for the recurring housing trust fund.

After initially citing concerns about economic factors including inflation, now $7 million will be allocated to this recurring trust fund, the mayor announced on Thursday. Dickens announced the new funding a day after WABE’s story about the lack of such allocations in the initially proposed budget.